Address SGBV against boys and men too

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I'm dying inside

Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is a contemporary issue which affects both women and men but, for a long time, has been wrongly taken as a women thing and male victims ignored.

SGBV, whether against a woman or a man, is a human rights violation and a crime as clearly outlined in the Constitution. Article 29 (c) prohibits subjection to any form of violence from either public or private sources.

However, just as it is perpetrated against girls and women, SGBV against men and boys is also prevalent in the society. SGBV against boys and men is largely unknown and under-reported because many individuals and organisations are reluctant to address it. That deals a blow to any attempt to assist in boys and men who fall victim to the vice.

SGBV against boys and men is usually suppressed due to the normative expectations of masculinity, which is just a stereotype in the society. Due to their masculine nature, men are considered invulnerable creatures who can only be a perpetrator and not the victim of SGBV.

Sexually abused

For example, in a news report about a man who has been sexually abused, such an incident is reported as torture, but in the case of a woman or a girl, it is addressed as rape or sexual abuse. The wrong labelling reduces the intensity of the situation.

It is difficult for many people to acknowledge that boys and men can also be victims of SGBV owing to the cultural expectations that men are stronger than women. But this is despite the fact that some women commit SGBV against men through isolating them , controlling how they relate and interact with other women , humiliation , false allegations, denial of their right to their children and so on.

At times, even intimate partner violence against men is not recognised as a crime and violation of human rights, especially if there is no weapon used during the abuse. This is forgetting that abuse comes in various ways—such as mental abuse, emotional abuse , isolation and ridicule directed towards boys and men.

Stigmatised

These cases also usually go unreported since men are afraid of being stigmatised, isolated, ridiculed and not believed. For example, if a married man reports to the police an incident of physical assault or abuse by his wife, there is a likelihood of his being ridiculed and not believed.

Most SGBV cases against boys and men may lead to temporary effects such as depression and, at times, permanent impacts such as sterility and even death. This could be one of the reasons men and boys commit suicide.

Acknowledging SGBV against boys and men is not undermining or diverting attention from that affecting girls and women. It will help to address the issue holistically. Any policy or strategy against SGBV should address both genders because the impact of SGBV against either is as devastating. Let’s support all victims.

Nelly Kiando, Narok