Categories of GBV in our Communities Part 2

Hello friends on steemit, it’s a pleasure writing, and educating the public on the ills that are plaguing our societies. Today I’m gonna write about Economic Violence faced especially in conflict settings. I know when we talk about economic violence, many do not have a good appraisal of what it is all about. Putting this in to consideration, I am going to give a brief understanding of what economic violence entails.

Brief Understanding of Economic Violence
It is non physically perpetrated but rather embedded in to policies, and laws which limit women, and girls from accessing income opportunities for growth. For instance, refusing a girl child education, denying women from some services or owning resources. Most often perpetrators are family members institutional setups in communities, government actors, and organizations etc.

Different Forms of Economic Violence

• Economic Abuse: This is a situation whereby someone attempts to make a survivor dependent financially towards you by being in control of all financial assets or resources, forbidding a survivor from accessing employment opportunities which can make a women independent. Perpetrators of such violence are most often intimate partners, and spouses.

• Harmful Traditional Practices: This type of violence is manifested by undervaluing women, and girls by considering them as second class citizens, having fewer rights. I remembered when I had a case of a survivor patterning to this, and when I summoned him, he boldly said he knows a woman does not have any voice when it comes to controlling resources. I was baffled at his ignorance, and I imagine the number of vulnerable persons who are going through this. The perpetrators of this act does so in the name of upholding, and maintaining cultural values.

A lot of cases occurred in our communities but are not reported. Most of the victims die in silence. Keeping quiet does not help I anyway. So, it is important that victims, and survivors speak out. Speaking out does not means you shouting and talking to everyone who console with you. Speak to a GBV case manager or a counselor. I know there are some people once you confined in them, they go behind spreading the information which the survivor can faced tough retaliation from perpetrators. It takes a single action, and support towards a survivor, and the narratives, attitudes, and behaviors will definitely change with time.