Violence Against Women

Although African women are now making a stride: partaking in and creating movements and global campaigns to eradicate domestic violence and educating women and young girls to not withstand oppression under any circumstances, the (still) persistent scourge of violence against women in Africa is too widespread to overlook no matter how many measures have been taken counter it. Violence is an overarching term, so let me break it down for you.

The United Nations defines violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life".

Over 47% of women in Kenya have experienced physical and/or sexual violence. One of the many factors that contribute to the extensive epidemic of violence against women is the fact that like many young democracies, Africa struggles with inherently patriarchal attitudes and sexist stereotypes. Civil wars, political unrests, and an unpredictable economy created various conflicts of interest that lead to high levels of violence against women (including young girls). African families as a whole show an obvious preference for sons over daughters; sons are often viewed as an economic asset whereas daughters are often a liability. Girls are far less likely to go to school– according to UNESCO, there are fewer than 90 girls for every 100 boys at secondary school. This stigmatisation and blatant dismissal of girls perpetuates a view that sets girls to grow up into women with low self-esteem and self-worth, stipulating an ongoing cycle of violence.

Female genital cutting, a common but heavily sadistic, abusive practice is far more prevailing than is comfortable to hear. This relic of practice, according to the UN “involves the partial or total removal of external genitalia for non-medical reasons”. FGC is often motivated by the sanctity and purity of a woman and to ensure “pure femininity”. However, what most young girls who undergo FGC are unaware of is the aftermath of the practice which causes irregular periods, bladder problems and recurrent infections. While in some cases, women are persevering to challenge the status quo and abolish this practice, in others FGC is considered a universal norm performed without question. This cultural rite has been associated with the fear of attracting promiscuity amongst men.

Although governments have taken stringent measures to curb these practices, statistical evidence proves otherwise. In 2013, a UNICEF report based on surveys completed by select countries, FGC is still prevailing in 27 African countries, Yemen and Iraqi Kurdistan, where 125 million women and girls have undergone FGC.

On the other hand, supporters of FGC claim that criminalising FGC will mean punishing women from observing their cultures. Similarly, many female African anthropologists argue that Western feminists and the media only present a one-sided, ethnocentric picture of female circumsion– it is considered patronising to declare that brown and black women should be jailed for FGC while women from the West can receive vaginoplasty and cosmetic surgery for the vulva? Explanations for the practice include the fact that the uncircumcised clitoris and penis are considered analogous, aesthetically and hygienically. It is seen that just a male’s retractable roll of skin covers the head of the penis, the female foreskin covers the clitoral glands.

Both are at constant risk of smegma and bacterial infection– this accumulation is seen as odorous, susceptible to contamination and a nuisance to keep clean on a daily basis. For this reason, many circumcised mothers view the reason to circumcise their daughters as something just as reasonable as circumcising their sons.

Arguments for and against FGC have been longstanding, with supporters claiming the contradictions of Western views and media completely disregard FGC as a cultural rite of passage into womanhood. Alternatively, Anti-FGC protestors have actively worked to eradicate this practice with communities voicing their opinions and educating young girls about the harms of FGC.