GENDER VIOLENCE AND MEDIA

Introduction:

Basically, we will try to know first that what do we understand by the term of violence. It means actions or words intended to hurt people or the use of physical strength to hurt, destroy or kill someone. Violence is something which could be of many types like sexual violence, domestic violence, etc.One of the violence which is most common these days is gender violence.

Gender violence includes rape, sexual assault, intimate partner violence in heterosexual and same sex partnerships, sexual harassment, stalking, prostitution and sex trafficking. The term "gender violence" reflects the idea that violence often serves to maintain structural gender inequalities, and includes all types of violence against men, women, children, adolescents, gay, transgender people etc. It is basically a term referring to gender inequality. In this gender violence both men and women can be a part of it and being victim of it can be different for both. Men are the ones who are killed more in wars, and gang related violence than women and on the other hand women are more physically assaulted, raped, discriminated at the workplace, home and several other places. But everyone knows that women are more likely to be in danger of gender violence or we should say violence against women is more prevalent. The official United Nations definition of gender-based violence was first presented in 1993 when the General Assembly passed the Declaration on Elimination of Violence against Women. According to this definition, gender-based violence includes a host of harmful behaviours directed at women and girls because of their sex, including wife abuse, sexual assault, dowry related murder, marital rape, selective malnourishment of female children, forced prostitution, female genital mutilation, and sexual abuse of female children.

Gender violence:

There is still no universally agreed terminology for referring to violence against women. Many of the most commonly used terms have different meanings in different regions, and are derived from diverse theoretical perspectives and disciplines. This issue became increasingly prominent in the literature in the 1960s, coinciding with the emergence of the second wave of feminism. In the 1980s scholars moved to the concept of domestic violence to emphasise gender inequality between women and men in the domestic sphere as the place where violence of gender is institutionalised. Women are the ones who are being centrally focused here for violence against them because they are the child bearers, and responsible for bringing a hierarchy into this system and that is what which is most important because no women mean no men and henceforth no population. We very well know that there has been a number of cases against woman for violence from a very long history itself and it has been increasing since then. Despite the high costs of violence against women, social institutions in almost every society in the world deny abuse. In addition to causing injury, violence increases women’s long-term risk of a number of other health problems, including chronic pain, physical disability, drug and alcohol abuse, and depression, unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and miscarriages. Today, international institutions are speaking out against gender-based violence. Surveys and studies are collecting more information about the prevalence and nature of abuse. More organizations, service providers, and policy makers are recognizing that violence against women has serious adverse consequences for women’s health and for society.There has frequent increase in gender violence and is prevalent because of gender norms or social norms associated for both men and women regarding their roles and responsibilities. It is frequently seen at the households that men are considered to be the head of the family and have the right to have a control over their wives and children and going against them is considered to be punishable by beating them or torturing them and we don’t pay attention to the fact fact that even mental stress is also something which indirectly hampers the growth of the person or the lady of the house and indirectly affecting the upbringing of the children who are the future of our coming world. The question which arises here is that woman is sometimes forced to accept their husband ‘s harassment because of fear of retribution, lack of other means of economic support, concern for the children, emotional dependence, lack of support from family and friends, and an abiding hope that “he will change.” In some countries, women say that the social unacceptability of being single or divorced poses an additional barrier that keeps them from leaving destructive marriages. At the same time, denial and fear of social stigma often prevent women from reaching out for help. In numerous surveys, for example, from 22 to almost 70 percent of abused women say that until the interview they never told anyone about their abuse. Those who reach out do so primarily to family members and friends. Few have ever contacted the police.

Despite the obstacles, many women eventually do leave violent partners—even if after many years.Studies suggest a consistent set of factors that propel a woman to leave an abusive relationship: The violence gets more severe and triggers a realization that her partner is not going to change, or the violence begins to take a toll on the children. Hence the greater challenge here for everyone is to find a solution to their problem, seek out help from others and guidance from counsellors and try to overcome the challenges for gender violence and find out the better solutions to their violence first individually and then publically. There have been many NGO’s and other helplines which are helping towards these. Try to bring a change in our world by being the change in yourself.

Gender violence and media:

Gender violence is a global problem now which has to be tackled globally and people should be made aware regarding this issue. Although many NGO’s, some politicians, political parties and some major individuals are playing a major role in protecting our human resource that is both men and women and one of these roles is majorly played by media. This is why analysing violence against women in both traditional and new media content as well as the prevalence of violence against women journalists have historically been at the core of the feminist scholarly agenda. Media is the one responsible for telling us all about the happenings of the society and it influences the society by the issues raised by it and also tells us about the public opinions and values.

At the national level, laws regarding violence against women and girls in countries such as Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Spain and India list specific actions related to media industries. However, while the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) listed the actions which would achieve gender equality and stop gender-based violence, there is no single formal policy on gender and communication in most countries in the world. All these mandates have been followed by extensive research developed by feminist scholars regarding media’s role in the reproduction of violence against women. This is why gender-based violence in media content has become one of the core issues of the research agenda.The BPfA called on both the media and advertising industries to:

• Establish, consistency with freedom of expression, professional guidelines and codes of conduct that address violent, degrading or pornographic materials concerning women in the media, including advertising

• Disseminate information aimed at eliminating spousal and child abuse and all forms of violence against women, including domestic violence

We very well know that it is through media only that the way they presented the issue of rapes, sexual assault, etc have made it possible to accept that gender violence is something which is a serious issue and has grabbed attention of our viewers or citizens of countries. The role of media today is that to associate male identity with violence, domination, independence, aggression and power, while women are depicted as emotional, vulnerable and sensitive, and dependent upon male actions. The major problem occurs is that the woman journalists working in the media centre are themselves not secure at their workplaces as the face sexual, physical, psychological, economic and feminicide. This occurs in conflict and post-conflict countries where the human rights of female journalists have become more vulnerable. In 2014 UNESCO { The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization }and the International News Safety Institute (INSI) launched the Global Survey on Violence against Female Journalist .This effort goes together with other INSI actions, such as publications and training programmes aimed at female media workers.Gender stereotype and gender inequality is so deeply engraved in the long history of social consciousness that it is now believed that only the media with its tremendous reach and power would be the ideal tool in bringing about gender equality.There seems to be confusion regarding the media’s perspective of women and her role in the society. The transition from a housewife to an independent one is one which the media is finding hard to depict. A woman still has this eternal image of one confined to the boundaries, duties and responsibilities of her home and her family. Then there exists the uber woman who knows what she wants and gets it. Two very conflicting but not necessary mutually exclusive images of women being pictured by the media of today.Indian media gives low priority to the subject of portraying women as equals in the society.When compared to men, the overall media coverage of women is much less. Men have more opportunities to present their opinions and are shown in a wide spectrum of professions. Women, however, are either under-represented or totally excluded. Interviews of women are limited to certain accepted professions such as educationists or doctors. Women who have achieved success in a ‘male domain society’ have to go to great pains to point out her ‘feminism’. It becomes imperative for us, as the ‘consumers’ of information to become fully aware and conscious about what we are imbibing through the various channels of the media. To what extent and to what purpose and in what way does the information affect our thought process, attitude and behaviour – these are questions we need to ask ourselves. This is where ‘Media Literacy’ or ‘Media Education’ or ‘Media Awareness’ comes as a help.It has become especially important and necessary for women and girls to be conscious and knowledgeable about media. But why? It’s because there are genuine concerns that although life has changed for women in leaps and bounds in the last three four decades due to several powerful women and a few men demanding equality and empowerment for women, but much has to be done. By and large women have been denied basic human rights like good health, respect, livelihood, equality, genuine and positive self-esteem, their comfort and understanding of their own sexuality, safety from domestic and sexual violence, participation in the democratic processes and overall power sharing in society.

References:

1.International Research Journal of Social Sciences_, International Science Congress Association 43: Media and Gender Stereotyping: The need for Media Literacy by Adhikari Sharda Department of Mass Communication, Sikkim Central University, Sikkim, India [published in august 2014]

2.Researching Violence Against Women: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR RESEARCHERS AND ACTIVISTS by Mary Ellsberg ■ Lori Heise

3.Violence against women and media: advancements and challenges of a research and political agendaby Aimée Vega Montiel

Efforts by:

Himangi Nautiyal

Jesus and Mary college

1^st year {2^nd semester}

B.A. Programme[socio-psycho]