Letters

Speak up to tame violence against women

women pic

Violence against women occurs in the coolest neighbourhoods, homes and offices. PHOTO | FILE | NMG

Violence against women remains one of the most ubiquitous human rights violations that a majority of women and girls have had to contend with in modern history. It occurs in the coolest neighbourhoods, homes, and offices. It happens in places of worship and schools. It is such a big tragedy that it happens in sports arenas, taxicabs or in public service vehicles.

Violence against women is no respecter of age or religion, culture or class. As it manifests, it takes on one or a combination of the following trajectories of harm: psychological or physical acts that connote sexual violence. It encompasses harmful practices such as rape, female genital cutting or rituals. It also covers practices like early marriage and human trafficking. In sum, these actions shove off a victim’s happiness on basis that she is a woman or a girl, anyway.

Statistics show that at least one in three women has encountered some form of violence. Consequential detriments on victims’ lives include augmented keeping up with stressful physical and psychological wounds and injuries that may never know a cure. While it obliterates lives that could have healed homes and economies, the violence meted out against women continues to polarise societies.

While more women have continued to fight for their space and place, it is regrettable that society still treats them as second citizens. It is not uncommon that where women accomplish greater things than men, it is men that society praises and rewards. A recent study revealed that countries that have failed to increase equal chances for women are retrogressive.

In her speech to the General Assembly, the Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley reminded the world that being adamant to voices of reason would see the world blowing up.

A world that is unwilling and indolent to give equal space to women is subtly at the precipice of collapse.

For how can it be explained to countrymen who survived the ashes of the Post-Election Violence in Kenya in 2007/8 when its women legislators are derided inside and outside Parliament – a House of reason?

Election time

Elected representatives are now vulnerable on social media as opponents use uncouth schemes to embarrass them. A society that derides in this kind of behaviour is utterly indifferent from the decade ago as that hit a snag with the great depression. Seeds of violence against women must be rebuked for a sustainable society.

As Kenya gears up to the next general election, interventions directed at taming violence against women is the much-needed catholicon in ensuring the protection of their constitutional rights.

Gendered online, pulpit or podium abuses under the guise of anonymity and automation that technology has brought about must be haltered and perpetrators brought to book to give the girlchild a fair chance.