Women
Understanding Gender-Based Violence
The gender based violence is a type of violence which occurs
in all society of the world, within homes and wider community that involves
girls and women disproportionately.
Some of this gender based violence includes rape, commercial
sexual exploitations, domestic violence and female genital mutilation.
The world we live today is characterized with violence
against women. And this is displayed in many forms like wife battering, sexual
assault and abuse, female genital mutilation and rape. Gender based violence is
now the fate of millions of women in the world and these affect their
productivity both in homes, community and state.
Domestic violence is when a man beats his female partner and
the most common form of gender based violence, and this happens within the
families.
Violence within the general community includes rapes,
battery, rape, and sexual assault, forced treatments and the exploitation and
commercialization of women’s bodies, the social exclusion of women in some
parts of the world in general and the purdah system in the northern part of
Nigeria.
Gender-based violence is a universal reality existing in all
societies regardless of income, class and culture. You can never find a woman
who in one time or the other has not been afraid or gone through the gender
based-violence and those who are particularly vulnerable to this violence are
those who lived in extremely precarious conditions or who are discriminated on
the basis of race, language, ethnic groups, culture, age, opinion, religion or
also women who are displaced, migrants, refugees or those living under foreign
occupation.
The world health organization (WHO) estimates that at least
one of every five female population has been physically or sexually abused at
some time.
Gender based violence affects both physical and
psychological integrity of women. It can affect cognitively and
inter-personally.
The UN General Assembly, in adopting the 1993 declaration on
elimination of violence against women defined gender based violence as any art
of violence that results in physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering
to women; including threat of such acts, coercion, or arbitrary deprivation of
liberty, whether occurring in public or private life. (Population Reference
Bureau 2001 pg 3).
Women are vulnerable to this violence at all stages of life.
They are threatened by female infanticide, incest, child prostitution, rape,
partner violence, psychological abuse, sexual harassment and harmful
traditional practices such as forceful marriage.
Gender based violence within the state include physical,
sexual and psychological violence and are most times perpetrated or tolerated
by the states that priorities custom or tradition over the respect of
fundamental freedom. The social exclusion constitutes a new form of apartheid.
Women are considered second class beings or less valued, deprived of their
fundamental rights.
Types of gender based violence include commercial sexual
exploitation, rape, female genital mutilation or female genital cutting.
My emphasis is the female genital mutilation; the female
genital mutilation is a traditional practice which involves cutting or altering
the female genitalia as a rite of passage or for other socio-cultural reasons.
(Mohammed, Ali and Yunger 1999). (According to Population
reference Bureau 2000) the female genital cutting is practice in 28 African
countries and in about 20 Middle Eastern Asia nations.
Mugenzi (1998) added that FGC is an act of controlling women
sexually. The practice is seen as an impediment to a girl’s sexual enjoyment.
It varies from partial or total removal of genitalia to the narrowing of
virginal opening. Some traditional practitioners who do not have medical
training perform majority of the female genital cutting and most times the
victims suffer or experience intense pains, bleeding, painful menstruation, infection
or trauma. The practice according to doctors can also be associated with the
spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS through cuts and abrasions in sear
tissue, during intercourse and child birth. It is also associated with lack of
orgasm and sexual gratification and depression. Most women who go through FGC
have serious health consequences such as shock, pains, infection, injury and
the adjacent tissue and organs.
The effect of gender based violence could be devastating and
long lasting.
It is a heavy burden for women of ages 15, is as that of
HIV, tuberculosis and during child birth, cancer and heart diseases.
The fourth world conference has adopted a platform for
action which declares violence against women is an obstacle to the achievement
of object of equality, development and peace
Bekinbo is a student of RSUST, Port Harcourt.
Favour Igbikis Bekinbo
IVY-K Fashion by Igiebor Daddy Lucky, a Nigerian-born designer now based in the UK, has launched the latest menswear line, Dapper Man.
One of the collection’s strengths is its classic, clean aesthetic. Dapper Man delivers sharp, structured suits in a timeless black and white color scheme that exudes a sense of luxury and professionalism. The use of high-quality fabrics like wool and silk ensures that the suits not only look high-end but also feel luxurious to the wearer. The designer’s focus on detail is evident in the meticulous tailoring, with fitted blazers and crisp trousers forming the foundation of the collection.
Where IVY-K Fashion shines is in the subtle yet elegant touches. The inclusion of beads as embellishments on lapels and cuffs adds a unique flair, blending traditional craft with modern tailoring. This nod to African heritage gives the collection a distinct identity, offering something more personal and culturally significant than your standard menswear line.
However, despite the elegance of the Dapper Man collection, there is a lingering sense of missed opportunity. The black-and-white color palette, while classic, feels overly safe. In a fashion landscape where bold colors and daring patterns often make the strongest impact, the collection could benefit from incorporating more vibrant hues or experimenting with unconventional fabrics. Pushing the envelope with color or texture could elevate these designs from simply elegant to truly memorable.
In addition, while the tailoring of the blazers and trousers is immaculate, the collection lacks a sense of playfulness or modern edge that many contemporary menswear lines are embracing. The suits are undoubtedly stylish, but the collection as a whole leans heavily on tradition. Experimenting with asymmetrical cuts, bold patterns, or even layering could add an exciting dimension to Dapper Man. The challenge is to maintain the sleek sophistication of the collection while infusing it with a fresh, innovative spirit.
Another area that could use improvement is the overall cohesion of the collection. While the suits are well-crafted, there is a feeling of repetition across the pieces. More variation in design, such as different lapel styles, pocket configurations, or even bolder accessories, would give the collection greater diversity and visual interest.
In conclusion, Dapper Man by Igiebor Daddy Lucky showcases the designer’s strong grasp of classic tailoring and elegant design, but to truly capture the attention of a broader audience, IVY-K Fashion would benefit from more daring choices. By infusing the collection with bold colors, unexpected textures, and a more modern edge, Dapper Man could move from a well-crafted line to a trendsetting force in men’s fashion. With such a solid foundation, there’s no doubt that Igiebor Daddy Lucky has the potential to lead his brand toward greater heights
The trend of indecent dressing all in the name of fashion is fast becoming a norm in our generation and society at large. Most married women embrace this fashion as competition with single ladies.
Different scholars have given an in depth insight about dressing as a tool of communication. Non-verbal communication has been asserted as the communication between people by the means of signs or symbols. It conveys what we wish to disseminate to the public as either intentionally or not.
According to Paul Ekman and Michael Argyle, communication is carried out through what has been classified as “Presentational Code”. He listed nine codes of non-verbal communication, as body contact, facial expression, gestures, postures, eye movement, proximity, orientation, head nods and appearance.
This, being stated, married and single ladies should understand that their mode of dressing is communicative be it directly or indirectly as such body parts we call “private” are now being made public because of the trends or wearing of transparent dresses and this in turn calls on the attention of men who are weak and prone to illicit thoughts thus, resulting to most rape cases in our society.
This indecent dressing by most ladies has denied many their future husbands. The truth is that a man is attracted to his kind; his desires in marriage. It is often asserted that decency and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder, yet, in trending times of this 21st century, dress code and fashion in nudity form is gaining popularity.
This has become complicated as most men tend to toggle between their emotions (lust) and sanity (rationality) in terms of marriage, thereby setting a wrong foundation upon which most marriages are consummated.
On the other hand, most married women have embraced the trend of indecent dressing nipping it on the state of it being the choice dressing, approved by their spouses, leaving society with the question of what “responsible” man would prefer that the secrecy of the benefit of his marital vow has become the centre of attraction and viewership by the general public.
Hence, communicating with their dressing gas given licence to every male gender who is interested or attracted to what they see to make unsolicited sexual passes at them, which might be considered embarrassing.
At this juncture, it is important to state that ladies should dress decently knowing that they are the epitome of nation-building, they are nation-builders, character moulders and pacesetters not just in the lives of their families but to the society at large.
In most occasions, there are no clear border lines between the married women and the single ladies because of the rate of scanty dressing which has close the gap of differences.
Women and girls should embrace this call awakening to decent mode of dressing. Dresses that are meant to be worn indoors should remain indoors.
It is worrisome to see ladies wear shorts that are supposed to be worn in the living room on the streets without shame. This is an awakening call to our ladies, married and singles that the opposite sex do not expose their private body parts for the public. Sometimes, the ladies go about in the streets without wearing brazziers as to showcase their nipples.
The society should be sanitised of the menace of indecent dressing that is lurking and taking over the entire nooks and crannies of the society and the nation at large.
Let it be known that he or she is addressed in the manner he or she is dressed. There may be no room for a second impression. To the single ladies, your dressing decently will not stop you from meeting your Mr Right rather, it will increase your stake and place you on the list of most valued women in the society.
Dressing speaks louder than words.
Kate Chisom Isiocha
Isiocha is an OND final year student of Temple Gate Polytechnic.
