Republic of the Philippines

Leyte Normal University

San Isidro Campus

San Isidro, Leyte

Name : John Paul D. Dela Cruz

Program : Bachelor of Elementary Education II

Course Title : GE 116 - Gender and Society

Instructor : Mr. Michael Arnoco

Date : August 27, 2024

UNIT IV : POLITICAL-LEGAL PERSPECTIVE IN GENDER AND

SEXUALITY

Lesson 15: Gender-Base Violence: Survivor, Victim, Perpetrator and

Human Rights

I. Objectives: a. Understand the meaning of Gender-based violence,

other related terms, and its forms and consequences.

b. Understand Gender-based violence as a human rights

issue.

c. determine the relationship between the Huma rights

and gender-based violence;

d. Differentiate the Perpetrators, Victims and Survivors in

Gender-based violence.
 II. Introduction and discussion

Gender-based violence: Refers to any type of harm that is perpetrated

against a person or group of people because of their factual or perceived sex,

gender, sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

Gender-based violence is one of the widespread and Human rights

abuses, but least recognized in the world. It refers to any harm perpetrated

against a person’s will on the basis of gender, the socially ascribed differences

between males and females.

Gender-Based violence has devastating consequences not only for

victims but also for society as a whole. (Sigal et.al 2013) It results in physical,

sexual , and psychological harm to both men and women and includes any

form of violence or abuse that targets men or women on the basis of their sex.

In the Philippines GBV has clearly been placed in the realm of women’s

human rights over the past decade. Prior to 1993 , most government regarded

violence against women legally as a private matter between individuals.(Loi

et. al 1999).

(Violence against women (VAW) appears as one of the country’s pervasive

social problems. According to the2022 National Demographic and Health

Survey (NDHS)conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, 17.5% of

Filipino women aged 15-49 have experienced any form of physical, sexual,

and emotional violence from their intimate partners. As of 2021, there were

8,399 reported cases of physical violence, 1,791 on rape, and 1,505 on acts

of lasciviousness. It is alarming that despite addressing the concern, VAW

persists.)
CONSEQUENCES OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE (GBV)

These consequences include serious, immediate, and long term

impacts on the sexual, physical and psychological health survivors.

1. Health Consequences - Includes unwanted pregnancy, complications from

unsafe abortions, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, injuries,

mental health and psycho-social affects (depression, anxiety, post traumatic

stress, suicide, and death). Violence also affects children’s survival,

development and school participation.

2. Social Consequences - extend to families and communities. Families can

be stigmatized as a consequences of gender-based violations.

3. Economic Consequences - Includes the because of public health an social

welfare systems and the reduced ability of many survivors to participate in

social and economic life.

SURVIVOR, VICTIM, AND PERPETRATOR

 Survivor - is the preferred term (not a victim) of a person who lived

through an incident of gender-based violence.

 Victim - It can include violence against women, domestic violence

against women, men or children living in the same domestic unit. Although

women/gilr are the main victims of GBV, it also causes severe harm to

families and communities.

 Perpetrator - is a person, group or institution that afflicts, supports, or

condones violence or others abuse against a person or group of persons

characterized of perpetrators include:

 a. Person with real or [perceived power

b. Person in decision making position; and

c. Person in authority

HUMAN RIGHTS

Human rights are universal, inalienable, indivisible, interconnected, and

interdependent. Everyone is to all the rights and freedom without distinction of

any kind, such as race, religion, political or other opinion, or social origin, or

other status.

Prevention and response to gender-based violation is directly linked to

the protection of human rights. Acts of gender-based violation a number of

human rights principle enriched in international human rights instruments and

in our Philippine constitution.

These include the following :

1. The right to life, liberty and property of a person( Art.III Bill of Rights s.1)

2. The right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health

3. The right to freedom fro torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment

or punishment

4. The right to freedom pf opinion and expression and to education. (UNFPA

2014).

According to Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and their

Children Act of 2004, VAW is “any act or a series of acts committed by any

person against a woman who is his wife, former wife, or against a woman with

whom the person has or had a sexual or dating relationship, or with whom he

has a common child, or against her child whether legitimate or illegitimate,

with or without the family abode, which result in or is likely to result in

physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering, or economic abuse

including threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment or

arbitrary deprivation of liberty.”

Summary

GBV is a worldwide phenomenon which must be given attention

nationally and internationally. consequences capture almost all spheres of our

lives (family, socially economically, and health). A main focus of gender-based

violence is violence against women (VAW) affecting women and girls across

their lifespan. VAW also covers a continuum of violence which appeared to be

unending, with an array of elements of abuse, coercion, or force.

The survivor and perpetrator are important actors in GBV and VAW

cases. GBV and VAW are clear violations of human rights. All these point to

the essence that these acts of violence are a global and national concern.

Moreover, an even more significant problem is the lack of concrete

information to show the extent of VAW in the country, as many cases of

violence against women often go unreported due to women victims’ “culture of

silence.” Many of the victims are ashamed to relate their experiences. In

contrast, others tend to dismiss their ordeal due to their lack of faith in the

country’s justice system caused by frustrations over the lack of results in filing

complaints.
 III. REFERENCES

Philippine Commission on women. (2021). Violence-against-women.

pcw.gov.ph. https://pcw.gov.ph/violence-against-women/

Anderson &Umberson.(2001).Cited in Understanding gender and Intimate

Partner Abuse,Mchugh,M. Sex Roles, vol.52,n 11/12.

Godenzi, A., in Breines, L, Connell, R., & Eide, L. (2000). (eds). Male Roles

and Masculinitiese A Culture of Peace Perspective. UNESCO, Paris.

Kelly, L. (1987). "Continuum of sexual violence", in Hamner, J. & Maynard, M.

(eds.), Women, violence and social control. Explorations in Sociology 23.

MacMillan, London.

Russo, N. & Pirlott, A. (2006). "Gender-based violence. Concepts, methods

and findings" in Annals New York Academy of Sciences, 1087, pp. 178-205.

Sunnari V., Kangasvuo, J., & Heikkinen, M. (2002), Gendered and Sexualised

Violence in Educational Environments. Oulu.

UNFPA. (2014). Reporting on gender-based violence in the Syria Crisis A

Journalist's Handbook.