How to prevent gender violence: examples and values

The gender violence It is a social scourge of which a greater degree of awareness has been acquired in recent years.

Through campaigns, visibility and demonstrations, the population has been taking an increasingly opposed position to any type of aggression, both physical and psychological, towards women.

However, much remains to be done. For this reason, in this article we explain in depth how to prevent this type of violence, programs of education focused on children and adolescents to raise awareness and prevent them from exercising violence or being victims of Adults.

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Gender violence in our society

Violence against women does not begin in marriage or in dating. It is something much deeper, inherited from father to son. There are many cases of abusers who saw and experienced situations of aggression towards women in their early childhood. It is for this reason that working to break this hereditary chain becomes very important.

Although in recent years there has been a greater awareness of the issue, involving both men and women, the truth is that there is still a long way to go. The proof of this comes at the end of the year, when the number of women is taken into account murdered by their partners, rapists and robbers who physically, psychologically and sexually abused they.

Fortunately, Thanks to the sensitivity and the social movement, governments have been having programs and policies to put an end to this scourge, promoting education for equality in primary and secondary schools, in addition to fighting against sexist myths and associated stereotypes.

The testimonies of surviving women have made it possible to study this phenomenon in greater depth, learning what strategies should be promoted to guarantee greater survival in the face of this type of violence, in addition to offering methods to report when a case of this type is experienced or seen kind.

Values ​​to promote

Below are values ​​that should be promoted to fight against gender violence, either directly attacking what is the basis for it, gender inequality understood in a broad sense, in addition to promoting a greater degree of understanding of the phenomenon and involvement in the fight for equality.

1. Promote women's self-esteem

Especially girls and teenagers. The idea that they are capable of everything they propose should be promoted and they, by the simple fact of existing, are already valuable. They don't need a partner to feel something.

This idea aims to avoid toxic relationships that, if they evolve, can degenerate into episodes of both physical and psychological violence.

Learn that you are valuable enough to stop the relationship at the first signs Undervaluation and humiliation by the partner is one of the best prevention techniques.

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2. Men and women should be equally involved in parenting

Although the idea that the man goes to work and the woman is the one who stays at home to take care of the children and do Housework is out of date, the truth is that there is still no equitable distribution of work at home.

Both the father and the mother, in heterosexual couples, are responsible for raising the children. Both serve as developmental models for children.

The father cannot ignore his children, and it must be clear that he is as responsible for what his children do as the mother is. Educating is about an exercise of equality.

3. Roles are not tied to gender

Closely related to the previous value, it should be promoted to identify those roles that were traditionally associated with one gender or another and become aware of how this fact has been changing.

Both men and women can perform any job and also be in any way without falling into typical insults such as "fag" or "tomboy".

4. Gender violence is not (only) a matter of marriage

Many teenagers who have a boyfriend are unknowingly being victims of gender-based violence, no matter how subtle. This type of violence can occur both physically and explicitly and in a more psychological and less clear way.

Pejorative comments and verbal put-downs are assaults. This is why sexist violence prevention programs must help to understand when one is being a victim of psychological abuse.

5. Love and violence are incompatible

As painful as it may be to those who are a victim of this, must be aware that if he suffers aggression from her partner, it is because he does not love her.

Love is a fact, not an assumption. When two people love each other, they cuddle, caress, and say beautiful words. In other words, they treat each other nicely.

Violence is not a pleasant thing and therefore it is not a sign of love in any way.

6. In the couple there must be respect and mutual care

Two people who love each other may argue and sometimes have disagreements, but this will eventually be solved.

Love implies that both members of the couple respect each other and show that you care about the other.

Arguments are normal and healthy, typical of any healthy relationship. What is not normal is aggression of any kind.

7. He is neither sick nor has he lost his hand

Whoever abuses does not do so because he has a mental disorder or because he could not control himself.

If she did it, it is because he felt he had the ability and the right to do so., and subdue her partner through violence. In addition, it is common for the aggressor to humiliate his victim after the violent episode occurs.

8. The victim will always be innocent

There may have been an unpleasant situation in which both whoever attacked and who was attacked shared a few rude words, but whoever receives the aggression will always remain the victim.

It is common for the victim to feel guilty, and that is why the myth that she asked for it must be fought.

To this day, the belief is widespread that if the woman received a beating it was her because she did something wrong she did. It may be the case that something happened, but the beating will never be justifiable and whoever caused it is clearly the culprit.

Examples of effective campaigns

Below we explain two cases of successful campaigns that have been carried out in two Latin American countries: Mexico and El Salvador.

1. Love, but the good

Carried out in Mexico and focused on adolescents and teachers, this campaign involved the application of workshops in which they reflected on traditional roles and gender stereotypes. Reproductive and sexual rights were also addressed.

This campaign had a positive effect on those who participated, achieving that in the group of young men significantly reduced their aggressive behaviors and pejorative beliefs towards women women.

Thanks to the campaign, it has been possible to fight against sexism in Mexico, one of the countries most affected by sexist violence in Mexico. Latin America, in addition to demonstrating the need and effectiveness of early intervention in such a critical period as the adolescence.

2. City young woman

El Salvador is another of the countries plagued by this social scourge. In addition to the episodes of violence against women, there are the numerous cases of teenage pregnancies caused by sexual violence.

This program focuses on assertiveness, encouraging women to speak without taboos about this type of violence and if they have suffered any episode, to serve as a testimony that it is possible to move forward.

Bibliographic references:

• Díaz-Aguado Jalón, M. J. (2006). Sexism, gender violence and bullying. Proposals for a comprehensive prevention of violence. Journal of Youth Studies, 73, 38-57.
• Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (2004). National Plan for Awareness and Prevention of Gender Violence: Conceptual framework and lines of intervention. Spain.