how to write a speech on gender based violence

How To Write A Domestic Violence Speech (With Sample Speech)

Hrideep barot.

• Speech Writing

Today, domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women. An average of 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence, or other forms of harm by an intimate partner. Imagine that: as you sit here reading this article, 24 people are being hurt by the person that’s supposed to love them.

Domestic violence is not an issue specific to one single country or place. It happens all around the world and can happen to anyone. It’s a worldwide phenomenon, and that means it’s a topic that most people are familiar with.

And yet, even though so many people are familiar with domestic violence, but a few do anything about it–even when they’re the victims themselves. If you’re delivering a speech on domestic violence, this is something that you need to keep in mind.

Writing a speech on a topic as vast as domestic violence can seem like a daunting task. But it doesn’t have to be: writing a speech on domestic violence is just like writing any other speech.

To write an impactful speech on domestic violence, you need to keep in mind a few things like knowing your audience, using simple language, humanizing yourself, and showing–not telling–your speech.

But first: what is domestic violence & why should you write a speech about it?

Domestic Violence: What Is It & Why To Speak About It

In simple terms, domestic violence is violence or other abuse in a domestic setting such as marriage or cohabitation. Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior that an individual in a relationship uses to exert power over the other person.

The most important reason why we need to talk about domestic violence is that the more we talk about domestic violence, the more likely it gets that we will be able to spread awareness about it, be better able to identify abusive behaviors & take active steps to fight it.

This becomes especially important when we realize that many victims of domestic violence don’t realize that they’re victims at all.

Tips For Writing A Speech On Domestic Violence

1. familiarizing with the audience.

Knowing your audience is an integral part of any speech. It becomes even more important when you’re delivering a speech on a topic as sensitive as domestic violence.

So, before you start writing your speech, ask yourself: who am I going to deliver it to? Are the members in the audience victims of domestic violence themselves? Are they survivors of abuse? Or are they simply there to gain more knowledge about it.

The answer to the question is going to be highly important when you sit down to outline your speech.

2. Use Simple Language

If your aim is to spread awareness or reach out to more people with your speech, then your best bet is to use simple language while you’re delivering it.

We get it: complicated-sounding words make you sound smarter. But that’s not the purpose of your speech, is it? Nobody likes to hear complicated jargon. And if they don’t like to hear something, then they probably won’t.

3. Incorporate Stories

Storytelling is a must for any speech. It can take a flat or boring topic to the next level, and cement a speaker in the audience’s mind.

Incorporating stories in a speech about domestic violence is even more important. That’s because stories tend to have a personal impact on the audience’s mind. They also make it more likely that the audience will connect with you .

A story about a sixteen-year-old victim of dowry death, for example, will have a far greater impact than a statistic about how many teenagers die of domestic violence every year.

We’ve made an extensive video on storytelling that you can check out here. The techniques given here can be applied for all types of speeches and help make the presentation more persuasive:

4. Humanize Yourself

For the audience, the speaker and the message are synonymous with each other. If they do not connect with the speaker or feel like the speaker is distant, then they will never be able to connect with the message either.

So, it’s important to humanize yourself in their eyes. There are many ways in which you can do this. Storytelling is one. Humor is another great way to make yourself more approachable. And write your speech like you’re talking to a friend or family member–not to a bunch of robots.

5. Show, Don’t Tell

This is a tip that writers often hear: show the reader what you want them to see, don’t tell it to them. This goes for speechwriting too. You don’t want to simply bombard the audience with facts and statistics. Instead, you want to make them connect with your speech and give them a tangible idea to take back.

The best way to show and not tell is by incorporating stories and examples in your speech. Don’t tell them why domestic violence is horrifying: make them feel why it is.

6. Add A Unique Angle

For a topic such as domestic violence, it’s likely that many speakers have spoken before you. This means that your audience has probably heard about the topic from multiple different channels–like the internet, social media websites, Youtube–before your speech.

If you truly wish to make an impact on your audience’s mind and make your speech memorable for them, then you need to find a unique angle to your speech. While it’s good to take inspiration from other speeches, you don’t want to copy it. Instead, have your own spin on the topic.

How To Start A Speech On Domestic Violence?

There are many ways of starting a speech. A few of them have been listed below:

1. Powerful Phrase

A quintessential way to start a speech would be with the use of a powerful statement or phrase. This catches your audience’s attention right off the bat, and makes it more likely they’ll stick with you for longer.

By 2050, the world as we know it will come to an end.

2. What-If Scenario

Another great way to start a speech on domestic violence is to make the audience imagine something. This will not only make for a killer opening but will also prime your audience by making them engage in your speech right from the beginning.

What if every relationship in the world was an abusive relationship? What if abuse, and not love, was the basis of every relationship?

Storytelling is a quintessential way to start off a speech, and for good reason. Stories are an excellent way to engage your audience in your speech, and to formulate a personal connection with them right off the bat.

I was twenty-one years old when my boyfriend called me a ‘bitch’ and punched me in the face for the first time…

4. Question

A question is another great way to start off a speech. A question gets your audience thinking and makes them more actively engaged in your speech. You can ask the audience a rhetorical question–or even a literal one if you want.

Example: How many of you have had a partner swear at or hit you?

5. S hocking Statistic or Fact

Statistics and facts are another great way to begin your speech. This is because statistics or facts can add shock-value to your speech & immediately draw your audience’s attention where it should be: on what you’re going to say next.

Example: 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have been victims of severe physical violence (e.g. beating, burning, strangling) by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

For more information on how to open your speech, check out our article on 10 Of The Best Things To Say In Opening Remarks

Sample Speech On Domestic Violence

Speeh Title: The War Inside Our Homes

“We are at war. In this country and across all the other countries across the world, a war is being waged. Unlike other wars, this one is not a loud war being fought between countries. This is a silent war. A war with a battlefield right inside the comfort of our homes. It is a war against domestic abuse. Like all other wars, the war against domestic abuse is man-made. Domestic abuse isn’t something new or previously unseen. In fact, it’s something that all of us are familiar with. Even if not everybody–thankfully–has a first-hand experience, we all know what domestic violence is. We’ve seen or heard about it before, be it in the news or on the television or even amongst people we know. One in three women and one in four men in the U.S. have reported having experienced rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. And these are only the cases that have been reported: the stories that are buried, the victims that are too afraid–or in too much danger–to speak out, are most often forgotten. “It started after an argument about who’s turn it was to buy milk.” James Harrison, a twenty-five-year-old writer from New York, thought he’d met the love of his life after his first date with his girlfriend-turned-wife-turned-abuser, Amy. Not even a month later, the couple became an official Facebook-couple. Six months later, Amy was kicked out of her job–and then her apartment. James decided to help her out and invited her to live at his apartment–which he shared with his friend–for as long as she wanted. He had no idea he was inviting her to abuse him for over six months–both physically as well as mentally. When asked why he didn’t speak up sooner, he said it was because he was ashamed. “I couldn’t even tell my roommate,” he said. “I was so ashamed of myself.” James isn’t alone. Most often, when we think of domestic abuse, the first image that pops up in our mind is that of a woman being hit by a man. Women are quintessentially perceived as the victims of domestic abuse, and the man the aggressor. While it’s absolutely true that a vast chunk of the victims of domestic abuse is women, men can be victims of domestic abuse too. Determining the rate of violence against men can be difficult, as societal stigma means that men are often reluctant to report abuse or seek help. According to the National Violence Against Women Survey, over 830,000 men experience domestic violence every year. This means that every 37.8 seconds, somewhere in America a man is abused. Domestic abuse is not about size or strength or culture or gender. It doesn’t matter whether you are a man or a woman: abuse is abuse. And domestic violence has been on the rise–without a fall anywhere in sight. United Nations Secretary-General noted the horrifying global surge of domestic abuse and called for a domestic violence “ceasefire”. In many countries across the world, domestic violence reports and emergency calls have increased over 25 percent over the last year–and keep in mind these are only the ’emergencies and worst-case scenarios. For Amitya, it started as verbal insults. Insults that she assumed were harmless because after, all if he wasn’t physically hitting her, it wasn’t abuse, right? Just words. She was wrong. Although she wanted to leave, she had no means of doing so. She was without a job, and completely financially dependent on her husband. Her family had made it clear that they would not support her: if she left her husband, she’d be on the streets. And then what about her daughter? Who would feed her? Who would protect her from the horrors of homelessness? Then, words turned to fists. A month ago, she was rushed to the emergency room and almost lost her life because she couldn’t get a bed for herself. That’s when she knew she had to leave. Because if she didn’t, she–and maybe even her daughter–would die. She is not alone. We are at war. A war against domestic abuse. Whether we lose it or emerge triumphantly, it remains to be seen.”

To sum up, writing a speech on domestic abuse might seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be so. Delivering a speech on domestic violence is just like delivering any other speech. If you keep in mind a few things like knowing your audience, using simple language, humanizing yourself, and showing–not telling–your speech, you can deliver an impactful speech on domestic violence with ease.

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Writing A Women’s Day Speech: 7 Tips and Examples

Every year on March 8th, the world recognizes International Women’s Day. It’s a day for celebrating the economic, social, cultural, and political accomplishments of women and for celebrating Women’s Rights . In 1911, over a million people from Austria, Germany, Denmark, and Switzerland celebrated the first International Women’s Day . Today, in addition to celebrating women’s achievements, IWD is an opportunity to call for gender equality and justice. Speeches are held at events around the world. How do you write a good speech for International Women’s Day? Here are seven tips and examples:

Tip #1: Know your audience

Before writing a speech, you want to know who your audience is and what they care about. Without this information, you may write something that doesn’t resonate. It may not be bad, but it may miss the mark. As an example, if you don’t know recent college graduates make up most of your audience, you may write a speech that fails to take into account their youth, their goals (like starting a career), their knowledge and experience of history, and so on. Your audience’s age is just one piece of information about them. In a 2019 article on Ideas.Ted.com , Briar Goldberg describes how audiences can be broken into three types: expert, novice, and mixed. If you’re speaking to an expert audience, you’ll rely on more complex arguments and terminology than if you were speaking to a novice audience. With mixed audiences, appealing to emotions is often the best choice.

At the 2020 International Finance Corporation’s celebration event for International Women’s Day, the CEO Philippe Le Houérou spoke to his audience’s interests by focusing on economics, numbers, and ways IFC is addressing gender inequality, saying :

“At IFC, we have developed a comprehensive approach to reducing gender inequality. We create partnerships to encourage the hiring of women and improve their working conditions. We help expand access to financial services for women. We invest in innovative technologies that expand choices for female consumers and employment. And we work with partners to provide business skills and leadership training to women entrepreneurs.”

Tip #2: Write a strong opening

A strong opening engages the listener and gives them a general roadmap of your speech. Depending on your speech’s context and audience, you can experiment with opening styles. If you’re speaking to a general audience, an anecdote is a great way to capture your listener’s attention and get them emotionally invested. If your audience consists of experts or academics, it might be best to keep your introduction as brief as possible (many speeches begin with thank yous), so you can spend more time on the speech’s main points.

Consider then-UN Women Deputy Executive Director Lakshmi Puri’s 2013 speech to the mostly-expert audience of the Open Society Foundation. Her topic was on the importance of girls’ education. After thanking the audience, she opened with strong, clear language to emphasize the speech’s main message:

“Your Excellencies, fellow panelists, ladies and gentlemen. I am honoured to be participating in this very important side event on the right to education in the post-2015 agenda. I sincerely thank the International Council for Adult Education, the Global Campaign for Education and all of the convening organizations for inviting me to speak today. UN Women considers that education is one of the greatest game-changers for women and girls around the world. It is both an enabler and force multiplier for women’s economic, political and social empowerment and gender equality.”

Tip #3: Include statistics to support your claims

When you’re writing a speech about issues like gender equality in education, healthcare, or the workplace, you want to give the audience specific information about the issue. Without key statistics , the audience won’t know how serious an issue is or what progress is being made. It isn’t enough to say that “many” girls don’t receive equal education compared to boys or that things are “improving.” What are the actual numbers? Sharing statistics also shows you did your research, which gives your words credibility.

You can also include data to show what specific organizations are doing and how they’re impacting gender equality. That’s what Michelle Obama did in her 2016 speech at the Let Girls Learn event that celebrated Women’s Day. She sprinkled facts through her speech on how Let Girls Learn was making a difference. Here’s an example:

“Folks of all ages and all walks of life are stepping up, as well. More than 1,600 people in nearly all 50 states have donated money to Let Girls Learn Peace Corps projects. Our #62MillionGirls hashtag was the number-one hashtag in the U.S., with people across the country talking about the power of education. And we’ll be launching the next phase of this social media campaign next week at South by Southwest.”

Tip #4: Strike the right tone

How do you want to present yourself? What kinds of emotions do you want to stir in your audience? These types of questions help you identify the appropriate tone for your speech. This is another reason why knowing your audience matters. When you’re speaking to a group of seasoned experts in a formal setting, your tone will likely sound more analytical and logical. If you were speaking in a more casual environment to a group unfamiliar with your subject, you’ll probably want to adopt a more personal, conversational style. If you want to provoke emotions in your listeners and get them to care, stories are very effective. If your goal is to inform and educate, it’s wise to rely on facts and stats.

Tracee Ellis Ross’ 2018 TED Talk on women’s anger is a great example of a speech with a tone that fits the speech’s context. She’s speaking to a mixed-gender audience in a non-academic setting. Because the topic she’s covering is personal, she uses a conversational, almost intimate style that switches between the first and second person. She addresses both the women and men in the audience, but keeps the women centered. Here’s an example toward the end of the speech:

“Our culture is shifting, and it’s time. So my fellow women and our gentle men, as we are here together within this particular window of this large-scale movement towards women’s equality, and as we envision a future that does not yet exist, we both have different invitations.”

Tip #5: Pay attention to structure

At their most basic, speeches consist of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Each section serves an important purpose. The introduction establishes your credibility, the speech’s tone, and its goals. The body, which is the main part of the speech, fills in the points you want to cover using statistics, stories, or other forms of evidence. The conclusion wraps everything up and emphasizes what you want your audience to remember. Unlike something that’s written, your audience can’t look back to find their way if they get lost, so as you move through the three sections, you want things to be as clear and simple as possible.

In 2021, Srishti Baksh gave a TedTalk relating her 2,300-mile walk journey across India where she held driving workshops to empower women’s ability to move across the country. She uses a simple structure that opens with the story of the first time she went to a movie alone with her friends at age 14. She was assaulted in the theater. She then zooms out, describing how there are 600 million women in India, but women rarely go outside because they’re not safe. In the body of her speech, she zooms back in to talk about her walking journey, the women she met, the empowering and terrifying things she witnessed, and how she joined forces with another woman to create a movement that trains female drivers. She concludes with a clear message:

“By rethinking mobility for women, giving them a safe transport and safety outside of home, it is our hope to transform our culture. Apart from having a profound impact on the Indian economy, this is about something much bigger. As you all know, when we move, we can be seen. The more women see other women in public spaces, the more safe, independent and empowered each one of us will be. So. If we can learn how to walk, certainly we can learn how to fly.”

Tip #6: Use repetition to your advantage

How do you make sure your audience gets the point of your speech? How do you make your speech – which might be one of many speeches the audience sits through – memorable? Repetition. You want to repeat your main point throughout your speech. It’s a good idea to include it at least three times: in the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. There are other types of repetition that make your speech memorable, too. Repetition can include keywords, phrases, and even the sounds of words. Repetition looks different depending on what kind of speech you’re giving. If you’re giving an emotion-driven speech, frequent repetition of the same words/phrases adds to the emotional punch. For informational or educational speeches where powerful emotions aren’t necessarily appropriate, use different words/phrases to repeat the main point.

For an example of good repetition in a speech, let’s look at Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw’s 2016 Keynote at Women of the World . From a word search, it’s clear what the speech is about. Together, the words “intersectionality” and “intersectional” appear 42 times. Repetition is found within sentences and paragraphs, too:

“There are multiple forms of intersectionality . I could talk about a lot of them, but the kind of intersectionality that I most want to talk about is the intersectionality around politics – political intersectionality .”

“So the question we have to ask is, what can we each do about it? We’ve been saying the first thing you can do about it is say her name. Do not allow her death to happen in silence. Do not allow their children, their loved ones to grieve for them in silence. Do not allow , do not affirm the belief that their lives are insignificant.”

Tip #7: Ask rhetorical questions

Do you want to increase audience engagement? Ask rhetorical questions. When you ask a question, your audience is forced to think more deeply about your words. They’re more likely to listen more closely, as well, since the information that follows a question will provide more context. You can use rhetorical questions in a few ways. You can anticipate a question your audience might have, set up an important point, or even encourage an emotional response. Even though audience members won’t shout out an answer (unless you encourage them to do so), asking questions makes your speech feel more interactive and engaging.

Let’s look at a 2003 speech by Maxine Waters at the National Youth Summit. While it isn’t directly about women’s rights, it serves as a great example of how to use questions in a speech. Right from the beginning, it’s clear this speech is going to be interactive. She says good morning to the audience and then prompts them to answer her. Through the speech, Waters asks many questions (some rhetorical, some direct), all of which make the speech engaging even through a transcript:

“Who makes up this jury? [Waters is discussing a trial involving a White cop and a Black teenager that ended in a hung jury and mistrial] A lot of people were very, very concerned because there was only one black person on the jury. The city of Inglewood is majority minority, and majority African-American. How could this have happened? How could you get a jury with only one black, in a case where the defendants are African-American, in a city where it is majority minority and mostly black? How could this happen?”

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About the author, emmaline soken-huberty.

Emmaline Soken-Huberty is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon. She started to become interested in human rights while attending college, eventually getting a concentration in human rights and humanitarianism. LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and climate change are of special concern to her. In her spare time, she can be found reading or enjoying Oregon’s natural beauty with her husband and dog.

Gender-Based Violence (Violence Against Women and Girls)

Photo: Simone D. McCourtie / World Bank

Gender-based violence (GBV) or violence against women and girls (VAWG), is a global pandemic that affects 1 in 3 women in their lifetime.

The numbers are staggering:

• 35% of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence.
• Globally, 7% of women have been sexually assaulted by someone other than a partner.
• Globally, as many as 38% of murders of women are committed by an intimate partner.
• 200 million women have experienced female genital mutilation/cutting.

This issue is not only devastating for survivors of violence and their families, but also entails significant social and economic costs. In some countries, violence against women is estimated to cost countries up to 3.7% of their GDP – more than double what most governments spend on education.

Failure to address this issue also entails a significant cost for the future.  Numerous studies have shown that children growing up with violence are more likely to become survivors themselves or perpetrators of violence in the future.

One characteristic of gender-based violence is that it knows no social or economic boundaries and affects women and girls of all socio-economic backgrounds: this issue needs to be addressed in both developing and developed countries.

Decreasing violence against women and girls requires a community-based, multi-pronged approach, and sustained engagement with multiple stakeholders. The most effective initiatives address underlying risk factors for violence, including social norms regarding gender roles and the acceptability of violence.

The World Bank is committed to addressing gender-based violence through investment, research and learning, and collaboration with stakeholders around the world.

Since 2003, the World Bank has engaged with countries and partners to support projects and knowledge products aimed at preventing and addressing GBV. The Bank supports over $300 million in development projects aimed at addressing GBV in World Bank Group (WBG)-financed operations, both through standalone projects and through the integration of GBV components in sector-specific projects in areas such as transport, education, social protection, and forced displacement.  Recognizing the significance of the challenge, addressing GBV in operations has been highlighted as a World Bank priority, with key commitments articulated under both IDA 17 and 18, as well as within the World Bank Group Gender Strategy .

The World Bank conducts analytical work —including rigorous impact evaluation—with partners on gender-based violence to generate lessons on effective prevention and response interventions at the community and national levels.

The World Bank regularly  convenes a wide range of development stakeholders  to share knowledge and build evidence on what works to address violence against women and girls.

Over the last few years, the World Bank has ramped up its efforts to address more effectively GBV risks in its operations , including learning from other institutions.

Addressing GBV is a significant, long-term development challenge. Recognizing the scale of the challenge, the World Bank’s operational and analytical work has expanded substantially in recent years.   The Bank’s engagement is building on global partnerships, learning, and best practices to test and advance effective approaches both to prevent GBV—including interventions to address the social norms and behaviors that underpin violence—and to scale up and improve response when violence occurs.  

World Bank-supported initiatives are important steps on a rapidly evolving journey to bring successful interventions to scale, build government and local capacity, and to contribute to the knowledge base of what works and what doesn’t through continuous monitoring and evaluation.

Addressing the complex development challenge of gender-based violence requires significant learning and knowledge sharing through partnerships and long-term programs. The World Bank is committed to working with countries and partners to prevent and address GBV in its projects. 

Knowledge sharing and learning

Violence against Women and Girls: Lessons from South Asia is the first report of its kind to gather all available data and information on GBV in the region. In partnership with research institutions and other development organizations, the World Bank has also compiled a comprehensive review of the global evidence for effective interventions to prevent or reduce violence against women and girls. These lessons are now informing our work in several sectors, and are captured in sector-specific resources in the VAWG Resource Guide: www.vawgresourceguide.org .

The World Bank’s  Global Platform on Addressing GBV in Fragile and Conflict-Affected Settings  facilitated South-South knowledge sharing through workshops and yearly learning tours, building evidence on what works to prevent GBV, and providing quality services to women, men, and child survivors.  The Platform included a $13 million cross-regional and cross-practice initiative, establishing pilot projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nepal, Papua New Guinea, and Georgia, focused on GBV prevention and mitigation, as well as knowledge and learning activities.

The World Bank regularly convenes a wide range of development stakeholders to address violence against women and girls. For example, former WBG President Jim Yong Kim committed to an annual  Development Marketplace  competition, together with the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) , to encourage researchers from around the world to build the evidence base of what works to prevent GBV. In April 2019, the World Bank awarded $1.1 million to 11 research teams from nine countries as a result of the fourth annual competition.

Addressing GBV in World Bank Group-financed operations

The World Bank supports both standalone GBV operations, as well as the integration of GBV interventions into development projects across key sectors.

Standalone GBV operations include:

• In August 2018, the World Bank committed $100 million to help prevent GBV in the DRC . The Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response Project will reach 795,000 direct beneficiaries over the course of four years. The project will provide help to survivors of GBV, and aim to shift social norms by promoting gender equality and behavioral change through strong partnerships with civil society organizations. 
• In the  Great Lakes Emergency Sexual and Gender Based Violence & Women's Health Project , the World Bank approved $107 million in financial grants to Burundi, the DRC, and Rwanda  to provide integrated health and counseling services, legal aid, and economic opportunities to survivors of – or those affected by – sexual and gender-based violence. In DRC alone, 40,000 people, including 29,000 women, have received these services and support.
• The World Bank is also piloting innovative uses of social media to change behaviors . For example, in the South Asia region, the pilot program WEvolve  used social media  to empower young women and men to challenge and break through prevailing norms that underpin gender violence.

Learning from the Uganda Transport Sector Development Project and following the Global GBV Task Force’s recommendations , the World Bank has developed and launched a rigorous approach to addressing GBV risks in infrastructure operations:

• Guided by the GBV Good Practice Note launched in October 2018, the Bank is applying new standards in GBV risk identification, mitigation and response to all new operations in sustainable development and infrastructure sectors.
• These standards are also being integrated into active operations; GBV risk management approaches are being applied to a selection of operations identified high risk in fiscal year (FY) 2019.
• In the East Asia and Pacific region , GBV prevention and response interventions – including a code of conduct on sexual exploitation and abuse – are embedded within the Vanuatu Aviation Investment Project .
• The Liberia Southeastern Corridor Road Asset Management Project , where sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) awareness will be raised, among other strategies, as part of a pilot project to employ women in the use of heavy machinery. 
• The Bolivia Santa Cruz Road Corridor Project uses a three-pronged approach to address potential GBV, including a Code of Conduct for their workers; a Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) that includes a specific mandate to address any kinds gender-based violence; and concrete measures to empower women and to bolster their economic resilience by helping them learn new skills, improve the production and commercialization of traditional arts and crafts, and access more investment opportunities.
• The Mozambique Integrated Feeder Road Development Project identified SEA as a substantial risk during project preparation and takes a preemptive approach: a Code of Conduct; support to – and guidance for – the survivors in case any instances of SEA were to occur within the context of the project – establishing a “survivor-centered approach” that creates multiple entry points for anyone experiencing SEA to seek the help they need; and these measures are taken in close coordination with local community organizations, and an international NGO Jhpiego, which has extensive experience working in Mozambique.

Strengthening institutional efforts to address GBV  

In October 2016, the World Bank launched the  Global Gender-Based Violence Task Force  to strengthen the institution’s efforts to prevent and respond to risks of GBV, and particularly sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) that may arise in World Bank-supported projects. It builds on existing work by the World Bank and other actors to tackle violence against women and girls through strengthened approaches to identifying and assessing key risks, and developing key mitigations measures to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse and other forms of GBV. 

In line with its commitments under IDA 18 , the World Bank developed an Action Plan for Implementation of the Task Force’s recommendations , consolidating key actions across institutional priorities linked to enhancing social risk management, strengthening operational systems to enhance accountability, and building staff and client capacity to address risks of GBV through training and guidance materials.

As part of implementation of the GBV Task Force recommendations, the World Bank has developed a GBV risk assessment tool and rigorous methodology to assess contextual and project-related risks. The tool is used by any project containing civil works.

The World Bank has developed a Good Practice Note (GPN) with recommendations to assist staff in identifying risks of GBV, particularly sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment that can emerge in investment projects with major civil works contracts. Building on World Bank experience and good international industry practices, the note also advises staff on how to best manage such risks. A similar toolkit and resource note for Borrowers is under development, and the Bank is in the process of adapting the GPN for key sectors in human development.

The GPN provides good practice for staff on addressing GBV risks and impacts in the context of the Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) launched on October 1, 2018, including the following ESF standards, as well as the safeguards policies that pre-date the ESF: 

• ESS 1: Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts;
• ESS 2: Labor and Working Conditions;
• ESS 4: Community Health and Safety; and
• ESS 10: Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure.

In addition to the Good Practice Note and GBV Risk Assessment Screening Tool, which enable improved GBV risk identification and management, the Bank has made important changes in its operational processes, including the integration of SEA/GBV provisions into its safeguard and procurement requirements as part of evolving Environmental, Social, Health and Safety (ESHS) standards, elaboration of GBV reporting and response measures in the Environmental and Social Incident Reporting Tool, and development of guidance on addressing GBV cases in our grievance redress mechanisms.

In line with recommendations by the Task Force to disseminate lessons learned from past projects, and to sensitize staff on the importance of addressing risks of GBV and SEA, the World Bank has developed of trainings for Bank staff to raise awareness of GBV risks and to familiarize staff with new GBV measures and requirements.  These trainings are further complemented by ongoing learning events and intensive sessions of GBV risk management.

Last Updated: Sep 25, 2019

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One Voice: Against Gender Based Violence

Speech at an event on gender-based violence

EIGE's Director Carlien Scheele delivered this speech at an event on gender-based violence organised by the Venice Office of the Council of Europe on 25 November 2021.

Good morning,

It is good to be here today on the first day of the 2021 Orange the World campaign, launching the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.

As you may know, I was working at the Council of Europe before I took up my role as Director of the European Institute for Gender Equality, so I know first-hand of how committed my former colleagues are to eradicating violence against women.

One of the times this was most clear, was when the Istanbul Convention opened for signature. I remember the joy and excitement my colleagues felt, together with the many activists, member state representatives and professionals we had been working with to achieve this goal.

This marked a breaking point, where, after many years of struggle, we could finally place our hopes in a legally binding and far-reaching tool to combat violence against women.

We all recognised how significant this moment was for women and girls experiencing gender-based violence. We finally had detailed guidance on how to how to create a holistic system that would fully protect victims and bring us one step closer to ending their pain and suffering.

We could never have predicted the challenges we would face.  

First, we could not have predicted that we would we will be fighting two pandemics at once: Covid-19 and violence against women. We could not know that Covid-19 would trap women with their abusers, making it difficult for them to seek help and to escape.  

We also could also never have predicted that myths, misunderstandings and disinformation about the concept of gender would spread so quickly, prompting some countries to revoke this groundbreaking treaty.

But even in these challenging times, the power of the Istanbul Convention is unquestionable.

The Convention has loyal allies. Eradicating violence against women is one of the top priorities of the European Union. Right now, the European Commission is drafting new legislation to tackle violence against women across the whole of the EU.

The European Institute for Gender Equality also prides itself on being a strong ally of the Council of Europe.  

In our work on gender-based violence, we focus especially on intimate partner violence, and its most severe form: femicide. We share the Council of Europe’s belief there can be no equality until women and girls are safe in their own homes.

To help EU Member States properly measure intimate partner violence, we have developed 13 indicators to capture the different forms this violence takes. From rape, to psychological abuse, to femicide, our indicators can help EU countries see the real picture when they collect their data.  

On femicide specifically, we have just released a package to help correctly identify such killings, from murders at the hands of intimate partners, to deaths as a result of unsafe abortions. 

Of course, violence against women is about more than solid data. Next year we will be releasing an analysis of how countries try to give justice to the victims of femicide, and highlighting where they need to be doing more.

We also look beyond the police and justice sector in our work. We have carried out interviews with witnesses of intimate partner violence and with professionals working with victims, to understand what makes people take action, and what stops them. This is critical if we want to create a zero tolerance culture to gender-based violence. 

We also respond to ongoing events, and recently published an in-depth analysis of how EU Member States responded to spikes in domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Right now, we are looking at how violence against women is being replicated online, with an analysis of the different ways EU countries are dealing with cyber violence.   

Cyber violence is yet another example of how we cannot predict the future. Despite creating the most comprehensive document we have on combatting violence against women, the drafters of the Istanbul Convention could not anticipate the different ways abusers would use the online sphere to harass and threaten women.  

This shows how important it is to create a society where violence against women is not tolerated – not tolerated by neighbours, by the police, or by the justice system.

None of us are fortune tellers, and we cannot predict everything that will happen in our laws, so we need to erase violence from our culture – from schools, from workplaces and from our media.   

Thank you for working with us to achieve this important goal.  

A minute’s silence is fine but when it comes to violence against women, being quiet isn’t enough

Associate Professor Sport Management and Sport Integrity Lead, University of Canberra

Editor of the feminist academic blog BroadAgenda at the Faculty of Business, Government and Law at University of Canberra., University of Canberra

Disclosure statement

The University of Canberra and Sport Integrity Australia have an MoU in place to support a number of research projects, including a research project titled: "Online Harm: Women working in the sports industry."

Ginger Gorman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

University of Canberra provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

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Sport has a role to play in creating a culture of respect, yet women in sport are often seen as “less than” on almost every measure: salaries, sponsorship, broadcasting, leadership, access, media, coaching, officiating, uniforms and support.

Research shows three out of four Australian men are gender equality supporters, but very few (17%) prioritise taking any action.

As Australia grapples with a “ national crisis ” of violence against women, what can men in sport do to help?

What does the research tell us?

Rigid gender norms can play a part in fuelling male violence against women and children. And sport is an arena, excuse the pun, where rigid gender norms flourish.

When it comes to sport and gendered violence, a special level of toxic attack and misogyny is reserved for women who “dare” to play , watch and work in sport , and this is particularly heightened for women of colour and/or presumed to be from the LGBTQI+ community, whether identifying or not.

Sport also regularly promotes alcohol and gambling, with evident impacts on women and children – whenever there are big sporting events, violence against women by spectators increases .

Players, coaches, commentators and officials repeatedly avoid sanctions, or get a slap on the wrist, and go on to secure leadership roles in sport, sometimes despite allegations of serious gender-based offences.

The message this sends to younger players and fans is that misogyny is acceptable and that “heroes” are beyond reproach. This green-lights sexism , and completely undermines any messages around equality.

Tracey Gaudry has held a trifecta of roles relevant to this discussion. Not only was she previously a former champion cyclist, and former CEO of Hawthorn Football Club, she has also been Respect Victoria’s CEO.

Back in 2020 she nailed the confluence of issues :

“Gender inequality is a driver of violence against women and it can start out small. Because sport comes from a male-dominant origin, those things build up over time and become a natural part of the sporting system and an assumed part.”

What are sports codes and teams doing?

Professional sport organisations and clubs have been trying to address abusive behaviour towards women for decades. Both the AFL and NRL began developing respect and responsibility programs and policies 20 years ago, yet the abuse, and the headlines, continue – against both women in the game, and at home.

There are also opportunities for clubs to take action even if their governing bodies don’t. Semi-professional rugby league club the Redfern All Blacks, for example, are showing leadership: players who are alleged to be perpetrators are banned from playing until they’re prepared to talk about it openly, and prove they are committed to changing their behaviour.

Education is also vital.

At the elite level, most codes are trying to educate those within their sports – the NRL’s Voice Against Violence program, led by Our Watch, is the same organisation the AFL has recently partnered with .

The NRL also implements the “Change the Story” framework in partnership with ANROWS and VicHealth, which includes a zero tolerance education program for juniors transitioning into seniors.

What more should be done?

The AFL’s recent minute silence gesture to support women affected by violence does not go far enough.

Men, especially those in leadership positions, can take action by actively dishonouring the men who have abused women.

Some of the men we celebrate around the country for their service as players, presidents, life members and coaches have been abusive towards women and children.

Recently, the AFL demanded Wayne Carey – who has a long history of domestic violence allegations and assault convictions – be denied his NSW Hall of Fame Legend status . The next step is to see Carey struck off his club and AFL honour rolls.

The same treatment should apply to other convicted abusers such as Jarrod Hayne and Ben Cousins – the list goes on.

To take a stand on violence against women, award winners who have been convicted for, or admitted to, abuse against women should be explicitly called out with an asterisk next to their names – “dishonoured for abuse against women”.

And current and future awards must be ineligible to abusers. Serious crimes should mean a life ban for all roles in sport.

If there is a criminal conviction, or an admission of disrespectful behaviour (abuse, sexism, racism, ableism or homophobia), then action must immediately be taken to strip them of their privileges.

What about the grey area of allegations?

One tricky challenge for sport organisations is how to deal with allegations that don’t result in criminal convictions.

The legal system has systematically failed to protect women from sexual predators, so we can’t rely solely on a conviction to act.

In 2019, the NRL introduced a discretionary “no fault, stand down” rule for players charged with serious criminal offences, and/or offences involving women and children. Under this rule, players must stand down from matches until the matter is resolved.

All sports should, as a baseline starting point, be following suit.

Where to from here?

It’s time sport organisations and fans acknowledged two things can be true: good, even great, athletes, coaches or administrators can be bad humans.

Sporting codes need a zero-tolerance approach for abuse of women which should apply to fans, players, coaches, umpires, referees and administrators.

All codes should strongly consider implementing the “no fault, stand down” rule similar to the NRL. Perpetrators should not be allowed back into high-profile roles. Supporters must also be held to account – if fans can be banned for racism , they can be banned for sexism.

At all levels and across all sports, we must send the message from the ground up: misogyny is unacceptable and the consequence for your bad behaviour is that you are no longer welcome.

• Violence against women
• Sport and violence
• gender rights
• Sports and culture
• Sport and Society

Executive Dean, Faculty of Health

Research Fellow

Senior Research Fellow - Women's Health Services

Lecturer / Senior Lecturer - Marketing

Assistant Editor - 1 year cadetship

Violence against women must stop; five stories of strength and survival

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Conflicts, humanitarian crises and increasing climate-related disasters have led to higher levels of violence against women and girls (VAWG), which has only intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing into sharp focus the urgent need to stem the scourge.

Globally, nearly one-in-three women have experienced violence, with crises driving the numbers even higher.

Gender-based violence (GBV), the most pervasive violation of human rights, is neither natural, nor inevitable, and must be prevented.

Marking the 16 Days of Activism to combat violence against women and girls, UN Women is showcasing the voices of five survivors, each of whose names has been changed to protect their identity. Be forewarned that each character sketch includes descriptions of gender-based violence.

‘Convinced’ she would be killed

From the Argentine province of Chaco, 48-year-old mother of seven, Diana suffered for 28 years before finally deciding to separate from her abusive partner.

“I wasn't afraid that he would beat me, I was convinced that he would kill me,” she said.

At first, she hesitated to file a police complaint for fear of how he might react, but as she learned more about the services provided by a local shelter, she realized that she could escape her tormentor. She also decided to press charges.

Living with an abusive father, her children also suffered psychological stress and economic hardship.

Leaving was not easy, but with the support of a social workers, a local shelter and a safe space to recover, Diana got a job as an administrative assistant in a municipal office.

Accelerate gender equality

• Violence against women and girls is preventable.
• Comprehensive strategies are needed to tackle root causes, transform harmful social norms, provide services for survivors and end impunity.
• Evidence shows that strong, autonomous women’s rights movements are critical to thwarting and eliminating VAWG.
• The  Generation Equality Forum  needs support to stem the VAWG violence.

“I admit that it was difficult, but with the [mental health] support, legal aid and skills training, I healed a lot,” she explained.

Essential services for survivors of domestic violence are a lifeline.

“I no longer feel like a prisoner, cornered, or betrayed. There are so many things one goes through as a victim, including the psychological [persecution] but now I know that I can accomplish whatever I set my mind to”.

Diana is among 199 women survivors housed at a shelter affiliated with the Inter-American Shelter Network, supported by UN Women through the  Spotlight Initiative  in Latin America. The shelter has also provided psychosocial support and legal assistance to more than 1,057 women since 2017.

Diana’s full story is  here .

Survivor now ‘excited about what lies ahead’

Meanwhile, as the COVID-19 pandemic swept through Bangladesh, triggering a VAWG surge, many shelters and essential services shut down

Romela had been married to a cruel, torturous man.

“When I was pregnant, he punched me so hard I ended up losing my baby...I wanted to end my life”, she said.

She finally escaped when her brother took her to the  Tarango  women’s shelter, which in partnership with UN Women, was able to expand its integrated programme to provide safe temporary accommodations, legal and medical services, and vocational training to abused women who were looking for a fresh start.

Living in an abusive relationship often erodes women’s choices, self-esteem and potential. Romela had found a place where she could live safely with her 4-year-old daughter.

Opening a new chapter in her life, she reflected, “other people always told me how to dress, where to go, and how to live my life. Now, I know these choices rest in my hands”.

 “ I feel confident, my life is more enjoyable ,” said the emancipated woman.

Tarango  houses 30–35 survivors at any given time and delivers 24/7 services that help them recover from trauma, regain their dignity, learn new skills, and get job placement and a two-month cash grant to build their economic resilience.

“Our job is to make women feel safe and empowered, and to treat them with the utmost respect and empathy,” said Programme Coordinator Nazlee Nipa.

Click  here  for more on her story.

Uphill battle with in-laws

Goretti returned to western Kenya in 2001 to bury her husband and, as dictated by local culture, remained in the family’s homestead.

“But they wouldn’t give me food. Everything I came with from Nairobi – clothes, household items – was taken from me and divided between the family,” she recounted.

For nearly 20 years after her husband’s death, Goretti was trapped in a life of abuse until her in-laws they beat her so badly that she was hospitalized and unable to work.

Afraid to go to law enforcement, Goretti instead reached out to a local human rights defender, who helped her get medical attention and report the case to the local authorities.

They wouldn’t give me food. Everything...was taken from me and divided between the family – Survivor

However, she quickly discovered that her in-laws had already forged with the police an agreement in her name to withdraw the case.

“But I cannot even write”, Goretti said.

Human rights defenders in Kenya are often the first responders to violations, including GBV. Since 2019, UN Women and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights ( OHCHR ) have been supporting grass-roots organizations that provide legal training and capacity-building to better assist survivors.

In addition to reporting the issue to local police and the courts, human rights defender Caren Omanga, who was trained by one of these organizations, also contacted the local elders.

“I was almost arrested when confronting the officer-in-charge”, Ms. Omanga explained. But knowing that the community would be against Goretti, she started “the alternative dispute-resolution process, while pushing the case to court”.

Finally, with her case settled out of court, Goretti received an agreement granting her the property and land title that she had lost in her marriage dowry, and the perpetrators were forced to pay fines to avoid prison.

“It is like beginning a new life after 20 years, and my son is feeling more secure… I’m thinking of planting some trees to safeguard the plot and building a poultry house”, she said.

Read Goretti’s story in its entirety  here.

Raising consciousness

In Moldova, sexual harassment and violence are taboo topics and, fearing blame or stigmatization, victims rarely report incidents.

At age 14, Milena was raped by her boyfriend in Chisinau. She was unaware that her violation was a sexual assault and continued to see her abuser for another six months before breaking up. Then she tried to forget it.

“This memory was blocked, as if nothing happened”, until two years later, upon seeing an Instagram video that triggered flashbacks of her own assault, she said.

Almost one-in-five men in Moldova have sexually abused a girl or a woman, including in romantic relationships, according to  2019 research  co-published by UN Women.

Determined to understand what had happened to her, Milena learned more about sexual harassment and abuse, and later began raising awareness in her community.

Last year, she joined a UN Women youth mentorship programme, where she was trained on gender equality and human rights and learned to identify abuse and challenge sexist comments and harassment.

Milena went on to develop a self-help guide for sexual violence survivors , which, informed by survivors aged 12 – 21, offers practical guidance to seek help, report abuse, and access trauma recovery resources.

Against the backdrop of cultural victim-blaming, which prevents those who need it from getting help, the mentoring programme focuses on feminist values and diversity, and addresses the root causes of the gender inequalities and stereotypes that perpetuate GBV and discrimination.

“The programme has shown that youth activism and engagement is key to eliminating gender inequalities in our societies”, explained Dominika Stojanoska, UN Women Country Representative in Moldova.

Read more about Milena  here .

Support survivors, break the cycle of violence

A 2019 national survey revealed that only three-out-of-100 sexual violence survivors in Morocco report incidents to the police as they fear being shamed or blamed and lack trust in the justice system.

Layla began a relationship with the head of a company she worked for. He told her he loved her, and she trusted him.

“But he hit me whenever I disagreed with him. I endured everything, from sexual violence to emotional abuse…he made me believe that I stood no chance against him”, she said.

Pregnant, unmarried and lonely, Layla finally went to the police.

To her great relief, a female police officer met her, and said that there was a solution.

“I will never forget that. It has become my motto in life. Her words encouraged me to tell her the whole story. She listened to me with great care and attention”, continued Layla.   

She was referred to a local shelter for single mothers where she got a second chance.

Two years ago, she gave birth to a daughter, and more recently completed her Bachelor’s Degree in mathematics.

“I was studying while taking care of my baby at the single mother’s shelter”, she said, holding her daughter’s hand. 

UN Women maintains that building trust and confidence in the police is an integral part of crime prevention and community safety.

When professionally trained police handle GBV cases, survivors are more likely to report abuse and seek justice, health and psychosocial  services  that help break the cycle of violence while sending a clear message that it is a punishable crime.

Over the past few years, the General Directorate of National Security, supported by UN Women, has restructured the national police force to better support women survivors and prevent VAWG.

Today, all 440 district police stations have dedicated personnel who refer women survivors to the nearest specialized unit.

“It takes a lot of determination and courage for women to ask the police for support”, said Saliha Najeh, Police Chief at Casablanca Police Unit for Women Victims of Violence, who, after specialized training through the UN Women programme, now trains her police officers to use a survivor-centred approach in GBV cases.  

As of 2021, 30 senior police officers and heads of units have been trained through the programme.

“Our role is to give survivors all the time they need to feel safe and comfortable, and for them to trust us enough to tell their story”, she said.

Prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Morocco has also expanded channels for survivors to report and access justice remotely through a 24-hour toll-free helpline, an electronic complaints mechanism, and online court sessions.

Click  here  for the full story.

These stories were originally published by UN Women.

• violence against women
• gender-based violence

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A Guide on Short Speech About Gender-Based Violence in South Africa

A Guide on Short Speech About Gender-Based Violence in South Africa:

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a global problem that affects millions of people worldwide. South Africa, in particular, faces a significant crisis when it comes to GBV, with the country having one of the highest rates of violence against women and girls. This guide aims to help you deliver a short but powerful speech on this pressing issue, raise awareness, and inspire change in your community. Sharing this message is important as it contributes to the fight against GBV, supports survivors, and helps create a safer and more equitable society for all.

Why it is Important to Share the Gender-Based Violence Message

• Raise awareness: Speaking about GBV helps educate people on the gravity of the issue, and the need for immediate action.
• Support survivors: By speaking out, you give a voice to the survivors who might not have the opportunity to share their experiences.
• Encourage change: Your speech can inspire individuals and communities to take action against GBV and work towards a more equitable society.
• Influence policy: Raising awareness can pressure policymakers to implement stronger policies and programs to combat GBV.
• Promote gender equality: Addressing GBV is a crucial step towards achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls.

Gender-Based Violence Speech Topics and Guide

List of 15 Possible Topics and How to Prepare for Each:

Understanding Gender-Based Violence

Topic Background: Gender-based violence (GBV) is a prevalent issue worldwide, affecting individuals regardless of their gender, age, or socioeconomic status. It encompasses a range of harmful actions rooted in power imbalances and gender inequality.

Introduction : Define GBV, and provide a brief overview of its different types and prevalence in South Africa. Body : Discuss the various forms of GBV, such as physical, sexual, emotional, and economic violence. Describe the root causes and societal factors contributing to GBV, including gender norms, stereotypes, and discrimination. Conclusion : Emphasize the importance of understanding GBV to effectively combat it and create a safer, more equitable society.

The Impact of GBV on Survivors

Topic Background: GBV has severe and long-lasting consequences on survivors, affecting their physical, emotional, and psychological well-being.

Introduction : State the importance of recognizing the impact of GBV on survivors and the need for support and resources. Body : Present statistics and real-life stories that illustrate the physical, emotional, and psychological effects of GBV on victims. Discuss the barriers survivors face when seeking help, including stigma, shame, and lack of resources. Conclusion : Stress the need for compassionate support, tailored interventions, and a survivor-centered approach in addressing GBV.

The Role of Men in Combating GBV

Topic Background: Men play a crucial role in combating GBV, as they can challenge harmful gender norms and promote gender equality.

Introduction : Introduce the importance of engaging men in the fight against GBV and promoting gender equality. Body : Explore various ways men can actively participate in combating GBV, such as being allies, challenging toxic masculinity, and promoting healthy relationships. Discuss initiatives and programs that engage men in these efforts. Conclusion : Encourage men to take an active role in creating a safer, more equitable society by challenging gender norms and supporting the fight against GBV.

Legal Frameworks Against GBV in South Africa

Topic Background: South Africa has implemented various legal frameworks to address GBV, but there is still room for improvement.

Introduction : Provide an overview of the current legal frameworks in place to combat GBV in South Africa. Body : Discuss existing laws and policies addressing GBV, their effectiveness, and potential areas for improvement. Consider the role of law enforcement and the justice system in enforcing these frameworks. Conclusion : Emphasize the need for stronger legal frameworks, better enforcement, and continuous evaluation of policies to effectively combat GBV.

Preventing GBV Through Education

Topic Background: Comprehensive sexuality education in schools plays a vital role in preventing GBV by fostering healthy attitudes towards gender and relationships.

Introduction : State the importance of education as a tool for GBV prevention and the need for comprehensive sexuality education in schools. Body : Discuss the key components of comprehensive sexuality education and its role in promoting gender equality, healthy relationships, and respect. Provide examples of successful educational programs and their impact on GBV prevention. Conclusion : Highlight the importance of integrating comprehensive sexuality education into the curriculum as a long-term strategy for preventing GBV and promoting gender equality.

GBV in the Workplace

Topic Background: GBV is not limited to personal relationships; it can also occur in professional settings, where it can have significant consequences for both individuals and organizations.

Introduction : Introduce the issue of GBV in the workplace and the importance of addressing it. Body : Discuss the prevalence and types of GBV in professional settings, including sexual harassment and discrimination. Explain the need for strong policies and procedures to protect employees, and provide examples of best practices. Conclusion : Emphasize the role of employers and employees in creating a safe and inclusive work environment, free from GBV.

Role of Media in Perpetuating GBV

Topic Background: Media has the potential to both perpetuate and challenge GBV, through the reinforcement of harmful gender stereotypes or by raising awareness and advocating for change.

Introduction : Introduce the role of media in GBV and the dual nature of its impact. Body : Analyze how media can contribute to harmful gender stereotypes, victim-blaming, and the normalization of GBV. Discuss examples of responsible media coverage and campaigns that raise awareness and advocate for change. Conclusion : Encourage responsible media representation and stress the need for media to be a part of the solution in addressing GBV.

Supporting Survivors

Topic Background: Providing resources and services to GBV survivors is essential for their recovery and well-being.

Introduction : Introduce the importance of supporting GBV survivors and offering accessible resources. Body : Present resources and services available for GBV survivors, such as hotlines, counseling, shelters, and legal support. Discuss the role of community support and the need for a survivor-centered approach. Conclusion : Encourage individuals and communities to learn about available resources and support survivors in their healing process.

Cultural Practices and GBV

Topic Background: Certain cultural practices perpetuate GBV, making it essential to address these practices while respecting cultural values.

Introduction : Introduce the link between cultural practices and GBV and the importance of addressing this issue. Body : Explore examples of cultural practices that contribute to GBV, such as early marriage and female genital mutilation. Discuss strategies to challenge these practices without disrespecting cultural values, including community engagement and education. Conclusion : Emphasize the need for cultural sensitivity and collaboration to effectively challenge harmful practices and promote gender equality.

LGBTQ+ Communities and GBV

Topic Background: LGBTQ+ individuals face unique challenges and experiences with GBV, making it important to address their specific needs.

Introduction : Introduce the issue of GBV within LGBTQ+ communities and the need for tailored support and resources. Body : Discuss the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals, such as discrimination, hate crimes, and intimate partner violence. Explore how GBV impacts them differently and the importance of inclusive support services. Conclusion : Encourage increased understanding and support for LGBTQ+ individuals who have experienced GBV, and stress the need for inclusive policies and resources.

The Intersection of GBV and Other Forms of Discrimination

Topic Background: GBV intersects with other forms of discrimination, such as race, socioeconomic status, and disability, exacerbating its effects on affected individuals.

Introduction : Introduce the intersectionality of GBV and other forms of discrimination, and the importance of recognizing these connections. Body : Discuss how factors such as race, socioeconomic status, and disability can amplify the effects of GBV and create additional barriers to support and resources. Provide examples and case studies to illustrate these intersections. Conclusion : Emphasize the need for intersectional approaches to addressing GBV, which consider the unique experiences and challenges faced by different communities.

The Economic Cost of GBV

Topic Background: GBV has significant financial implications on individuals, communities, and the country as a whole, making it an issue that affects not only personal well-being but also economic stability.

Introduction : Introduce the economic costs of GBV and its broader implications for society. Body : Present data on the financial impact of GBV on individuals (healthcare costs, lost wages), communities (support services, policing), and the country (lost productivity, GDP). Discuss the long-term effects of GBV on economic development and social progress. Conclusion : Emphasize the importance of investing in GBV prevention and support as a means to promote economic growth and overall well-being.

The Role of Technology in GBV

Topic Background: Technology can both contribute to and help prevent GBV, as well as provide support for survivors.

Introduction : Introduce the dual role of technology in relation to GBV and its potential benefits and drawbacks. Body : Explore how technology can contribute to GBV (cyberbullying, online harassment) and how it can help prevent GBV (raising awareness, online resources). Discuss the role of technology in supporting survivors, such as through mobile apps and online support networks. Conclusion : Encourage responsible use of technology and emphasize its potential as a powerful tool in the fight against GBV.

Engaging Religious Leaders in the Fight Against GBV

Topic Background: Religious leaders can play a vital role in addressing and preventing GBV within their communities, using their influence to promote change.

Introduction : Introduce the role of religious leaders in combating GBV and the importance of engaging them in the fight. Body : Discuss examples of religious leaders who have taken a stand against GBV, promoting gender equality and challenging harmful beliefs within their faith communities. Explore strategies for engaging religious leaders in GBV prevention and support initiatives. Conclusion : Encourage collaboration with religious leaders to foster change within faith communities and contribute to the larger fight against GBV.

Grassroots Movements and Community Initiatives

Topic Background: Grassroots movements and community-based initiatives can have a significant impact in combating GBV by addressing the issue at a local level and empowering community members to create change.

Introduction : Introduce the importance of grassroots movements and community initiatives in the fight against GBV. Body : Highlight successful grassroots movements and community-based initiatives that have made a difference in combating GBV, discussing their strategies, impact, and lessons learned. Explore the role of community empowerment and participation in these initiatives. Conclusion : Encourage support for and participation in grassroots movements and community initiatives as an effective way to combat GBV at the local level and contribute to broader societal change.

Delivering a short speech on gender-based violence in South Africa can have a significant impact on your audience. By raising awareness, supporting survivors, and promoting change, you can contribute to the ongoing fight against GBV. To prepare, select a relevant topic from the list above, gather accurate information, and use compelling examples to engage your audience. Remember that your speech can be a powerful tool for change, and by addressing this pressing issue, you are taking a crucial step towards a safer and more equitable society in South Africa and beyond.

Additional Tips for Delivering a Powerful Speech

• Know your audience: Consider the age, background, and interests of your audience to tailor your message effectively.
• Be concise: Aim for clarity and brevity in your speech, focusing on the most important points and avoiding unnecessary jargon.
• Use visuals: Incorporate visual aids, such as infographics or slides, to help illustrate your points and keep your audience engaged.
• Tell stories: Personal stories or anecdotes can help humanize the issue and create a stronger emotional connection with your audience.
• Practice: Rehearse your speech multiple times to build confidence and ensure a smooth delivery.
• Use appropriate language: Avoid using offensive or triggering language that could upset or alienate your audience. Be sensitive to the experiences of survivors who may be present.
• Be passionate: Speak with conviction and emotion to convey the importance of the issue and inspire your audience to take action.
• Invite questions and discussion: Encourage your audience to ask questions and engage in a constructive dialogue about the topic.
• Provide resources: Share resources or contact information for organizations working to combat GBV, so that audience members can learn more or get involved.
• End with a call to action: Encourage your audience to take specific steps towards combating GBV, whether it’s through education, supporting survivors, or advocating for policy change.

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Raising awareness to root out violence against women and girls

Paula tavares.

We live in a world where one in every three women has suffered some form of gender-based violence in her lifetime  . This statistic translates to a staggering 1 billion women globally who have been abused, beaten or sexually violated because of their gender.    Every November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women , we are reminded that gender-based violence continues to be a global epidemic with dire consequences for women, their families and entire communities. It leads to negative mental and physical health consequences for women and limits their decision-making ability and mobility, thereby reducing productivity and earnings. Beyond the individual harm, it also has substantial economic costs. Global estimates suggest the cost of gender-based violence to be as high as 3.7 percent of GDP – or $1.5 trillion a year.

The risk of violence starts early for many women and girls. Each year, millions of girls around the world are married before they turn 18  . Child marriage results in greater risk of domestic violence and sexual abuse, as well as a number of health issues, lower educational attainment, and lower lifetime earnings. Where girls escape child marriage, they may still face violence at the hands of an intimate partner or family member. Indeed, domestic violence is the most common form of gender-based violence  , with not a single country in the world reporting prevalence rates of domestic violence lower than 5 percent. In fact, as many as 47 percent of murders of women are committed by an intimate partner or family member.   Outside the home, sexual harassment and assault is not only common but widespread. The ‘ Me too ’ campaign, the viral social media movement sparked by the sexual assault allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, is a stark reminder  that sexual violence affects millions of women and girls at work, in school and on the streets. In the European Union, 40 to 50 percent of women have experienced unwanted sexual advances, physical contact or other forms of sexual harassment at work. The numbers are similar or higher in other countries or regions.   Harmful social and gender norms, unbalanced power relations, low education, poverty and conflict are all either root causes or accentuate the risk of gender-based violence. Once viewed as a private matter, domestic violence is now a matter of public health and global concern. Increased awareness has also led to significant changes in the legal framework of countries to step up protection for women and girls.   In 2013, the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law initiative – which I work for – started tracking the existence of laws protecting women from violence . What started as a pilot dataset has been expanded to measure a variety of laws covering domestic violence, sexual harassment, marital rape and child marriage, with the aim of shedding light on where laws exist or otherwise still fail to protect women from violence around the world.   We have found that in 46 countries women still have no legal protection from domestic violence, while in 41 countries they lack protection from sexual harassment  . Even where domestic violence laws exist, 1 in 4 do not protect women from physical and sexual violence. Economic abuse – a particularly prevalent form of domestic violence which can prevent women from escaping abusive relationships – is not covered by law in about half the countries around the world. And in 1 in 7 countries, women who are raped by their husbands cannot legally pursue criminal charges. In a further 11 countries , rapists can escape prison by marrying the victim.   The good news is that over the last 5 years, we have seen great progress. A number of countries – such as Saudi Arabia, Belarus, Lebanon, Tonga and Latvia—recently adopted domestic violence laws for the first time in history. And due to the growing availability of data, the case for enacting comprehensive domestic violence legislation has been strengthened. Our 2016 report noted that where women are legally protected from domestic violence, their life expectancy is higher and mortality rates are lower for women and children .   To ensure that women are capable of fully enjoying their rights and achieving their full potential, legal protection from violence is crucial. However, laws alone are not sufficient. Concerted action is needed to end violence against women and girls .   Campaigns like the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence , for instance, are critical in helping raise awareness of the issue. Globally, less than 40 percent of women who experience violence seek help . With increased awareness, we hope that number will change.   Local, regional and international commitments can also pave the way for change. French President Emmanuel Macron’s speech on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women admitting that ‘ domestic violence is France’s shame ’ and the South African government’s campaign “ Count Me In: Together Moving a Non-Violent South Africa Forward ” are examples of the international movement’s global reach. Just this week, numerous governments have lit up and decorated some of their buildings and landmarks in orange to bring global attention to the issue. Orange symbolizes a brighter future free from violence against women and girls.   Let’s #OrangeTheWorld and make a difference in ending violence against women and girls everywhere.

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Take action: 10 ways you can help end violence against women

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During the annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence , UN Women stands united with survivors, activists, decision-makers, global citizens, and the UN system. Together, we are spotlighting the urgent need for robust funding, essential services, and financing of prevention initiatives and data collection that shape better-informed responses to gender-based violence.

Ending violence against women is everyone’s business. Here are ten ways you can make a difference, safely and impactfully.

1. Listen to and believe survivors

When a woman shares her story of violence, she takes the first step to breaking the cycle of abuse.

It is on all of us to give her the safe space she needs to speak up and be heard.

It is important to remember that when discussing cases of sexual violence, a victim’s sobriety, clothes, and sexuality are irrelevant.

The perpetrator is the sole reason for assault and must bear the responsibility alone. Call out victim-blaming and counter the idea that it is on women to avoid situations that might be seen as “dangerous” by traditional standards.

Survivors of violence are speaking out more than ever before, and everyone has a role to play to ensure they can have justice.

Do not say, “Why didn’t she leave?”

Do say: “We hear you. We believe you. We stand with you.”

2. Teach the next generation and learn from them

The examples we set for the younger generation shape the way they think about gender, respect, and human rights. Start conversations about gender roles early on, and challenge the traditional features and characteristics assigned to men and women. Point out the stereotypes that children constantly encounter, whether in the media, on the street, or at school, and let them know that it is OK to be different. Encourage a culture of acceptance.

Talk about consent, bodily autonomy, and accountability in an age-appropriate way to boys and girls. For example, discuss the importance of a clear “yes” from all involved, the fact your body is yours and you make choices over what happens to it, and of how we must always take responsibility for our actions. It is important to also listen to what children have to say about their experience of the world. By empowering young advocates with information and educating them about women’s rights, we can build a better future for all.

3. Call for responses and services fit for purpose

Services for survivors are essential services.

This means that shelters, helplines, counseling, and all support for survivors of gender-based violence need to be available for those in need.

Every year, the 16 Days of Activism campaign calls for united, global action to end all forms of violence against women and girls.

This year the United Nations, together with our partners, are demanding increased investments to end violence against women and girls.

Join us in calling on governments to bridge funding gaps to address violence against women and girls , invest in prevention initiatives, ensure essential services for survivors of violence are maintained, implement prevention measures, and invest in collecting the data necessary to adapt and improve life-saving services for women and girls.

4. Understand consent

Freely given clear consent is mandatory, every time.

Rather than listening for a “no”, make sure there is a clear “yes”, from all involved. Adopt clear consent in your life and talk about it.

Phrases like “she was asking for it” or “boys will be boys” attempt to blur the lines around sexual consent, placing blame on victims, and excusing perpetrators from the crimes they have committed.

While those that use these lines may have fuzzy understandings of consent, the definition is crystal clear. When it comes to consent, there are no blurred lines.

Learn more about consent .

5. Learn the signs of abuse and how you can help

There are many forms of abuse and all of them can have serious physical and emotional effects. If you’re concerned about a friend who may be experiencing violence or feels unsafe around someone, review these signs and learn about the ways to help them find safety and support.

If you think someone is abusing you, help is available . You are not alone. If you’d like to talk with a trained advocate at a helpline, we compiled this list of resources around the world .

6. Start a conversation

Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation that’s been perpetuated for decades. 

It is pervasive, but it is not inevitable, unless we stay silent. 

Show your solidarity with survivors and where you stand in the fight for women’s rights by oranging your social media profile for the 16 Days of Activism – you can download banners for Facebook and Twitter here . 

On Instagram, you can use UN Women’s face filter to spread the word and encourage your community to do the same. 

Use #orangetheworld, #16Days, and #GenerationEquality to start your own conversation about gender-based violence, or share some of the content from our social media package .

7. Stand against rape culture

Rape culture is the social environment that allows sexual violence to be normalized and justified, fueled by the persistent gender inequalities and attitudes about gender and sexuality. Naming it is the first step to dismantling rape culture.

Every day we have the opportunity to examine our behaviours and beliefs for biases that permit rape culture to continue. Think about how you define masculinity and femininity, and how your own biases and stereotypes influence you.

From the attitudes we have about gender identities to the policies we support in our communities, we can all take action to stand against rape culture.

Learn more ways to stand against rape culture .

8. Fund women’s organizations

Donate to local organizations that empower women, amplify their voices, support survivors, and promote acceptance of all gender identities and sexualities. 

UN Women works with women’s organizations everywhere to end violence against women, assist survivors, and secure equal rights for women and girls everywhere. Donate now . 

Find out more about how women ’ s organizations prevent violence against women and girls.

9. Hold each other accountable

Violence can take many forms, including sexual harassment in the workplace and in public spaces.

Take a stand by calling it out when you see it: catcalling, inappropriate sexual comments, and sexist jokes are never okay.

Create a safer environment for everyone by challenging your peers to reflect on their own behaviour and speaking up when someone crosses the line, or by enlisting the help of others if you don’t feel safe.

As always, listen to survivors and make sure they have the support they need.

10. Know the data and demand more of it

To effectively combat gender-based violence, we need to understand the issue.  

Relevant data collection is key to implementing successful prevention measures and providing survivors with the right support. 

Gaps in gender sensitive data collection have become more glaring than ever. Call on your government to invest in the collection of data on gender-based violence.

Find out at how UN Women works to bring about a radical shift in how gender statistics are used, created and promoted .

Originally published on Medium.com/@UN_Women .

• Ending violence against women and girls

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Gender-ally speaking: Preventing Violence against Women and Girls by engaging Men and Boys

Remarks by h.e. mr. abdulla shahid, president of the 76th session of the united nations general assembly.

1 December 2021

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I thank the Dominican Republic and the Netherlands for jointly hosting this discussion.

The topic is most apt: how can we engage men and boys as allies in the fight against gender-based violence?

Violence against women and girls is violence. Full stop.

It is not somebody else’s problem. This is OUR collective problem, and one that we cannot tolerate.

Violence negatively affects women’s general well-being and prevents women from fully participating in society.

It impacts their families, their community, and the country at large.

It has tremendous costs, from greater strains on health care to legal expenses and losses in productivity.

Men and boys must be allies in this fight against gender-based violence.

They can educate each other.

They can listen and understand.

They can learn that violence, in the broadest terms, includes harassment and intimidation, which far too many women and girls suffer from.

Together we must learn how to hear each other and support each other.

How do we support survivors?

It starts with each and every one of us.

We must each take a stand and speak up.

We must create awareness and change mindsets.

We must challenge rape culture.

Listen to girls and women’s experiences, and importantly what they are proposing as solutions.

Parents, educators, coaches, policymakers, and the media… all have a collective role to play in challenging stereotypes, in demonstrating support for victims and championing the need for allies.

Dear friends,

I won’t pretend to know all of the answers or to tell women how we can close the gender gap.

But I do know, as a man, that I can be supportive.

I have the humility to listen and learn.

And I have been graced with the power to implement change.

Each of us must look inward and see what we can do.

We must ask ourselves: are we part of the problem? Are we part of the solution? Or are we mere bystanders?

Going forward, lets recognize that all forms of violence against women and girls must be priorities on the agenda of the public and private sectors.

We need to eliminate harmful stereotypes and cultural norms that allow violence to be tolerated.

We need to leverage the transformative power of education to promote espect for diversity and raise awareness on the harm of gender stereotypes for societies.

As President of the General Assembly, I commit to do everything I can to eliminate violence against women… and to engage men and boys to do the same.

I thank you

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President Cyril Ramaphosa: Dialogue on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide

Remarks by president cyril ramaphosa during a dialogue to mark the 16 days of activism for no violence against women and children campaign.

To the women of our nation, To my fellow South Africans, Since just after sunrise this morning, our national flag has been flying at half-mast across the country in memory of the lives we have lost to two devastating pandemics.  Over the next five days, the flag will be at half-mast as a sign of our great sorrow at the loss of our countrymen and women to COVID-19 and to gender-based violence. As I address you this evening, somewhere in this country a woman or a child is being abused, beaten, assaulted or terrorised.  They face this violence on the streets, at school, on campuses, at work and places of worship and, worst of all, in their own homes.  In a country with the most progressive of constitutions, which promises equality and dignity for all, the women and children of South Africa live in fear of violence every day. As we launch this year’s campaign we ask: for how long must this go on?  For how much longer must we say ‘enough is enough’, only for it to continue? It simply cannot go on. To launch this year’s 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children we have held a national dialogue on the state of gender-based violence in our country.  We have heard heart-rending testimonies from survivors of gender-based violence, listened to faith-based groups and student organisations and heard representations from business, labour, the LGBTQIA+ community and men’s groups. There is much on which we agree. We agree that the rights of women and children are inalienable, and must be both upheld and enforced. We agree that the drivers of gender-based violence are diverse and need a multi-faceted response that includes all sectors of society. We all share the view that the economic inclusion of women is critical to their independence and self-reliance and necessary to decrease their vulnerability to violence. The fight to end gender-based violence is both simple and highly complex. It is simple because violence against women and children can be brought to an immediate end if every man makes a conscious decision never to harm a woman or a child – and lives by that decision. But we know that the path to that point is not straightforward. We know it is chauvinistic and sexist attitudes that lead men to believe they are superior to their mothers, their wives and partners and their daughters.  These attitudes are driving the abuse of women, whether they are young or old, black or white, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, atheist, rural or urban, gender-conforming or non-gender conforming.  These attitudes lead to the normalisation of sexual harassment in public spaces, in schools and in the workplace. To create a society in which women enjoy safety, dignity and respect it is first and foremost our own attitudes that must change. We must reclaim that most cherished of values to us as Africans, that we are our brother’s and sister’s keeper. And yet, as I have said, ending gender-based violence is also highly complex.    We know that we are in a crisis. And that this crisis demands we step up measures to protect women and girls and advance their rights. Our National Strategic Plan guides the effort to combat gender-based violence and femicide. Since the start of this year we have been moving ahead with implementation in key areas: namely care and support for survivors; education and prevention; enhancing legal and policy frameworks; strengthening the criminal justice system; and women’s economic empowerment. We have improved the provision of essential services, making evidence kits available at all police stations, setting up more survivor-friendly rooms at police stations, and establishing more special Sexual Offences Courts. We have allocated more funding to improve the services being provided at shelters and places of safety, and are continuing to repurpose disused government buildings into shelters and safe-houses.  We have strengthened emergency response teams in provinces to respond to gender-based violence and are continuously working to address case backlogs in the criminal justice system and to review GBV cases that were not properly investigated. We have made good on our promise to this country’s women that there will be legal reform to protect women from violence and ensure perpetrators are given the harshest penalties possible. Amendments to the Sexual Offences and Related Matters Amendment Bill, the Criminal Law Amendment Act and the Domestic Violence Act will strengthen existing laws to protect women and children. Among other things, these laws regulate the granting of bail to perpetrators and the sentencing of offenders, and place new obligations on the providers of social services, law-enforcement officials and the courts. Government is in the process of drafting the Bill on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Council, which is expected to be in Parliament early next year. I consider the establishment of this Council, which is part of the Declaration on Gender-Based Violence in 2019, to be critical in the implementation of the National Strategic Plan. This year, the 16 Days of Activism campaign focuses on economic justice. We must urgently address the poverty, exclusion and economic marginalisation facing millions of women. South Africa is part of the UN Generation Equality campaign and is specifically part of Action Coalitions on economic justice and gender-based violence.  We believe firmly that economic rights are human rights, and that advancing women’s economic empowerment is fundamentally tied to the Constitutional right to dignity. Empowering women financially gives them greater control over their lives.  It is up to all of us, including the private sector, to make more opportunities available to women.  As part of this effort, earlier this year we announced that South Africa will be setting aside 40% of all public procurement for women-owned enterprises. A National Procurement Task Team has been set up to drive this process.  It is already rolling out capacity-building programmes to prospective beneficiaries to ensure women business owners are equipped to participate in public procurement. As part of the Economic Recovery and Reconstruction Plan, we are increasing our support to women-owned small, medium and micro enterprises to enable them to benefit from, among other things, the infrastructure development programme and opportunities in manufacturing, agriculture and tourism.  Supporting women-owned businesses is crucial if we are to take full advantage of the opportunities arising from the African Continental Free Trade Area when it comes into operation early next year. We are going to ensure that women benefit from government’s land reform programme and have more access to land that they can use to produce food and goods. We are going to improve women’s economic participation through the Presidential Employment Stimulus programmes announced as part of the Reconstruction and Recovery Plan.  Recruitment has already begun for a number of these programmes, which range from education support to early childhood development, to home based care, to the Expanded Public Works Programme. Business needs provide greater support to women-owned businesses, through supplier development, mentorship, training and financial assistance. We are engaging with the financial services sector to provide financial products that respond to the needs of women, whether it’s related to banking costs, finance support or access to credit lines. Fellow South Africans As I have said before, violence against women is not a women’s problem. It is a men’s problem. As men, let us take responsibility at a very personal level for the protection of the women and children of our country.  It is men who can challenge harmful cultural and social practices that undermine women’s rights. It is men who can and must refuse to be part of criminal gangs that assault and rape women. It is men who can and must take responsibility for their own personal behaviour and understand that coercing a woman to have sex is rape, and that ‘no’ means ‘no’.  It is men who must raise their sons to understand that women and men are equal, and lead by example.  It is men who must repudiate the idea that a man must prove his manhood by abusing a woman. It is men who after being convicted and sentenced for violence can seek rehabilitation and not offend again. As men, we must say no. No, domestic violence is a not a private family matter. No, we do not have the right to discipline our children with violence. No, a woman is not inviting rape or sexual assault because of her personal life choices, where she chooses to socialise or how she dresses. As men must say no – just as all South Africans must say no – to violence against women, against children, against the LGBTQI+ community, against the elderly and the disabled. Whether we are individuals, families, communities, religious or traditional leaders, let us take responsibility for ending this problem. Let us work with the police and come forward with information about such crimes.  Let us support, not discourage, survivors who want to lay charges.  Let us believe our children when they tell us they are being abused.  Let us take greater care of our own children and those children that are placed in our care. I once again call on every single South African listening tonight to consider the consequence of their silence.  We can only move forward and defeat this evil if we speak up. Gender-based violence has no place in in this country.  Not just during these 16 days, but for 365 days of the year.  I want to pay tribute to the men and women of South Africa who support the fight against this scourge in their daily lives; and to the dedicated activists and workers in civil society.  You are our valued partners. We will win this war if we work together. In remembering the many lives we have lost to gender-based violence, let us work with urgency and determination for a time when no woman or child should ever again fall victim to violence. Let us work for a time when we no longer need these 16 Days of Activism. I thank you.

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Ending Gender-Based Violence

CDC affirms its commitment to preventing and responding to violence during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign. The campaign is observed annually from November 25 to December 10.

With support from the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), CDC works with partners in 46 countries to achieve global targets to end the HIV epidemic. Although progress is being made, some people, including adolescent girls and young women, bear a disproportionate burden of HIV.

Women with a history of physical and/or sexual abuse are more likely to be living with HIV, especially if that abuse started during childhood. HIV-related stigma, discrimination, and violence restrict access to prevention and treatment services for those most at risk. These challenges serve as persistent barriers to ending the HIV epidemic.

Violence against youth is also a global public health problem. One in eight young people reported having experienced sexual abuse. The results can be devastating—leading to long-term psychological, social, and physical harm.

Violence prevention and response for youth is a global priority . It is complementary to efforts to eliminate all barriers to HIV treatment and prevention and accelerate progress toward ending the HIV epidemic.

What is gender-based violence?‎

The 2023 campaign highlighted the urgent call to " End inequalities. End HIV ." by breaking down barriers posed by gender disparities and violence. Stories featured had a keen focus on:

• Engaging young people for youth-led solutions to address stigma
• Strengthening youth's skills and economic empowerment
• Using Violence Against Children and Youth data to create actions that measurably reduce violence
• Focusing on health equity by putting people at the center of our efforts

Starting with the 16 Days of Activism, we invite you to explore the stories and learn how CDC works with our local partners to and respond to gender-based violence as part of our commitment to end inequalities and end AIDS. By amplifying voices worldwide, CDC aims to continue to increase awareness of gender-based violence—and ultimately save lives.

Empowering Young People in Mozambique and Zambia

Empowering Women through Visual Storytelling

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Renewed Focus on Ending Gender-Based Violence to End HIV/AIDS

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CDC's Global Health Center works 24/7 to reduce illness and respond to health threats worldwide.

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How we’re implementing the National Plan to End Gender-Based Violence

The Women’s Bureau co-led the shaping of the Plan’s economic security and housing stability pillar, which aims to change harmful work cultures, address the root causes of gender-based violence in the world of work, and improve economic security for workers and survivors experiencing gender-based violence and harassment. Many of the actions outlined in this pillar drew inspiration from the International Labour Organization's (ILO) Convention on Violence and Harassment (Convention 190) . While the U.S. has not ratified Convention 190 and it is not binding on U.S. employers, it is the first international treaty to recognize the right to a world of work free of violence and harassment. 

Here are four key actions the Women’s Bureau has taken to implement the Plan:

In September 2023, the Women’s Bureau awarded the first Department of Labor grants exclusively focused on ending gender-based violence and harassment in the world of work . Over $1.5 million was awarded to five community organizations working across 14 states to build awareness of gender-based violence and harassment in the world of work, connect workers and survivors to their workplace rights and benefits, and implement worker- and survivor-driven strategies to shift workplace norms and culture. The grant program, Fostering Access, Rights and Equity (FARE), is now accepting Fiscal Year 2024 applications through May 28, 2024 .

Shortly after the Plan was released, the Women’s Bureau  signed a memorandum of understanding with the ILO Office for the U.S. and Canada to engage in joint events and activities concerning gender-based violence and harassment, including uplifting the principles of Convention 190 in U.S. policies, programs and practice. Together we are engaging stakeholders around the country and across sectors to discuss effective worker- and survivor-driven solutions to eliminate gender-based violence and harassment in the world of work. Since announcing our partnership, the Women’s Bureau has held about 40 regional convenings that have brought together workers, employers, unions, worker advocates, government representatives and others.

The Women’s Bureau also partnered with the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration on a webinar series that emphasized that gender-based violence and harassment is a workplace safety and health issue that has psychological and physical impacts on workers. The series featured discussions with workers, worker advocates, employers, and representatives from unions and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Finally, the Women's Bureau created a webpage on gender-based violence and harassment and published fact sheets, issue briefs and blogs throughout the year. Our fact sheet on gender-based violence and harassment in the world of work discusses key terminology, lists examples and outlines the key initiatives in this space. It is available in English and  Spanish . 

Carrying out the vision of the National Plan will take continued effort, action and coordination for many years to come. We all have an active role to play in making our world of work, and our society as a whole, safer and more equitable. The Women’s Bureau is committed to implementing this vision by engaging with survivors, workers, unions, employers and government agencies to address and prevent gender-based violence and harassment in the world of work. 

Amy Dalrymple and Kate Miceli are Policy Analysts at the Women’s Bureau. Katrin Schulz is the Branch Chief of Grants, Communications & Planning at the Women’s Bureau.

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Gender-based violence in South Africa

Gender-based violence in south africa – understand.

Civil society organisations across the country formed the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence campaign, demanding a fully-costed, evidence-based, multi-sectoral, inclusive and comprehensive NSP to end GBV. [Photo: Alexa Sedgwick, Sonke Gender Justice]

Introduction

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a profound and widespread problem in South Africa, impacting on almost every aspect of life. GBV (which disproportionately affects women and girls) is systemic, and deeply entrenched in institutions, cultures and traditions in South Africa.

This introduction will explore what GBV is and some of the forms it takes, examine GBV in South Africa, and begin to explore what different actors are doing to respond to GBV.

What is gender-based violence?

GBV occurs as a result of normative role expectations and unequal power relationships between genders in a society.

There are many different definitions of GBV, but it can be broadly defined as “the general term used to capture violence that occurs as a result of the normative role expectations associated with each gender, along with the unequal power relationships between […] genders, within the context of a specific society.” [1]

The expectations associated with different genders vary from society to society and over time. Patriarchal power structures dominate in many societies, in which male leadership is seen as the norm, and men hold the majority of power. Patriarchy is a social and political system that treats men as superior to women – where women cannot protect their bodies, meet their basic needs, participate fully in society and men perpetrate violence against women with impunity [2].

Forms of gender-based violence

There are many different forms of violence, which you can read more about here . All these types of violence can be – and almost always are – gendered in nature, because of how gendered power inequalities are entrenched in our society.

GBV can be physical, sexual, emotional, financial or structural, and can be perpetrated by intimate partners, acquaintances, strangers and institutions. Most acts of interpersonal gender-based violence are committed by men against women, and the man perpetrating the violence is often known by the woman, such as a partner or family member [3].

Violence against women and girls (VAWG)

GBV is disproportionately directed against women and girls [4]. For this reason, you may find that some definitions use GBV and VAWG interchangeably, and in this article, we focus mainly on VAWG.

Violence against LGBTI people

However, it is possible for people of all genders to be subject to GBV. For example, GBV is often experienced by people who are seen as not conforming to their assigned gender roles, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or intersex people.

More information

For more information on intimate partner violence and domestic violence, read this WHO brief

Intimate partner violence (IPV)

IPV is the most common form of GBV and includes physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and controlling behaviours by a current or former intimate partner or spouse, and can occur in heterosexual or same-sex couples [5].

Domestic violence (DV)

Domestic violence refers to violence which is carried out by partners or family members. As such, DV can include IPV, but also encompasses violence against children or other family members.

Sexual violence (SV)

Sexual violence is “any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, unwanted sexual comments or advances, or acts to traffic, or otherwise directed, against a person’s sexuality using coercion, by any person regardless of their relationship to the victim, in any setting, including but not limited to home and work.” [6]

What is violence?

For more information on forms of violence, read our introduction on " What is violence? "

Indirect (structural) violence

Structural violence is “where violence is built into structures, appearing as unequal power relations and, consequently, as unequal opportunities.

Structural violence exists when certain groups, classes, genders or nationalities have privileged access to goods, resources and opportunities over others, and when this unequal advantage is built into the social, political and economic systems that govern their lives.”

Because of the ways in which this violence is built into systems, political and social change is needed over time to identify and address structural violence.

GBV in South Africa

Societies free of GBV do not exist, and South Africa is no exception [7].

Although accurate statistics are difficult to obtain for many reasons (including the fact that most incidents of GBV are not reported [10] ), it is evident South Africa has particularly high rates of GBV, including VAWG and violence against LGBT people.

Population-based surveys show very high levels of intimate partner violence (IPV) and non-partner sexual violence (SV) in particular, with IPV being the most common form of violence against women.

• Whilst people of all genders perpetrate and experience intimate partner and or sexual violence, men are most often the perpetrators and women and children the victims [7].
• More than half of all the women murdered (56%) in 2009 were killed by an intimate male partner [8].
• Between 25% and 40% of South African women have experienced sexual and/or physical IPV in their lifetime [9, 10].
• Just under 50% of women report having ever experienced emotional or economic abuse at the hands of their intimate partners in their lifetime [10].
• Prevalence estimates of rape in South Africa range between 12% and 28% of women ever reporting being raped in their lifetime [10-12].
• Between 28 and 37% of adult men report having raped a women [10, 13].
• Non-partner SV is particularly common, but reporting to police is very low. One study found that one in 13 women in Gauteng had reported non-partner rape, and only one in 25  rapes had been reported to the police [10].
• South Africa also faces a high prevalence of gang rape [14].
• Most men who rape do so for the first time as teenagers and almost all men who ever rape do so by their mid-20s [15].
• There is limited research into rape targeting women who have sex with women. One study across four Southern African countries, including South Africa, found that 31.1% of women reported having experienced forced sex [16].
• Male victims of rape are another under-studied group. One survey in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape found that 9.6% of men reported having experienced sexual victimisation by another man [17].

Drivers of GBV

Drivers of GBV are the factors which lead to and perpetuate GBV. Ultimately, gendered power inequality rooted in patriarchy is the primary driver of GBV.

GBV (and IPV in particular) is more prevalent in societies where there is a culture of violence, and where male superiority is treated as the norm [18]. A belief in male superiority can manifest in men feeling entitled to sex with women, strict reinforcement of gender roles and hierarchy (and punishment of transgressions), women having low social value and power, and associating masculinity with control of women [18].

These factors interact with a number of drivers, such as social norms (which may be cultural or religious), low levels of women’s empowerment, lack of social support, socio-economic inequality, and substance abuse.

In many cultures, men’s violence against women is considered acceptable within certain settings or situations [18] - this social acceptability of violence makes it particularly challenging to address GBV effectively.

In South Africa in particular, GBV “pervades the political, economic and social structures of society and is driven by strongly patriarchal social norms and complex and intersectional power inequalities, including those of gender, race, class and sexuality.” [19].

Impact of gender-based violence

GBV is a profound human rights violation with major social and developmental impacts for survivors of violence, as well as their families, communities and society more broadly.

On an individual level, GBV leads to psychological trauma, and can have psychological, behavioural and physical consequences for survivors. In many parts of the country, there is poor access to formal psychosocial or even medical support, which means that many survivors are unable to access the help they need. Families and loved ones of survivors can also experience indirect trauma, and many do not know how to provide effective support.

Jewkes and colleagues outline the following impacts of GBV and violence for South Africa as a society more broadly [20]:

• South African health care facilities – an estimated 1.75 million people annually seek health care for injuries resulting from violence
• HIV – an estimated 16% of all HIV infections in women could be prevented if women did not experience domestic violence from their partners. Men who have been raped have a long term increased risk of acquiring HIV and are at risk of alcohol abuse, depression and suicide.
• Reproductive health - women who have been raped are at risk of unwanted pregnancy, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
• Mental health - over a third of women who have been raped develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which if untreated persists in the long term and depression, suicidality and substance abuse are common. Men who have been raped are at risk of alcohol abuse, depression and suicide.

Violence also has significant economic consequences. The high rate of GBV places a heavy burden on the health and criminal justice systems, as well as rendering many survivors unable to work or otherwise move freely in society.

A 2014 study by KPMG also estimated that GBV, and in particular violence against women, cost the South African economy a minimum of between R28.4 billion and R42.4 billion, or between 0.9% and 1.3% of gross domestic product (GDP) in the year 2012/2013. [21]

What do we do?

South Africa is a signatory to a number of international treaties on GBV, and strong legislative framework, for example the Domestic Violence Act (DVA) (1998), the Sexual Offences Act (2007) and the Prevention and Combatting of Trafficking in Human Persons (2013) Act” [22].

Response services aim to support and help survivors of violence in a variety of ways. Prevention initiatives look at how GBV can be prevented from happening.

Whilst international treaties and legislation is important it is not enough to end GBV and strengthen responses.

Addressing GBV is a complex issue requiring multi-faceted responses and commitment from all stakeholders, including government, civil society and other citizens. There is growing recognition in South Africa of the magnitude and impact of GBV and of the need to strengthen the response across sectors.

Prevention and Response

For more information, check the page What Works in preventing GBV

Broadly speaking, approaches to addressing GBV can be divided into response and prevention . Response services aim to support and help survivors of violence in a variety of ways (for instance medical help, psychosocial support, and shelter). Prevention initiatives look at how GBV can be prevented from happening. Response services can in turn contribute towards preventing violence from occurring or reoccurring.

Responses are important. Major strides are being made internationally on how to best respond and provide services for survivors of violence. WHO guidelines describe an appropriate health sector response to VAW – including providing post-rape care and training health professionals to provide these services [32].

WHO does not recommend routine case identification (or screening) in health services for VAW exposure, but stresses the importance of mental health services for victims of trauma.

Need to address underlying causes

Much of our effort in South Africa has been focused on response. However – our response efforts need to be supported and complemented by prevention programming and policy development. By addressing the underlying, interlinked causes of GBV, we can work towards preventing it from happening in the first place.

SACQ: Primary prevention

For more information on prevention programmes that work, have a look at the South African Crime Quarterly 54 on evidence-based primary prevention.

Violence prevention policies and programmes should be informed by the best evidence we have available. Programmes that are evidence based are [35]:

• built on what has been done before and has been found to be effective;
• informed by a theoretical model;
• guided by formative research and successful pilots; and
• multi-faceted and address several causal factors.

Several GBV prevention programmes which have support for effectiveness have been implemented in South Africa. A summary of the prevention programmes mentioned below can be found in the South African Crime Quarterly 51: Primary prevention (see table on pgs. 35-38):

• Thula Sana: Promote mothers’ engagement in sensitive, responsive interactions with their infants
• The Sinovuyo Caring Families Programme: Improve the parent–child relationship, emotional regulation, and positive behaviour management approaches
• Prepare: Reduce sexual risk behaviour and intimate partner violence, which contribute to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STIs)
• Skhokho Supporting Success: Prevent IPV among young teenagers
• Stepping Stones: Promote sexual health, improve psychological wellbeing and prevent HIV
• Stepping Stones / Creating Futures: Reduce HIV risk behaviour and victimisation and perpetration of different forms of IPV and strengthen livelihoods
• IMAGE (Intervention with Microfinance for AIDS and Gender Equity): Improve household economic wellbeing, social capital and empowerment and thus reduce vulnerability to IPV and HIV infection

Importance to develop evidence base

At the same time, it is important to develop the evidence base further by exploring a range of other interventions that have the potential to be effective in a South African context. Many actors, including government, civil society and funders, as well as community members, are working in creative and innovative ways every day to address GBV.

For example, several civil society organisations are working with women’s groups to build their agency and empower them to address the issues that impact their lives, such as structural and interpersonal violence. Others are tackling specific drivers of GBV, such as substance abuse and gangsterism. Still others take a “whole community” approach to dealing with GBV, involving community members and leaders in the fight against violence in their communities.

Many of these interventions have not yet been formally documented, but they are nevertheless promising models which play an important role in the overall fight against GBV.

While South Africa has high levels of GBV, we are also a leader in the field of prevention interventions in low and middle income countries [36].

We are identifying models which work to respond to and prevent violence, and we can work on scaling those up to reach more people. At the same time, as a society, we can work together to find new ways to address GBV, building the current evidence base and responding to this national crisis.

[1] Bloom, Shelah S. 2008. “Violence Against Women and Girls: A Compendium of Monitoring and Evaluation Indicators.” Carolina Population Center, MEASURE Evaluation, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. https://www.measureevaluation.org/resources/publications/ms-08-30

[2] Sultana, Abeda, Patriarchy and Women’s Subordination: A Theoretical Analysis, The Arts Faculty Journal, July 2010-June 2011 http://www.bdresearch.org/home/attachments/article/nArt/A5_12929-47213-1-PB.pdf

[3] World Health Organisation, 2005, WHO multi-country study on women's health and domestic violence against women. REPORT - Initial results on prevalence, health outcomes and women's responses http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/violence/24159358X/en/

[4] Decker MR et al., Gender-based violence against adolescent and young adult women in low- and middle-income countries , The Journal of Adolescent Health, 2015. 56(2): p. 188-96.

[5] 1 Garcia-Moreno, C., Responding to intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women. WHO clinical and policy guidelines - what’s new?, in SVRI Forum 2013: Evidence into Action, 14 – 17 October 2013. 2013, Sexual Violence Research Initiative: Bangkok, Thailand.

[6] 2 Jewkes, R., P. Sen, and C. Garcia-Moreno, Sexual Violence in World Report on Violence and Health, E. Krug, et al., Editors. 2002, World Health Organization: Geneva.

[7] 3 Dartnall, E. and R. Jewkes, Sexual Violence against Women: The scope of the problem. Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 2012. Special Issue.

[8] 4 Abrahams, N., et al., Intimate Partner Femicide in South Africa in 1999 and 2009. PLoS medicine, 2013. 10(4).

[9] 5 Jewkes, R., J. Levin, and L. Penn-Kekana, Risk factors for domestic violence: findings from a South African cross-sectional study. Social science & medicine, 2002. 55(9): p. 1603-17.

[10] 6 Machisa, M., et al., The War at Home. 2011, Genderlinks, and Gender and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council (MRC) Johannesburg.

[11] 7 Dunkle, K.L., et al., Prevalence and patterns of gender-based violence and revictimization among women attending antenatal clinics in Soweto, South Africa. American journal of epidemiology, 2004. 160(3): p. 230-9.

[12] 8 Jewkes, R., et al., Understanding Men's Health and Use of Violence: Interface of rape and HIV in South Africa. 2009.

[13] 9 Jewkes, R., et al., Gender inequitable masculinity and sexual entitlement in rape perpetration South Africa: findings of a cross-sectional study. PloS One, 2011. 6(12).

[14] 10 Jewkes, R., Streamlining: understanding gang rape in South Africa. 2012: Forensic Psychological Services, Middlesex University.

[15] 11 Jewkes, R., et al., Why, when and how men rape? Understanding rape perpetration in South Africa. South African Crime Quarterly, 2010. 34(December).

[16] Sandfort, TGM, et al, Forced sexual experiences as risk factor for self-reported HIV Infection among Southern African lesbian and bisexual women, PLoS ONE, 8:1, 2013.

[17] Dunkle, K, et al, Prevalence of consensual male–male sex and sexual violence, and associations with HIV in South Africa: a population-based cross-sectional study, PLoS Medicine, 10:6, 2013.

[18] Jewkes, R, Intimate partner violence: causes and prevention. Lancet, 2002. 359: 1423–29.

[19] Cornelius R., T. Shahrokh and E. Mills. Coming Together to End Gender Violence: Report of Deliberative Engagements with Stakeholders on the Issue of Collective Action to Address Sexual and Gender-based Violence, and the Role of Men and Boys . Evidence Report, 2014. 12 (February), Institute of Development Studies.

[20] 12 Jewkes, R., et al. Preventing Rape and Violence in South Africa: Call for Leadership in A New Agenda For Action. MRC Policy Brief, 2009.

[21] Muller R, Gahan L & Brooks L (2014). Too costly to ignore – the economic impact of gender-based violence in South Africa. Available online . Accessed 16 July 2015.

[22] Moolman, B. Human Sciences Research Council (HRSC) (2016). Research Report on the Status of Gender-based Violence Civil Society Funding in South Africa.

[23] Van Dorn, R., J. Volavka, and N. Johnson, Mental disorder and violence: is there a relationship beyond substance use? Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol, 2012. Mar(47(3)): p. 487-503.

[24] Eckenrode, J., M. Laird, and D. J., School performance and disciplinary problems among abused and neglected children. Dev Psychol., 1993. 29: p. 53-62.

[25] Anda, R.F. and V.J. Felliti, The Relationship of Adverse Childhood Experiences to Adult Medical Disease, Psychiatric Disorders, and Sexual Behavior: Implications for Healthcare., in The Hidden Epidemic: The Impact of Early Life Trauma on Health and Disease., L.R.a.V. E, Editor. 2009, Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.

[26] Anda RF, et al., The enduring effects of abuse and related adverse experiences in childhood. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci, 2006. 256: p. 174-186.

[27] Westad, C. and D. McConnell, Child welfare involvement of mothers with mental health issues. . Community Mental Health Journal, 2012. 48: p. 29-37.

[28] Committee on Child Maltreatment Research, Policy, and Practice for the Next Decade: Phase II; , A.C. Petersen, J. Joseph, and M. Feit, Editors. 2014 Board on Children, Youth, and Families; Committee on Law and Justice; Institute of Medicine; National Research Council: Washington (DC).

[29] Messman-Moore, T.L. and P.J. Long, The role of childhood sexual abuse sequelae in the sexual revictimization of women. Clinical psychology review, 2003. 23(4): p. 537-571.

[30] Millett, L.S., et al., Child maltreatment victimization and subsequent perpetration of young adult intimate partner violence: an exploration of mediating factors. Child Maltreat. , 2013. 18(2)(May): p. 71-84.

[31] Jewkes, R., Rape Perpetration: A review. 2012, Sexual Violence Research Initiative, hosted by the South African Medical Research Council: Pretoria.

[32] WHO, Responding to intimate partner and sexual violence against women: WHO clinical and policy guidelines., D.o.R.H.a. Research, Editor. 2013, World Health Organisation: Geneva.

[33] Jewkes, R., et al., Prospective study of rape perpetration by young South African men: incidence & risk factors for rape perpetration. PLoS ONE, 2012. 7(5): p. e38210.

[34] Jewkes, R., Intimate partner violence: causes and prevention. Lancet, 2002. 359(9315): p. 1423-9.

[35] Dartnall, E. and A. Gevers, Editorial. South African Crime Quarterly, 2015. In press.

[36] Shai NJ and Y. Sikweyiya, Programmes for change: Addressing sexual and intimate partner violence in South Africa. South African Crime Quarterly, 2015. 51(March) .

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The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500

Remarks by President   Biden at a Campaign Event | Detroit,   MI

Huntington Place Convention Center Detroit, Michigan

8:00 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, Rev. 

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  Please, have a seat.

I don’t feel tired.  I feel inspired.  (Applause.)

Hello, Detroit.  My name is Joe Biden, and I’m a lifetime member of the NAACP.  (Applause.)  As a matter of fact, the first organization I ever joined was the NAACP.  Didn’t get to vote until you were 21 in those days, but I got involved in civil rights when I was 15. 

And, folks, look, I want to thank Reverend Anthony for that introduction.  I tell you what, I measure the significance of an award based on the character and the consequence of those organizations bestowing it. 

And I love Detroit for three reasons.  Number one, my dad was an automobile manager.  Detroit put food on our table every night.  (Applause.)  Oh, not a joke.  Not a joke. 

And when I was vice president, things were kind of bad during the pandemic [recession], and what happened was Barack said to me, “Go to Detroit and help fix it.”  Well, poor mayor, he spent more time with me than he ever thought he was going to have to.  (Laughter.)  God love you.

PARTICIPANT:  Love you.

THE PRESIDENT:  Folks, I’m humbled to receive this organization [award], which defines the character and consequence of what we do.  I’m always grateful to Derrick Johnson, the leadership for the NAACP.  (Applause.)

Of course, thanks to all the members of the biggest NAACP branch in America — in Detroit.  (Applause.)

And it’s great to see so many friends, including Debbie Stabenow.  I’m going to miss her in Washington, but she’s not going to get away because I’m going to keep coming to her for advice.  I’ll always be your friend and seek your counsel. 

And Governor Gretchen Whitmer is my co-chair of my campaign.  (Applause.)  Senator Gary Peters and Mayor Mike Duggan — you know, Mike Duggan is a — I brag about him all the time.  I think Mike is one of the best mayors in the entire United States of America, and you know I mean that.  (Applause.) 

All the members of the congressional ge- — the delegation and all other local leaders.

Look, folks, I just came from Atlanta, where I delivered a commencement at Morehouse College.  (Applause.)  It was truly inspiresing [inspiring]: over 400 young Black men who will do extraordinary things.

I told them I saw them, I heard them, and the nation needs them.  They’re the future of this country.

And I’m here tonight to say the nation also needs all of you.  And I mean that sincerely.  You matter.  You matter. Let’s be clear.  Because of your vote, it’s the only reason I’m standing here as President of the United States of America, period.  (Applause.)  Again, that’s not a joke.  That’s a fact.  You’re the reason Kamala Harris is a historic vice president.  You’re the reason Donald Trump is the defeated former president.  (Applause.)  And you’re the reason Donald Trump is going to be a loser again.  (Applause.)

You placed enormous faith in me.  I’ve tried my best to honor the trust by doing everything in my power to get us through one of the toughest periods in our history.

We got through the pandemic.  We’re investing more money than ever in Black families and communities.  We delivered checks to deposit in people’s pockets to reduce Black child poverty.

We’re reconnecting Black neighborhoods cut off by old highways and decades of disinvestment, including here in Detroit.  We’re removing every lead pipe so every child, particularly in neighborhoods that are on the brink, can drink clean water without fear of brain damage.

We’re making the most significant investment ever in climate, including the most significant action on environmental justice ever.  Every child in America deserves to ble- — bre- — breathe clean air.

We’re delivering affordable high-speed Internet so no child has to do their homework outside a McDonald’s parking lot.

I promised we’d be the best — we’d beat — finally beat Pharma.  As a senator, I tried for years to take them on.  We finally did — $35 a month insulin for seniors instead of $400 a month or more.  (Applause.)  And we capped the total out-of-pocket costs for seniors at $2,000 a year, no matter how high their prescription costs are.  Expensive cancer drugs can cost $10-, $12-, $15,000 a year. 

This year, Medicare is negotiating to lower prices for the costliest drugs on the market to treat everything from heart disease to arthritis.  These reforms not only save people money and their lives, it saves the taxpayer $160 billion — (applause) — because Medicare doesn’t have to pay those exorbitant prices.

On my watch, more Black Americans have health insurance than ever in all of history.  I protected and expanded the Affordable Care Act, saving millions of families $800,000 in prem- — $8,000 [$800] in — a year in premiums.

My administration has taken the most significant action to provide student debt relief ever.  (Applause.)  Over 4.5 million Americans, includes a significant number of Black borrowers, had their debts wiped out.  And incidentally, it helps grow the economy.  And I’m not finished yet.

We’re investing a record $16 billion in HBCUs — (applause) — $16 billion, more than ever, because you’re critical to our nation’s growth and the opportunities for African American women and men.

We’re increasing access to capital to start business and loans to buy homes.  We’re cracking down on corporate landlords who [to] keep rents down.  Our policies are resulting in historic lows of Black unemployment.  Black small businesses are starting up at the fastest rate they have in 30 years.  We’re opening the doors to generational wealth.  In fact, the racial wealth gap is its lowest level in 20 years.    But there’s much more to do.

I kept another commitment: to appoint the first Black woman to the Supreme Court of the United States of America.  (Applause.)  It matters.  It matters.  Her name is Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.

By the way, I’ve appointed more Black women to the Federal Circuit Courts of Appeal than every other president in American history combined.  (Applause.)

People are now realizing how critical those Supreme Court appointments are.  Overall, I’ve appointed nearly 200 judges to the federal bench.

We passed the most significant gun safety law in decades.  And I will not stop until I once again am able to ban assault weapons in America.  (Applause.)

But, folks, all that progress is at risk.  Trump is trying to make the country forget just how dark things were and unsettling things were when he was president.

But we’ll never forget.  We’ll never forget him lying about how serious the pandemic was, telling Americans, “Just inject bleach.”  I think that’s what he did.  That’s why he’s so screwy.  (Laughter.) 

Trump wants to give power back to Big Pharma, charge exorbitant prices again.  He wants to take seniors back to paying $400 a month for insulin instead of $35.  He’d eliminate the $2,000 cap that I’ve set that no senior ever has to pay for — on a yearly basis more than $2,000 for all prescriptions, including those (inaudible) needed drugs for cancer and many other things that can cost as much as $14-, $15,000 a year — the medicines you need in order to live. 

Look, folks, on my watch, 20 million Americans have health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.  (Applause.)  MAGA Republicans have tried to get rid of the Affordable Care Act more than 50 times, and Trump is still determined to do it.  In his words, he wants to “terminate” the Affordable Care Act, which would deny 3 million Black Americans health insurance, deny protections for preexisting conditions for millions more Americans.  But we’re going to deny Trump.  (Applause.)

During his presidency, he enacted a $2 trillion tax cut that overwhelmingly benefitted the very wealthy and the biggest corporations and exploded the federal deficit.  These Republicans talk about the debt.  Well, guess what?  He racked up more federal debt than any previous presidential term in all of American history.  And now he wants to do it again.

At the same time, he’s determined to cut Social Security and Medicare.

Folks, I have a better ti- — [idea].  I’ll protect it — Medicare and Social Security — by making the very wealthy finally begin to pay their fair share.  (Applause.)

Look, I’m a union guy.  (Applause.)  I want to remind everybody: Wall Street didn’t build America.  The middle class built America.  And unions built the middle class.  (Applause.)  I walked the picket line with union workers here in Michigan.  At the same time, Trump went to a yon- — nonunion shop to show his disrespect for union workers.

He brags about getting Roe v. Wade overturned.  He not only denies reproductive freedom but worsens the mortality rate for Black moms, who have [are] nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy complications than a white woman.

Trump openly encourages voter suppression and election subversion. 

He and his MAGA extremists gutted affirmative action.

Let me ask you: If he’s reelected, who do you think he’ll put on the Supreme Court?  You think he’ll put anybody who has a brain?  (Applause.)

Folks, look, as Dr. King said, “Give us the ballot.  We’ll put judges on the bench who will judge justly and do mercy.”  Reelect Kamala and me and a Democratic Congress, and we will help the NAACP.  We will sign the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, the Freedom to Vote Act, and make Roe v. Wade the law of the land again.  (Applause.)

Look, the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion are the core strength of America.  That’s why I’m proud to have the most diverse administration in history to tap into the full talents of our country.  I promised you, when I was president, I would have an administration that looked like America.  We have more Afrin- A- — African Americans; we have more women; we have more minorities in our administration than any other administration in all of history.  That’s why we’re doing so damn well.  (Applause.)

Folks, I never imagined that in 2024 there would be folks wanting to ban books in America.  What in God’s name is that about?  Not only that, they’re trying to erase Black history, literally.  They’re wrong.  They don’t understand Black history is American history.  (Applause.)  Not a joke.

Together, we make history; we do not erase history.

But, folks, the threat that Trump poses is greater in a second term than the first.  It’s clear that when he lost in 2020 — and I mean this sincerely — something snapped in Trump.  He just can’t accept he lost, and he lost it.

That’s why on January 6th — what happened? Every legal avenue Trump tried to challenge the election failed, so he unleashed an insurrection.

And now he’s running again.  And he’s not only obsessed with — about losing 2020, he’s clearly unhinged.

Just listen to him.  He calls the irrectionists [insurrectionists] who stormed Capitol Hill “patriots.”  He says, if reelected, he wants, quote, “every” one of them pardoned.

Let me ask you, what do you think he would’ve done on January the 6th if Black Americans had stormed the Capitol?  No, I’m serious.  (Applause.)  What do you think?  I can only imagine. This time, he’s telling people — he’s being more honest — he said, “I’ll be a dictator on day one.”  Asked if he thought violence would occur if he lost, he said, quote, “It depends.”

How can it be that any American president cannot denounce political violence?  I know I can, I will, and I have.  Political violence has no place in America, period.  (Applause.)

But that’s not Donald Trump.  Donald Trump has said, if he loses again in November, there will be, quote, “bloodshed” [“bloodbath”].  What in God’s name are we talking about here?  This is the United States of America.

Folks, Trump isn’t running to lead America.  He’s running for revenge.  But revenge is no way to lead a country.  You can’t build a future on revenge.  You can’t build better lives through revenge. 

That’s why I’m running to lead America into the future, a future of promise and hope and possibilities, because that’s who we are: a nation of possibilities.  (Applause.) 

Look, folks, let me close with this.  On Friday, I joined the NAACP at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington.  We honored the 70th anniversary of Brown v. the Board of Education.  I spent time with the plaintiffs and their families in the Oval Office at the White House.  And I also met with members of the Little Rock Nine.

One year after Brown vs. Board, Vivian Malone and James Hood reached the doors of the University of Alabama.  They were blocked by hate and the governor of Alabama.  Back in Washington, President Kennedy addressed the nation, warning of the moral crisis, bigotry that was facing the nation.  He announced the landmark civil rights bill.

Late that night, in Jackson, Mississippi, an NAACP leader Medgar Evers was assassinated outside his home.  Earlier this month, I posthumously awarded Medgar Evers the Presidential Medal of Freedom, our nation’s highest civilian honor.  (Applause.)  His spirit endures.  The NAAC [NAACP] spirit endures.

Folks, what is at risk in 2024 are our freedoms, our very democracy.  And that’s not hyperbole.  That’s why I need you.

Imagine the future we can build together.  I see a future where we defend democracy, not diminish it.  I see a future where we protect our freedoms, don’t take them away.  I see a future where the middle class finally has a fair shot and the wealthy begin to pay their fair share in taxes so we can pay for childcare, eldercare, paid leave, and so much more that good could — the economy could reduce the federal deficit.

I see a future where we save the planet from a climate crisis and our country from gun violence. 

Above all, I see a future where the full promise of America is available to all Americans, regardless of religion, race, or background.

Folks, the idea of America is that we are all created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives.  We’ve never fully lived up to it, but we’ve never fully walked away from it either. 

But Trump will.  I will not.  I know we — you won’t either. 

We just have to remember who we are.  We’re the United States of America, and there’s nothing — nothing beyond our capacity if we do it together.  And there’s no better outfit to do it with than the NAACP.

God bless you all.  And may God protect our troops.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

REVEREND ANTHONY:  Hello.  Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the James Weldon Johnson Lifetime Achievement Award to President Joseph R. Biden.  “Let us march on ‘til victory is won.”  (Applause.)

(The President receives the James Weldon Johnson Lifetime Achievement Award.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Folks, I’m going to say one more thing.  My state was a slave state, to its great shame.  My state was segregated by law.  My state needed to change.  The Democratic Party in my state used to be recalcitrant, used to be more Southern than it was Northeastern. 

So, when I get old enough to register to vote, I could not bring myself to register as a Republican, but I could not register as a Democrat at the time, because I joined an organization to try to change the party.  And that organization, the first one I joined, I had to register as a “decline” — decline to state what you are. 

But I already was part of a party that was changing the nation and my state: the NAACP.  God love you all for what you do.  (Applause.) 

8:18 P.M. EDT

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Terms of reference for a study on gaps and challenges in techonological facilitated gender-based violence case management in kenya.

• Coalition on Violence Against Women

The Coalition on Violence Against Women(COVAW) is an organization that is focused on influencing sustained engagement on violations conducted against women and girls in Kenya, with emphasis on Gender-Based Violence. COVAW’s envisions a society where women and girls enjoy equal rights, freedoms and thrive in safe spaces. In doing so, we focus on 5 Key areas of Access to Justice, Access to Comprehensive GBV and SRHR services, Women in Economic Empowerment, Women’s Leadership Development and Institutional Development.

COVAW’s interventions deliberately address norms, attitudes, laws, policies, and practices that affect women and girls’ safety and well-being in general. This is done through the implementation of gender progressive practices and supporting the development of regulatory and institutional frameworks. Additionally, COVAW fosters consistent engagement with different actors to prevent and respond to VAWG and to hold perpetrators of these violations accountable.

COVAW is guided by its core values of respect, integrity, solidarity, and commitment in improving the lives of its primary beneficiaries - women and girls. View COVAW strategic plan from here

• Project Description

About Transform: Transform is a three-year USAID funded global pilot initiative, which seeks to support practical approaches to preventing, mitigating, and responding to Technology-Facilitated Gender Based Violence (TFGBV), with a focus on addressing violence impacting women in politics & public life.

COVAW is implementing the Transform project in Kenya alongside other partners. Key activities to be implemented include developing an advocacy brief on legislative interventions for effective management of TFGBV cases, and supporting review of existing legislation to recognize TFGBV as a form of sexual violence, among other activities.

TFGBV is an act of violence perpetrated by one or more individuals that is committed, assisted, aggravated, and amplified in part or fully by the use of information and communication technologies or digital media, against a person on the basis of their gender [1]

TFGBV undermines women's rights to participate in key decision-making processes, exacerbating their underrepresentation in civic spaces. A foundational landscape assessment by Transform in 2023 reviewed global evidence of TFGBV against Women in Political and Public Life (WIPPL), highlighting its impact on women's public and political participation. [2] One key finding revealed that women in politics and public life face numerous intersectional individual-level risks, such as hate speech and gendered disinformation. According to Pollicy's Byte Bullies Report (2023), 55.7% of women candidates in the 2022 Kenya general elections experienced online violence on Facebook. GBV report by the Media Council of Kenya for example, reveals that three-quarters of women in the media have been exposed to online violence.

Addressing these issues is significantly hindered by weak systemic responses and inadequate enforcement to hold perpetrators accountable. Currently, no law in Kenya explicitly criminalizes TFGBV. The Sexual Offences Act does not recognize online sexual violence as a form of sexual violence. A limited percentage of TFGBV, such as the spread of disinformation and hate speech, have been captured in the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crimes Act. However, other numerous TFGBV forms remain under-reported and unaddressed due to the inadequacy of laws that criminalize offences under TFGBV. Additionally, the normalization of these vices and the burden bone by survivors to prove the elements of TFGBV in their cases frustrates the reporting processes, case management and compromises the quality of evidence.

Law enforcement officers often struggle to admit reports and collect and preserve evidence. Furthermore, technology companies frequently fail to flag online violence perpetrated in local languages due to language barriers. The weak monitoring and reporting measures within these platforms have created an enabling environment for the perpetrators of TFGBV leading to a surge in online violence against women.

• Purpose of The Consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to conduct a study on gaps and challenges in the management of Technologically Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) cases in Kenya and generate legislative recommendations to address these gaps. An Intersectionality approach will be a crucial concept to understanding the multiple layers of challenges that women may face based on their gender, ability, ethnicity, language, age, and geographic location.

• Research objectives
• To understand challenges in collection and storage of evidence for TFGBV cases.
• To analyze challenges faced during the litigation and prosecution processes of TFGBV and its admission in court.
• To develop comprehensive legislative proposals aimed at addressing the identified gaps in TFGBV case management, and amendments to the Sexual Offences Act TFGBV cases particularly on WIPPL
• Methodology

The research methodology proposed by the consultant(s) should include a suitable sampling strategy, participatory tools and a suitable mix of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. The analysis of participatory qualitative and quantitative data collection should be well presented and focus on the three study objectives.

Data collection, analytical methods, and presentation of findings, conclusions, and recommendations should be sensitive to and differentiate relevant gender, age, diversity dimensions and other relevant markers to allow precise analysis of women, in different locations, and on different age groups and stakeholders throughout the studies.

• Deliverables and Timelines.

The required consultancy deliverables are;

• One detailed inception report including a time-bound outline of the study, detailed work plan, detailed methodology for both data collection and analysis, sample size calculations, data collection tools
• A comprehensive, clearly cited report on the findings including accurately analyzed data against the evaluation questions, lessons learned, and recommendations. The report should not be more than 30 pages.
• An advocacy brief on the Legislative Interventions under the Sexual Offences Act for effective and efficient management of TFGBV Cases

The consultant will also be responsible for,

• Holding an inception meeting (remotely if required) with COVAW staff and reviewing any relevant documentation to gather background information
• Drafting an inception report (as above) - Incorporating feedback on inception report into planned approach and activities
• Organizing the field travel in collaboration with the COVAW team
• Supervising and quality-assuring field data collection and entry
• Analyzing and synthesizing qualitative data and preparing a report
• Submitting draft report and policy brief, with accompanying data analysis to COVAW contact staff for feedback
• Incorporating feedback and submitting a final report and policy brief that provides findings that respond to the project's key objectives, as well as specific, useable, and tailored recommendations that can be directly applied to COVAW’s programming
• Providing the typed raw data to COVAW contact staff

COVAW will be responsible for,

• Availing all necessary project documents to the consultant
• Holding an inception meeting with the consultant to provide background information and to finalize the research work plan, timelines, and expectations
• Provide oversight for data collection.
• Reviewing the inception report and data collection tools and providing the consultant with specific and timely feedback
• Facilitating access to the respondents
• Reviewing the draft study report and providing the consultant with specific and timely feedback
• Managing and supporting the consultant throughout the research process
• Approving the final study report and Policy Brief

The is anticipated to take a maximum of 30 days:

• Start***-*** 3rd June 2024
• End**- 3rd July 2024**

Specific timelines will be agreed upon with the successful consultant.

The consultant must submit a soft copy of the study report and advocacy brief to the organization point of contact person.

• Skills and Qualifications of Consultant
• Bachelor’s degree in Law, Research, or related field**.**
• A Master in Law with a bias in human rights, criminal law, or related will be an added advantage

Required Experience and Skills

• At least 8 years’ experience in conducting thorough research/surveys, human rights/SGBV issues.
• Comprehensive understanding of the criminal justice system in Kenya, criminal law SGBV, Human Rights, and Social norms.
• Proven research and report writing skills and facilitation experience.
• High level of professionalism and ethics

[1] UN Report. (2021). Technology-facilitated Gender-based Violence: Making All Spaces Safe. https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/UNFPA-TFGBV-Making%20 All%20Spaces%20Safe.pdf

[2] Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence as an Attack on Women’s Public Participation https://www.irex.org/Technology-Faclitated-Gender-Based-Violence-Review-of-Global-Evidence.pdf

How to apply

Interested consultants/firms must submit the following documents:

• Technical proposal which must include the following:
• Proposed program and methodology to be used for the research not more than 5 pages
• Consultants' past experience in the thematic area, supported by at least two soft copies of relevant reports in PDF
• Financial proposal (budget) in MS Excel in Kenya Shillings.

Note: The documents must be arranged as serialized above

• CV of the applicant with contact details for three referees; if the applicant intends to work in a team, she/he should indicate all team members and attach CVs. Highlight the Team leader.
• Two soft copy samples of previous related work undertaken.

All documents must be submitted not later than 5.00 pm, Friday, 31st May 2024 via email to [email protected] with the subject**: “A STUDY ON GAPS AND CHALLENGES IN TFGBV CASE MANAGEMENT IN KENYA.”** Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Only applicants that meet all the above criteria will be considered and contacted.

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Degrading behaviour towards women is part of 'mainstream' pornography. What are the risks of this?

In a bid to curb Australia's domestic violence crisis, the federal government is turning its attention to online pornography.

This month, the government announced it would spend $6.5 million to pilot age-verification technology. It follows a 2023 report that found 75 per cent of 16-18-year-olds surveyed had seen porn. Of those, nearly one-third saw it before the age of 13.

The measure aims to prevent children from accessing adult material and "tackle extreme online misogyny, which is fuelling harmful attitudes towards women", the government said .

It's concerned that violent or degrading pornography — particularly viewed at an early age — may fuel gender-based violence in adulthood.

But is there a direct link? And is regulation the answer or would other measures be more effective?

Pornography, misogyny and sex crimes

According to Caroline West, a senior lecturer in philosophy at the University of Sydney, pornography is "sexually explicit material, either pictures or words that are primarily designed or used to produce sexual arousal in viewers or consumers".

She's been writing about the topic for more than two decades, most recently authoring a chapter on pornography in The Oxford Handbook of Freedom of Speech.

There are various — and often vastly different — sub-genres of pornography. These include gay pornography, feminist pornography, and violent or degrading pornography.

Dr West says that this last category is a concern for some feminist thinkers who believe there's an association between the consumption of violent pornography and an increase in sex crimes.

She points to an increase in sexual choking , especially among younger adults, as one example.

"That can be linked in a pretty direct, linear way to increased depictions of choking in pornography, and it's disproportionately women who are being choked," Dr West says.

"Some disturbingly high percentage of real women say that … they haven't been consulted before the choking happened in their real-life sexual encounters."

Dr West says there's a worrying gap in sex education in many parts of the world and pornography often fills that void.

"Young boys and some young girls, but mostly young boys, [are] viewing pornography, partly in order to learn how to have sex," she says.

"And if the kind of pornography that they're viewing is not respectful, if it shows women being degraded or brutalised … then that's obviously a problem.

"This is kind of bad for men as well, you know. Men have to be the brutalisers and the dominators … I think a lot of people are worried about that."

These concerns are shared by the Australian government.

This week, federal minister Tanya Plibersek told ABC's AM program that the figures for sexual assault are " exploding ". 

"Kids are seeing pornography that includes choking and anal sex before they've had their first kiss," she said.

"Unless we begin to tackle it now, we are going to see a continued epidemic of sexual assault amongst teenagers."

The UK government is currently trying to enact its own age assurance measures, although pornography regulation has proven problematic in the past.

Meanwhile, three of the world's biggest porn sites are facing new requirements, including age verification, in the European Union .

It's unclear how the Australia's pilot will work, but if the eSafety commissioner's  2023 Roadmap for age verification is anything to go by, it could involve anonymised digital tokens to prove a user's age.

The pleasure factor

Misogyny and gendered violence aren't constrained to the pornographic realm, says Louise Richardson-Self, a senior lecturer in philosophy and gender studies at the University of Tasmania.

"Violence against women is a massive problem," she points out.

"[We see] objectifying representations of women in other forms of media, in advertising, but also in film and TV."

She believes this is one reason why pornography has so many alarmed.

"[It's] consumed within this wider context where the degradation of women — and stereotyping and violence against them — is everywhere," she says.

But there's another factor at play.

"The way we consume pornography is unlike the way we consume other media," explains Dr Richardson-Self.

When someone watches porn, they create a connection between the embodied sensation of pleasure and the content, she says.

And this is where viewers could enter ethically murky territory.

"Even if you personally want to seek out the most ethical porn that there is … there's a good chance that you're going to run into degrading stuff along the way," Dr Richardson-Self says.

"I think that there is space to talk about what … repeated exposure to degradation can achieve, [whether it's] intentional or otherwise.

"Is there a role of subtle preference formation going on there?"

It's not just the pornographic content itself that could be shaping viewers' attitudes towards women.

Dr Richardson-Self says we also need to consider the text that accompanies a video.

Certain words, for instance, can denigrate the female participant — even if, behind the scenes, the adult performer was afforded a respectful work environment.

"It's not necessarily that the sex act itself is exploitative or problematic or wrong," says Dr Richardson-Self.

"But the way in which the sex acts are framed for people's consumption might be problematic."

The case for ethical porn

The correlation between consumption of violent or misogynistic pornography and gendered violence has not been empirically proven, says Dr West.

"It's very difficult because there are so many confounding factors," she points out.

Queensland University of Technology research fellow Zahra Stardust says that a lot of anti-porn literature is problematic.

She sits on the editorial board of the academic journal Porn Studies and has written extensively about sex worker ethics.

"Research about 'violence against women' in pornography is heavily distorted because violence is frequently conflated with consensual kink practices," Dr Stardust says.

"It is based on representation only, without any reference for performer agency, negotiation, preference or desire.

"Women have been making pornography for decades and it is deeply troubling that our well-documented pioneering political interventions into ethical production and distribution are routinely ignored."

Dr Richardson-Self understands why many women object to pornography being framed as inherently exploitative. 

"There are many people who not only actively enjoy sex, but also enjoy creating their own content," she says.

"To suggest, in a kind of blanket way, that this is exploitative, these women are oppressed, completely denies their agency with respect to their sex."

However, Dr West says that even if some women find performing in pornography empowering, others may have different experiences.

In 2023, a panel of international experts, led by the University of Sydney, identified six criteria that constituted "healthy and ethical pornography":

• A negotiation of consent on-screen
• Depictions of safe sex
• Ethical production
• A focus on pleasure for all participants
• A variety of sexual practices
• A variety of body types, genders, and races.

Dr Richardson-Self says that ethical porn minimises potential harm.

"If you kind of step back from the moral outrage of it all, and ask, 'Is there anything wrong with people enjoying sex?' [The answer is] no," she says.

"If that's the case, then presumptively there could be a space for pornography that is considered ethical, whether it's … best practice on set, you know, everybody is consenting, there's good communication, nothing is ever taken too far."

Another aspect, she says, is ensuring the content is "inclusive and celebratory of sex, rather than viewing sex as as something that is done to someone else, or punishment imparted onto someone else's body".

Could porn be regulated, anyway?

Dr West says that strengthening age restrictions on access to pornography is an important measure.

She also believes that sex education could examine the messages and images that children may come across in online material.

"When they're older and they probably have been exposed to some pornography, just having a critical reflective discussion of ideas about how to have sex and sexual equality," she says.

Aside from Australia's age verification pilot — the details of which will come to light in coming months — could pornography be regulated?

Dr Richardson-Self is sceptical.

"Even if you think in principle it's the right decision, you have to ask whether or not it can be successfully achieved," she says.

"With the internet being such a vast space, and with people consistently finding ways to out-manoeuvre bans on sites … it seems like censorship as a strategy would be one of constantly chasing one's own tail, or like a game of Whack-A-Mole."

"Just because something can't be done perfectly isn't, in and of itself, a reason not to do it to its imperfect best, but it does call for the need to actually step back and assess the problem and go 'What are we trying to achieve?'"

In her earlier academic years, Dr West says she was much more in favour of regulating what she calls "inegalitarian pornography".

Today, her views have changed.

"Regulation, just in general, is a bit of a blunt and treacherous weapon," she says.

"If there are ways that we can challenge the harms, without regulating, [that] would be less costly and preferable."

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