THE RIPPLE EFFECTS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: BATTERY, SEXUAL ASSAULT AND RAPE.

Women are delicate, precious, wonderful creatures, emotional being, and beautiful works of art. Every girl-child, lady and woman around us are to be celebrated. Women simply add colour to our world! God never created women to be inferior being or slaves in the society but to be helpers, lifters, burden bearers, vision builders, messengers of hope, supporters, and of cause partners in building the society.  But the society has relegated these hitherto qualities in women to be inferior being, object of rape, sexual assault, punching bags etal. It’s been said that “Beside every successful man is a woman”. Indeed, justifiably so. However, this concise piece seeks to consider the ripple effect of why women are so deprived in the society such that the economic evil of battery, domestic violence, sexual assault, and even rape are critical cases that characterizes most women folks in the society. It is no doubt today that the traumatic effects of sexual assault and most domestic violence against women around the world are wide-reaching.

Research has revealed that violence against women particularly intimate partner is a form of violation of women’s human right and is major effects of physical, mental, sexual, reproductive health and other health related problems, and may increase vulnerability to HIV. Recent global prevalence figures indicate that 35% of women worldwide have experienced either intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. On a global scene, as many as 38% of murders of women are committed by an intimate partner. The risk factors for being a victim include low education, exposure to child maltreatment or witnessing violence in the family, harmful use of alcohol, attitudes accepting of violence and gender inequality.

The problem of battered women has also come into play in the past few years, its progression toward public awareness paralleling the growth of the women’s movement. Every minute in the United States for instance, four women are beaten by a significant other. More than half of all female homicide victims in 1993 were killed by a current or former partner. The Handbook of Family Violence identified five major types of family violence and ranked spouse abuse as almost equal in incidence with physical child abuse, which was ranked number one (Gilliland, James 1997). Also, in this society, where women are culturally indoctrinated to believe that love and marriage is their true fulfillment, many women feel it would be an admittance of failure to give up on their marriage. A battered woman is not free to end her victimization without assistance. Women are systematically taught that their personal worth, survival, and autonomy do not depend on effective and creative responses to life situations, but rather on their physical beauty and appeal to men. They learn that they have no direct control of the circumstances of their lives. Having been trained to be second best, women begin marriage with a psychological disadvantage because marriage in our patriarchal society does not offer equal power to men and women. This I believe is a faulty mentality but unfortunately it has overtime become a program and not necessarily a script but a thinking mentality.

Raped is another horrendous evil done against women in the society. Rape is not just physical violence, it is also mental violence. It is not easily forgotten. (Unnamed victim/survivor in Easteal, 1994, p. 99). The effect is psychological or emotional but also impacts upon physical, social, interpersonal and financial domains. Sexual assault like rape can influence the way the victim/survivor interacts with those close to them and the community as a whole. Following the assault, interpersonal relationship, difficultly with communication, intimacy, trust, sexual relations and enjoyment of social activities can all be adversely affected. Over-protectiveness of the victim may also be an issue (Crome & McCabe, 1995). Feelings of low self-esteem, vulnerability and avoidance of social interactions with men as a consequence of the fear of rape, work life disruption due to avoidance of social situations are more damaging effects.

Consequently, Rape, incest, and battery change a woman’s life forever. While some women never rise above the pain, the rage, the humiliation, some others seem to transcend the violence and rebuild their lives. What distinguishes those who transcend the violation? Courage—the courage to face their past and, sometimes, to put it into words.

In conclusion, the positive reactions and supports of family, friends and partners, government and agencies or NGOs against domestic violence can help or hinder the recovery of the victim/survivor. Beyond the maladies that before these women, they still have the innate potentialities and power resident in them to change the world. Women are considered as agents of change, their impact in polities, family, business, community cannot be overemphasized. She is endowed and loaded with inspiration needed for sustainable transformation. Women regardless of their status in the society can recreate her own story, and that of her children and the entire community. She should learn from her hurdles and be aware of the power residing in her to change her world, our world.

Let us support our women, let’s protect them against the evil of domestic violence. The government should create an enabling environment that will support the women to thrive without being discriminated. Offenders of rape and assault should face the law.

Samuel Adu

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