 It refers to the widely shared expectations and norms within a society about appropriate male and female behaviour, characteristics, and roles.  It is a social and cultural construct that differentiates women from men and defines the ways in which women and men interact with each other.

Gender-based violence is rooted in the historically unequal power relations (social, economic, cultural, and political) between males and females. Gender-based violence takes many forms, and can include physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. It can occur in wartime, or in times of peace. While both males and females can suffer from gender- based violence, studies show that women, young women, and children of both sexes are most often the victims. Gender-based violence can include rape and sexual assault, violence between intimate partners, and violence associated with war. The most pervasive form of gender-based violence is violence committed against a woman by her intimate partner. “Violence against women is perhaps the most shameful human rights violation...As long as it continues, we cannot claim to be making real progress towards equality, development, and peace.”

Biological Vulnerability: Violence between intimates can lead to a range of medical problems for the sufferer, such as reproductive health disorders. Open wounds can create passageways for HIV infection. Lack of Communication: Violence between intimates often contributes to HIV transmission by harming the ability of partners to communicate openly with each another about safe sex, their HIV status, or ways to reduce the risk of infection. Lack of Condom Use: Where partners cannot speak freely about safer-sex practices, condoms are not likely to be used. Some women may avoid speaking about condoms with a partner for fear of violent retaliation.

Biological Vulnerability: In situations of rape, the victim may experience bleeding and tearing of the genital area. This can create passageways for HIV to enter the bloodstream. Lack of Communication: Conversations about safer sex, HIV status, or HIV risk reduction are unlikely to take place in situations of rape, particularly when therapist has a weapon. Lack of Condom Use: Condoms are not likely to be used in situations of rape or coerced sex, placing both victim and perpetrator at risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

CHILDHOOD The immature genital tract and lack of power against adult sexual aggressors place children at risk of HIV infection from sexual abuse and child prostitution. ADOLESCENCE The immature genital tract and lack of power against adult or peer sexual aggressors place adolescent females at risk of HIV infection from rape and coerced sex, economically- motivated sex, forced prostitution, and courtship or date rape.

 ADULT REPRODUCTIVE YEARS Violence from the following contributes to the HIV risk of women in their adult reproductive years: intimate partner violence; marital rape; violent retaliation of husbands or partners at the suggestion of condom use; and forced prostitution.

 Rape may directly increase women and girls’ risk of contracting HIV.  The violent nature of rape creates a higher risk of genital injury and bleeding (increasing the risk of HIV transmission)  While, in cases of gang rape, exposure to multiple assailants may also contribute to the risk of transmission.

Abusive relationships (including other forms of abuse besides that of a physical nature) may limit women’s ability to negotiate safer sex. Women in violent and abusive relationships are at greater risk of becoming HIV positive, possibly because they are more fearful of negotiating condom use with their partners and are abused when discussing condom use. Certain cultures promote multiple sexual partners formales thus placing the women at risk of contracting the virus.

Gender is a culture-specific construct—there are significant differences in what women and men can or cannot do in one culture as compared to another. But what is fairly consistent across cultures is that there is always a distinct difference between women’s and men’s roles, access to productive resources, and decision-making authority. An imbalance in gender roles can lead to GBV

The traditional role of a woman is to serve the man. If the woman fails to do what the man wants, it is considered acceptable that the man should beat the woman. The rape of young girls based on myths that if an a HIV positive man sleeps with a virgin the HIV will be cured Men having upper hand in decision making in a relationship where on top of having multiple sex partners we still choose to put our lifetime partners in danger insisting on practising unsafe sex

WHAT KIND OF MEN SHOULD WE BE RAISING TO ERADICATE GENDER BASED VIOLENCE?

Prevention of violence on women should start at a socialising level for young boys ; use of non-sexist education materials and methods, modelling behaviours and attitudes that avoid stereotyping, enhancing children’s sense of their own bodies and developing their confidence about assertions about their own bodies

 REMEMBER AS FATHERS OUR SONS IDOLISE US  GROWING UP WE ALL HAVE A “ROLE MODEL” OR SOMEONE WE IDOLISE  CHILDREN MODEL BOTH NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE BEHAVIOURS FROM PARENTS  LETS TRY TO BE POSITIVE ROLE MODELS

We need to challenge traditional gender roles and attitudes about “what makes a man” Enhance men’s awareness of and support for their partners’ reproductive health Increase men’s access to and use of reproductive health services Mobilize men to participate in promoting gender equity and taking a stand against gender-based violence

 CARING AND LOVING YOUNG MEN  YOUNG MEN WHO RESPECT WOMEN  YOUNG MEN WHO WILL PROTECT WOMEN AGAINST VIOLANCE  YOUNG MEN WHO ARE ABLE TO STAND UP AGAINST GENDER BASED VIOLANCE

FIRSTLY LETS STOP TELLING OUR SONS THAT A CARING LOVING MAN TOWARDS HIS FAMILY UDLISIWE,UTYISIWE OR KOROBELA IS IN THE MIX! LETS NOT BE “CONSULTANT FATHERS”, LETS BE INVOLVED IN THEIR UPBRINING IT STARTS WITH A CONVERSATION AND BEING FREINDS WITH YOUR SON, AS MUCH AS YOUR WIFE AND DAUGHTER ARE BEST FREINDS-BATHI INTOMBI ITHAKATHA NOMAMA WAYO NAWE THAKATA NOMFANAKHO!HAU NDODA