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Gender-based violence (GBV)
Sexual violence occurs everywhere in society – in the home, in communities, in schools and work places, in public spheres and in institutions.
Sexual violence is commonly understood as one or several of the following actions: rape, incest, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse, forced prostitution, female genital mutilation (FGM), sexual slavery, child abuse images, grooming for sexual purposes and trafficking for sexual exploitation. Also child marriage goes under this definition. Sexual violence is a form of gender-based violence which refers to violence that targets individuals or groups on the basis of their gender. It has been widely acknowledged that the majority of persons affected by gender-based violence are women and girls.
Sexual violence and gender-based violence has also become very common in conflicts and emergencies like natural disasters and their aftermath. It is perpetrated against girls and boys when there is no rule of law and is exacerbated by a culture of impunity. In some cases, sexual violence has been used as a tactic of war designed to humiliate and exterminate a whole population or ethnic group, force them to displace or simply to destroy their social fabric. Unfortunately, sexual violence and abuse is also quite common after the major crisis is finished. When in relief camps it is easy for people to abuse their power and ask for sexual favours in exchange for basic necessities.
The effects of sexual abuse are devastating. Survivors are vulnerable to unwanted pregnancies, psychological trauma, to the spread of HIV and AIDS, and other diseases. It can tear families and communities apart and increase maternal and child mortality rates. Girls and boys who report sexual violence are often not listened to or are even blamed for the violence they experience. Though the majority of children affected are girls, boys are also sexually abused and exploited. Girls and boys are more vulnerable to sexual violence due to gender discrimination, traditional cultural practices, perceptions of masculinity, and unequal power relations between adults and children.
Children face sexual exploitation by people who have an emotional or professional relationship with the child and who exploit their position of trust and power. Children are also sexually exploited by abusers or third parties with commercial or other exploitative interests.
In ratifying the Convention on the Rights of the Child, states have committed themselves to protecting all children under the age of 18 from all forms of sexual violence.
Save the Children’s work to end sexual violence includes provision of age and gender-sensitive response services for girls and boys, advocacy work addressing national laws and policies, promoting online safety and prevent child marriages and female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM). Since gender norms perpetuates sexual and gender based violence it is important to challenge these, and to work separately with boys and men, alongside girls and women.
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RecommendedListen and speak out against sexual abuse of boys and girls: 10 essential learning points. Global presentation by the International Save the Children Alliance- UN Study on Violence
'Listen and speak out against sexual abuse of boys and girls: 10 essential learning points', is a Save the Children report on sexual abuse based on consultations carried out in Canada, Colombia, Brazil, South Africa, Romania, Spain, Mozambique, Rwanda, Ba
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"WALAW (No Way/What If)" is a short movie based on a true story that describes how within a loving family, the 8-year old daughter is exposed to child sexual abuse by a close family member without the awareness of the parents. During that period the paren
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Women and girls face extreme forms of violations in Somalia; common among them is Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C). National statistics estimates over 97% of girls aged 15 to 19 years have undergone FGM/C. To accelerate change towards reduction i
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“My Safety, My Wellbeing” curriculum covers a total of 26 sessions that address topics on communication, decision making, confidence and problem solving, each with a specific focus on GBV, early marriage, reproductive health, hygiene, managing stress, rel
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Throughout our daily work with the Adolescent Girls, it has been brought to the attention of the team the need to address some challenges and topics with Adolescent Girls through single sessions. Some topics weren’t originally covered in the existing curr
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Child marriage is an extreme violation of children’s rights and a serious form of child abuse. It robs girls of their agency, their childhood, their wellbeing, and their potential. Being married too young forces girls into physical and emotional relations
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Later on, when the focus has also been put on working with Adolescent Girls in their respective locations through mobile teams, MSMW curriculum has been shortened and adapted to match the needs, availability and vulnerability of girls living in informal s
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WINGS 2018 World of India's Girls: A study on the perception of girls' safety in public spaces
India’s girls are growing up in an atmosphere marked by rapid growth and greater opportunities. Increased access to education for girls, more awareness about their rights and exposure to opportunities outside the home has meant that more girls are aspirin
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International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education
The International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education offers recommendations for the scope of a Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) programme, as well as instructions on how to plan, implement, and monitor a CSE programme. This revised version o
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Young Persons with Disabilities: Global study on ending gender-based violence, and realising sexual and reproductive health and rights
This report is the result of a thorough qualitative, global research on the situation of young persons with disabilities, concerning discrimination and gender-based violence, including the impact on their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).