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Explaining How Gender Based Violence May Affect the Victims

Explaining How Gender Based Violence May Affect the Victims

If you are asked to explain how gender based violence may affect the victims in any given case, you must always think about these four things, which are: emotional damage, physical injuries, social isolation, and financial suffering.

These four points help us to understand how gender based violence can affect the victims involved in their whole life, even long after the abuse has ended.

The victim of gender based violence includes the following:

  • Women and girls in most reported cases
  • Men and boys, though less commonly reported
  • LGBTQI+ individuals who face abuse based on identity or gender expression
  • Children, who are either directly harmed or affected as witnesses

Remember, a witness to violence is not always the victim of direct abuse, but they are still affected. You must always know that there is a difference between a primary victim (who is abused directly) and a secondary victim (who is affected emotionally, mentally or socially, like children watching the abuse at home).

If you take a closer look at many popular gender based violence cases in South Africa, such as the case of Uyinene Mrwetyana, Reeva Steenkamp, or the Tshwane student residence assault case, you will clearly see how the victims were affected in all four ways. There was deep emotional trauma, physical harm, isolation from society, and even financial or career loss.

This is a Life Orientation question which is always asked every year. So you must be creative and think out of the box. Below we will explain in detail how gender based violence may affect the victims, so that you can easily apply this knowledge to any given case study by your LO teacher.

Four Ways on How Gender Based Violence May Affect the Victims

Let us look at the four ways on how gender based violence may affect the victims, in detail:

1. Emotional and Psychological Trauma

Victims may suffer from depression, anxiety, PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), and even suicidal thoughts. They constantly feel fear, helplessness, and shame. For example, Uyinene’s murder sparked national protests because many women identified with the fear and trauma that followed her story.

2. Physical Injuries and Health Problems

Gender based violence often includes beatings, forced sex, or being hurt with objects. This can result in bruises, broken bones, internal injuries, and long-term health issues. In some cases, victims cannot have children anymore or live with permanent pain. Reeva Steenkamp’s case is an example where the abuse resulted in death.

3. Social Withdrawal and Stigma

Many victims feel embarrassed to go back to school, work, or even be seen in public. People gossip, blame the victim, or ignore them. This leads to loneliness, dropping out of school, or even losing friends and support systems. Victims are often judged instead of supported.

4. Financial Problems and Dependence

Some victims lose their jobs or stop studying because of the abuse. Others are controlled financially by their abuser and have no access to money. This leaves them trapped and unable to leave the situation. Many women stay in abusive homes because they cannot afford to survive on their own.

Exam “Cheat”Easy-To-Remember” Code

Now, here is an easy way (cheat code) of finding out how gender based violence may affect the Victims, when you are writing your exam or assignments:

Just remember the code: E.P.S.F
Say it like this: “Every Person Suffers Fully.”

Each letter stands for a key area where the victim is affected:

  • E = Emotional trauma
    (Fear, depression, anxiety, PTSD)
  • P = Physical injuries
    (Bruises, long-term health damage, pain, even death)
  • S = Social isolation
    (Embarrassment, public shame, being judged or blamed)
  • F = Financial struggle
    (Losing a job, dropping out, being financially controlled)

When you are answering the question, just break your answer into these four parts. Even if the question gives you a specific case study, use E.P.S.F to structure your answer and you will cover all key angles the teacher is looking for.

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