How the Private sector can Address the Issue of Gender-based Violence
Based on:
Journal Article (2020)
There is a need for a multidisciplinary approach involving anthropologists, philosophers, political scientists, sociologists, basically all types of social scientists. The problem of gender-based violence also needs to be framed properly, and it needs to be narrowed down to its roots components.
Brief by:
The cost of gender-based violence globally is estimated to be around 1.5 trillion dollars. Despite efforts since the 1970s, we don’t have success stories we can point out to, we don’t see the progress that we need.
Part of the reason is that there is a link between the desensitisation of society and the low exposure to these topics. It’s not one out of three women in in Bosnia or South Africa that is subjected to gender-based violence. It’s everywhere, every country in the world. More than 90 percent of cases are never reported, the perpetrator conviction rate is about two to three percent.
Key findings
There is not enough participation in initiatives to curb gender-based violence yet.
Companies and company executives are unaware that issues of gender-based violence affect employees, including employees from affluent areas.
It is not just poor areas, gender-based violence occurs everywhere.
Most victims of gender-based violence remain silent because of society's tendency to stigmatise and blame victims, rather than perpetrators.
Gender-based violence is social constructed and society needs to construct inclusion and support for both victims and perpetrators.
Proposed action
There needs to be a multidisciplinary approach to addressing gender-based violence
At present, gender-based violence does not feature in corporate social responsibility indices explicitly
Social scientists need to ensure that the topic of gender-based violence is addressed in mainstream social scientific journals so that it can get the attention it calls for
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Acknowledgements
Special thanks to Antoine Germain for preparation assistance
We would like to extend a special thank you to Antoine Germain, for their invaluable contribution in assisting the preparation of this research summary.
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How the Private sector can Address the Issue of Gender-based Violence
Cite this brief: Davis, Corné. 'How the Private sector can Address the Issue of Gender-based Violence'. Acume. https://www.acume.org/r/how-the-private-sector-can-address-the-issue-of-gender-based-violence/
Brief created by: Professor Corné Davis | Year brief made: 2022
Original research:
- Davis, C., ‘How the Private sector can Address the Issue of Gender-based Violence’ 18(1) (pp. 106–115) https://www.ajol.info/index.php/asp/article/view/211532/199449. – https://www.ajol.info/index.php/asp/article/view/211532/199449
Research brief:
There is a need for a multidisciplinary approach involving anthropologists, philosophers, political scientists, sociologists, basically all types of social scientists. The problem of gender-based violence also needs to be framed properly, and it needs to be narrowed down to its roots components.
The cost of gender-based violence globally is estimated to be around 1.5 trillion dollars. Despite efforts since the 1970s, we don’t have success stories we can point out to, we don’t see the progress that we need.
Part of the reason is that there is a link between the desensitisation of society and the low exposure to these topics. It’s not one out of three women in in Bosnia or South Africa that is subjected to gender-based violence. It’s everywhere, every country in the world. More than 90 percent of cases are never reported, the perpetrator conviction rate is about two to three percent.
Findings:
There is not enough participation in initiatives to curb gender-based violence yet.
Companies and company executives are unaware that issues of gender-based violence affect employees, including employees from affluent areas.
It is not just poor areas, gender-based violence occurs everywhere.
Most victims of gender-based violence remain silent because of society’s tendency to stigmatise and blame victims, rather than perpetrators.
Gender-based violence is social constructed and society needs to construct inclusion and support for both victims and perpetrators.
Advice:
There needs to be a multidisciplinary approach to addressing gender-based violence
- Social scientists of all disciplines have to come together and research solutions, understand the root causes.
At present, gender-based violence does not feature in corporate social responsibility indices explicitly
- While most organisations subscribe to sexual harassment policies, even those are often not monitored effectively, as in the much publicised recent case of Rio Tinto.
Social scientists need to ensure that the topic of gender-based violence is addressed in mainstream social scientific journals so that it can get the attention it calls for