Community response to violence against women

Abstract

Violence against women is one of the most widespread human rights violations across the globe, women have faced abuses of all forms and it takes place at all levels across different social statuses. It takes place worldwide in homes, workplaces, schools and communities, and refugee camps/settlements. This study was designed to establish the community-based approaches used in responding to violence against women in its formal and non-formal systems. The study also focused on social and cultural factors that perpetuate violence and constraints encountered in addressing violence against women. The study was conducted in Soni Subcounty Tororo district in Eastern Uganda. The study design was cross-sectional in nature and applied qualitative methods of data collection. A total of 20 respondents included women and girls between the ages of 15 to 49 and 5 key informants participated in the research. Data was collected through in-depth interviews and collected data were analysed qualitatively. The study findings indicated that various interventions and measures were being put in place and are being used to respond to violence for example creation of awareness, community dialogues, use of community combats and paralegals and community combats, empowerment of the women. Social and cultural factors like alcoholism and polygamy, bride price were dominant factors fuelling violence against women this was beefed up by poverty, corruption, low levels of education, social inequality which were constraints women faced when trying to fight violence. The study recommends focusing on the underlying causes of violence because most of the measures of the program are aimed at solving violence that already happened. Programs and interventions should be implemented after thorough research to ensure success, and adequate resources and government services should be brought closer to the sub-county and also support the available resources and organizations that are participating in the fight against violence in the community. Interventions should focus on the root cause of violence rather than the aftermath. v