Hello Everyone!!!
In my previous posts, I talked about what sexual and gender-based based violence means, the root causes and the reasons behind the under-reportage of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence incidents. Having established these, you may ask – How do we identify perpetrators of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence? Thanks to everyone who made comments about today’s topic in the previous post.
A perpetrator is not just an individual who directly inflicts acts of SGBV on an inidivdual. It is also any individual, group or institution that directly supports, allows, accepts, permits, overlooks or even excuses acts of SGBV. It means that if you believe a religious leader or celebrity, for instance, should be excused for sexually assaulting a young girl just because it was so long ago or because he was still young and people make mistakes in their youth, you are a perpetrator of SGBV. If you look the other way when your neighbour is beating his wife because “you don’t want to interfere in family matters”, you are a perpetrator of SGBV.
Non-partner violence is perpetrated by someone a survivor does not know well such as a stranger, acquaintance or colleague.
However, most acts of SGBV are perpetrated by someone known to the survivor such as in cases of inter-personal violence perpetrated by a friend or close family member or intimate partner violence perpetrated by a lover, spouse or an ex-partner.
In my next posts, I will be talking about the different categories of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. Before then, I would like to hear from you. How many categories of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence do you know? Please leave your answers in the Comments section below.
Cheers!
#MOOCSGBV
#EndCampusGBV
