Address GBV against men and boys

Women and girls are often described as the survivors of male perpetrators when Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is discussed. Research has shown that while it is true that women and girls disproportionately suffer from this age-old social ill, it is not true that they are the only victims nor are men and boys the only perpetrators.

The underlying concept of propagation of subordination of a person based on their gender remains true even in GBV against men and boys.

The clinical features are similar across the genders; that is, men and boys experience GBV in different forms, including physical, emotional, psychological and economic.

These forms of GBV cause physical, emotional as well as psychological harm. We must realise that men and boys are equally at risk of this social ill and therefore efforts should be geared towards addressing the factors that promote it.

Brutality in the hands of law enforcers: Unfair arrests and torture have been on the rise in the recent past. The media has aired men and boys facing brutality in the hands of law enforcers without necessarily being involved in crime nor the right procedures being followed in dealing with wrongdoing.

Domestic violence against men: Reports of men who have undergone torturous experiences of various forms in the hands of their female partners have become common. GBV against men and boys is rarely reported, making it difficult to address.

This is due to different factors, including our cultural and societal norms. Men and boys downplay the issue because they are expected to be tough and not to “complain/cry like women and girls”.

Historically, domestically violated men were often ignored, laughed at or chastised in the community. For example, you will hear in some cases boys told not to cry like a girl.

 This contributes to non-reporting of the incidents. The media also exposes men abused by making such stories interesting or entertaining to the public. This contributes to stigma, hence lack of confidence to report.

 The society’s response to these incidents also plays a role. If a woman is the victim, society comes out strongly in her defence. On the other hand, if a woman victimises a man, the reaction is more of a rationalisation because we generally perceive men as stronger.

The cultural and societal norms have influenced our response systems to the point that cases are not followed up through legal systems. A multi-sectoral targeted approach incorporating various disciplines is necessary.