A presentation on biblical perspectives in addressing sexual violence

1. The Role of men in Addressing
Violence (SV)
A Christian Perspective
Hadley Muchela
GBV advisor

2. Contents
• Definition
• Statistics
• Types
• Causes of SV
• Profile of abuser
• Consequences
• Biblical perspectives of Sexual Violence
• The Role of Christian men in eradicating SV

3. Gender ‘Versus’ Sex
Gender
Gender refers to the socially constructed roles and responsibilities assigned to
men and women by society. These roles are learned, vary across cultures and
change over time. In other words, gender is dynamic, geographical, learned,
and socially constructed
Sex
This refers to biological attributes of men and women - are universal and
cannot be changed. It is static, universal, innate and biological.

4. Gender and Sex Roles
Gender Roles
Gender roles are reflected in activities ascribed to men and women on the
basis of perceived differences which are reinforced through the gender division
of labour. They include rearing children, piloting, farming and care giving
Sex Roles
Sex roles’ are from nature; they are genetically determined characteristics of
male and female, such as pregnancy and childbirth, breastfeeding and
impregnating

5. Prevalence of sexual violence after
age 15, WHO multi-country study
• A multi-country study conducted by the WHO in 10 developing countries found
that 15-71% of the women reported experiencing either intimate partner or
sexual violence at some point in their lives (WHO 2005) The highest levels of IPV
were reported in Peru, Samoa, and the United Republic of Tanzania (Jewkes, R.
2002).
• A study conducted among high school students in Addis Ababa indicated that the
prevalence of rape and attempted rape was 5% and 10% respectively (Mulugeta,
E., Kassaye, M., & Berhane, Y. 1998).

6. Types of Gender based violationsType of Violations Definition
Sexual violence 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.
Physical violence includes punches, mutilation, burns, use of arms and domestic incarceration.
Emotional/Psychologi
cal Violence
encompasses humiliation, exploitation, intimidation, psychological degradation,
verbal aggression and deprivation of freedom and rights
Harmful traditional
practices include,
Female genital mutilation (FGM), Female sex slavery, Denial of rights to
control one’s fertility, Sex discrimination etc.

7. Socioeconomic Violence
 Socioeconomic violence covers economic blackmail, taking away the money
the woman earns so the male partner has an absolute control over the family
income

8. Attitudes toward Wife Beating
36
27
19
21
10
5
42
33
22
21
15
7
At least one specified reason
Neglects the children
Goes out without telling him
Argues with him
Refuses to have sex with him
Burns the food
Women
Men
Percent of women and men age 15-49 who agree that a husband
is justified in beating his wife under certain circumstances
7

9. Experience of Physical Violence
45
20
44
12
Ever Often or sometimes in the past 12 months
Women Men
Percent of women and men age 15-49 who have ever experienced physical violence since age 15
8

10. Perpetrators of Physical Violence
• Among ever-married women, 57% report experiencing physical violence
committed by a current husband/partner.
• Among never-married women, 48% report experiencing physical
violence committed by a teacher.
• 29% of ever-married men and 46% of never-married men report
experiencing physical violence committed by a teacher.
9

11. Experience of Sexual Violence
14
86
2
Ever Often or sometimes in the past 12 months
Women Men
Percent of women and men age 15-49 who have ever experienced physical violence
10

12. Perpetrators of Sexual Violence
• Among ever-married women, 55% report
experiencing sexual violence committed by a current
husband/partner.
• Among ever-married men, 37% report experiencing
sexual violence committed by a current wife/partner.
11

13. Spousal Violence
32
37
13
47
21
7
4
24
Emotional violence Physical violence Sexual violence Any violence
Women Men
Percent of ever-married women and men age 15-49 who have ever
experienced violence committed by their spouse/partner
12

14. Intimate Partner Violence
• This refers to behavior by an intimate partner or ex-partner that causes
physical, sexual or psychological harm, including physical aggression,
sexual coercion, psychological abuse and controlling behaviors
• It is the most pervasive form of gender violence for women
• A review of 50 population-based studies carried out in 36 countries
indicates that between 10 and 60% of women who have ever been
married or partnered have experienced at least one incident of physical
violence from a current or former intimate partner (Heise, 1999).
• Although women can also be violent and abuse exists in some same-
sex relationships, the vast majority of partner abuse is perpetrated by
men against their female partners.

15. Violence against their Spouse
4 3
37
14
Ever In the past 12 months
Women Men
Percent of ever-married women and men age 15-49 who have committed physical violence
against their current or most recent spouse/partner when she/he was not already beating or
physically hurting her/him
13

16. Help Seeking Behaviour
44
11
41
27
20
46
Sought help to stop violence Never sought help,
but told someone
Never sought help, never
told anyone
Women Men
Percent of women and men age 15-49 who have ever experienced physical or sexual violence
14

17. Contributing factors to SV
 Culture: Traditional gender norms In situations of armed conflict and
displacement,
 Gender inequity
 Abuse of power
 Lack of respect for human rights
 Poverty:
 Alcohol and drug abuse:.
 Media:
 Religion

18. Consequences

19. Consequences : Direct and Indirect Pathways to
HIV/AIDS/STIs and Unwanted Pregnancy
Suicide,
homicide
Abortion,
miscarriage
Maternal
mortality
Neonatal
morbidity/
mortality
Reproductive
morbidity/
mortality
Adverse
pregnancy
outcomes
Source: Adapted from Heise, et al., 1995 Population Reports/CHANGE

20. Cont’d
Non Fatal Outcomes Non Fatal Outcomes
 Headaches
 Permanent disabilities
 Asthma
 Irritable bowel syndrome
Self-injurious behaviour
Injury(from lacerations to fractures and
internal organs injury)
Unwanted pregnancy
STDs including HIV
Miscarriage
Pelvic inflammatory disease
Chronic pelvic pain
Fatal outcomes
 Suicide
 Homicide

21. Mental Health Outcomes
 Depression
 Fear
 Anxiety
 Low self-esteem
 Sexual dysfunction
 Eating problems
 Obsessive-compulsive disorder
 Post-traumatic stress disorder

22. Statements
 Women are raped by strangers in dark places outside
the home.
 Rape of men is more shameful than that of women.
 There is no rape in marriage.
 Women say ‘No’ when they mean ‘Yes’.
 Men rape because they are overcome by sexual urges.
 Men who rape are obviously not normal.

23. Myths and Facts
• Myth: Women ask to be raped.
• Fact: Rape is violent and humiliating. The rapist often uses
threats and life endangering force, so the survivor fears injury
or death. No one asks for the fear and trauma of rape.
• Myth: ‘Young attractive girls’ get raped.
• Fact: Rapists do not choose survivors by appearance or age.
Any woman may be raped. The age range of survivors is from 2
days to 103 years

24. Myths and Facts (cont’d)
• Myth: Rapists are strangers.
• Fact: Studies show that 60–75% of rapists know their
survivors. Acquaintance rape and date rape are a real
danger, especially for teens and young adults.
• Myth: Sexual violence is impulsive, done for sexual
gratification.
• Fact: Most rapes are planned in advance. The rapist stalks a victim or waits
for a safe opportunity and finds a victim. Sexual gratification is not the
motive for rape; it is an act of anger, aggression and control with sex used
as a weapon.

25. Myths about Date Rape
• Myth 1: A woman who gets raped usually deserves it,
especially if she has agreed to go to a man’s house or park
with him
• Fact: No one deserves to be raped. Being in a man’s
house or car does not mean a woman has agreed to have
sex with him.
• Myth 2: If a woman agrees to allow a man to pay for
dinner or drinks, it means she owes him sex.
• Fact: Sex is not an implied pay back for dinner or other
expenses, no matter how much money has been spent.

26. Myths about Date Rape (cont’d)
• Myth 3: Acquaintance rape is committed by men who
are easy to identify as rapists
• Myth 4: Intimate kissing or certain kinds of touching
mean that intercourse is inevitable.
• Fact: Every one’s right to say ‘no’ should be honored,
regardless of the activity which preceded it.
• Myth 5: Once a man reaches a certain point of arousal,
sex is inevitable and they can’t help forcing themselves
upon a woman.
• Fact: Men are capable of exercising restraint with sexual
urges.

27. Myths about Date Rape (cont’d)
• Myth 6: Most women lie about acquaintance rape because they
have regrets after consensual rape
• Fact: Acquaintance rape really happens to people one
• Myth 7: Women who say ‘no’ really means ‘yes’
• Fact: This notion is based on rigid and outdated sexual
stereotypes.
• Myth 8: Certain behaviors such as drinking or dressing in a
sexually appealing way make rape a woman’s responsibility
• Fact: Drinking or dressing in a sexually appealing way is not an
invitation for sex. Rape isn’t about sex; it’s about power, control
and violence.

28. These Myths
• Increase the trauma experienced by the survivor.
• Encourage prejudice about the legal liability of both the survivor and the
accused.
• Slow down or prevent the recovery of the survivor.
• Discourage survivors from reporting the rape as a crime.
• Help lawyers assist offenders escape conviction or reduce their sentence.
• Hamper society’s understanding of sexual violence and the serious effect it
has on survivors
• Survivors are denied the support and assistance they need to heal from
sexual violation.

29. •Profile of an abuser
•Any person can be an
abuser

30. Biblical perspectives of Sexual Violence
• The Bible is not silent about rape.
• 3 accounts describing cases of sexually assault recorded, each
resulted in war.
• Gen: 34 When Jacob’s daughter, Dinah, was violated…her brothers
murdered violator plus all of the men of his city in revenge
• (Jgs. 19:16-30). Unnamed Concubine was gang-raped and left for
dead by men in the tribe of Benjamin
• (2 Sam. 13). The rape of Tamar was raped by her half-brother, Amnon,
her brother Absalom killed him…inciting a rebellion against King
David
• Deuteronomy 22:23-29, that safeguarded women who had been
violated.

31. Role of Christian men in eradicating SV
• 1 Peter: 3:7—Husbands must honor wives
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives,
and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with
you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
Hebrews 13: 1-3—Love each other Keep on loving each other as
brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some
people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those
in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are
mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
Treat women like sisters

32. • 1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding
way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are
heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be
hindered.
• 1 Timothy 5:2 ……Older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in
all purity.
• 1 Timothy 5:3 … Give proper recognition to those widows who are in
need …..
• Psalm 68:5King James Version (KJV)…A father of the fatherless, and a
judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.
•

33. The Role of Christian men in eradicating SV
1. Men don’t buy into the notion that women are objects.
2. Men have enough self-control to wait
3. Men respect, rather than exploit, women.
BY DO THE FOLLOWING
• Change (Mind our language)
• Mentor the young men in Biblical based relationships
• Empower our girls
• Get actively involved ( 16 days of activism, etc)

34. Finally
• The root cause of gender -based violence lied in unequal power relations
between women and men. However, a variety of factors on the individual
level, the family level, and at the level of community and society, often
combine to raise the likelihood of violence occurring.
• The effects of gender based violence are far reaching and extend beyond
the individual survivor, to the family and society as a whole.
• Potential social responses to gender based violence are most effective
when there is a common understanding of the nature and causes of gender
based violence and it is addressed from all angles, through the
participation of multiple sectors and entire communities.
…

35. • What will the men of purpose in CITAM Athi River do to end this
menace????????

36. ASANTE SANA