Gender-based violence is a contemporary issue that affects both women and men. However, for the longest time, it has been addressed when it’s only women facing the problem.
GBV against both women and men is a human right violation and is considered a crime as outlined in the Constitution, which prohibits any subjection to any form of violence from either public or private sources.
However, GBV that is taken into account in society is that which is perpetrated against girls and women, and not that against boys and men.
GBV against boys and men is usually unknown, goes unreported and many people in society and other organisations are reluctant to address it, which demoralises any attempt to assist in gender-based violence against boys and men.
The cases have been unreported due to expectations on men, which is just a stereotype in the society, such that a man due to their masculine nature, is considered an invulnerable creature. It is difficult to acknowledge boys and men as victims because men have long been assumed to be the only perpetrators of GBV.
At times even intimate partner violence against men is not recognised especially if there is no weapon used during the abuse, forgetting that abuse comes in various forms. They include mental abuse, emotional abuse, isolation, ridicule directed towards boys and men.
This also goes unreported since men are afraid of being stigmatised, isolated and ridiculed by fellow men or society at large. Most GBV against boys and men may lead to depression and at times death by suicide.
Acknowledging there are GBV cases among boys and men does not mean that attention will be shifted from the girls and women. It only means, these things happen to both genders and should be equally addressed.
Therefore the government should collaborate with human rights organisations to deal with GBV cases and set aside safe houses where one can always get help.
Victims of GBV should be treated equally and not be discriminated against. This will help them heal, boost their self-esteem and interact with members of society.
Student, Maasai Mara University
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
