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Ison Ndoro-Herald Correspondent

Zimbabwe joins the world in observing and commemorating the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) from November 25 to December 10.

Some men are overwhelmed by regret for their direct or indirect responsibility in perpetrating GBV against women and girls, while others remain indifferent.

This article illustrates the impact of GBV and emphasizes the importance of male involvement in reducing it.

November 25 has its roots in a tragic yet pivotal historical moment.

This day was originally established by women’s groups to honour the Mirabal sisters—Patria, Minerva, and Maria Teresa—who were brutally murdered for their activism in the Dominican Republic in 1960.

Their deaths were ordered by Rafael Trujillo, the ruler of the Dominican Republic at the time, and triggered a global movement to address violence against women. On December 7, 2000, the United Nations officially designated November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

The theme for this year is “Towards Beijing +30: UNiTE to End Violence Against Women and Girls.”

This theme reflects the commitments made approximately 30 years ago at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. It calls for renewed urgency to fulfil those promises, aiming to end GBV worldwide.

The magnitude of GBV, particularly intimate partner violence (IPV), is a cause for concern in many countries including Zimbabwe, underscoring the urgent need for transformative action.

It is time for men—who are predominantly responsible for perpetrating GBV—to refrain from asserting masculinity through violence and instead become the providers and protectors they are meant to be.

The unpalatable truth is that for every act of GBV, there is likely a traumatised woman or child, injured individuals, lost properties, or, in the worst-case scenario, even fatalities.

We collectively owe it to the sanctity of life to promote peace and happiness in our communities. We have a shared responsibility to unite and end violence against women and children.

Stories of GBV have trended in official news outlets and on social media, highlighting the urgent need for intervention. For example, on November 2, 2023, The Herald published a story about a man who murdered his wife for not shaving her head in accordance with their church doctrine.

He believed she had violated his authority, leading to her untimely death. Similarly, on October 9, a man in Zvishavane killed his wife after she used money meant for food to buy a school satchel for their child. Although he was sentenced to 18 years, the loss of life and trauma inflicted on the family are irreparable.

These incidents, each uniquely tragic, demonstrate a pattern of unabated violence that continues to grip society.

They exemplify how minor conflicts can escalate into fatal encounters with devastating psychological, mental, and social impacts on individuals and the community at large. The urgency to address GBV has never been more critical, as many families endure the lasting emotional scars of such violence.

Violence between intimate partners, such as husbands and wives or girlfriends and boyfriends, is influenced by various factors, including socio-cultural and economic elements. In terms of mental health, it can be understood through distal, static, or proximal antecedents:

Distal antecedents are distant factors from an individual’s past, such as early socialisation, parenting, adverse childhood experiences, past trauma, intergenerational trauma, and exposure to violence by adults. Children exposed to these factors may develop violent behaviours as they grow.

Static antecedents are unchanging factors that can influence behaviour over time, including demographic or biological characteristics like age, gender, or genetic predispositions.

Proximal antecedents are immediate factors that can directly influence violent or abusive behaviour, such as recent stressors, arguments with a partner, or substance abuse.

Different types of antecedents play distinct roles in shaping behaviour. Additionally, psychological explanations for IPV include deficits in anger and impulse control, often rooted in unresolved trauma or mental health conditions. The first step to resolving emotional regulation problems is gaining insight into these conditions. Perpetrators of IPV require help and interventions.

Other contributing factors include Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD), characterised by a pattern of disregard for others’ rights, deceitfulness, impulsivity, irritability, and aggressive behaviour.

Individuals with ASPD typically show irresponsibility and lack remorse for their actions, failing to conform to social norms or exhibit empathy. Mental health conditions such as depression and substance use disorders can also predispose individuals to abusive behaviour.

Ison Ndoro is an intern forensic psychologist and assistant lecturer of Psychology at the University of Zimbabwe