Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) has now become a global pandemic affecting 1in3 women in their lifetime. 65% of women in northern Uganda have experienced either physical/sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence.
This issue is not only devastating for survivors and their families, but also entails significant social and economic costs. Numerous studies have shown that children growing up with violence are more likely to become survivors themselves or perpetrators of violence in the future.
Women and girls may experience several physical injuries, unwanted pregnancies and exposure to HIV or other sexually transmitted infections, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic-stress disorder (PTSD), and the limited ability to complete daily tasks and suicidal thoughts are also common.
WAYFORWARD
Decreasing violence against women and girls requires a community-based, multi-pronged approach, and sustained engagement with multiple stakeholders. The most effective initiatives addresses underlying risk factors for violence including social norms regarding general roles and the acceptability of violence.
On completion of the Gender Violence Recovery Centre (GVRC), an outpatient facility to cater for women and children victims of gender based violence. The GVRC will expand its services to offer full support to survivors of rape and domestic violence, while facilitating a positive change in behavior, public awareness, and national policies. The GVRC will incorporate an integrated treatment/counseling/social services/legal assistance program to help victims recover from traumatic experiences and develop positive coping mechanisms. Other treatments and services will include provision of HIV Post Exposure Prophylaxis, one-on-one professional counseling for survivors and their families, in addition to group counseling.