Public Awareness: Gender Violence and Other Related Offences Against Women and Girls

Hi ladies, it's my pleasure to be here again. In our world today, many things are happening. The rate of crime is alarming. From gender-based violence to abuses of women an d girls everyday on the news and around our neighbourhood. That's why I'm bringing you this awareness so that none of us or people around us will die in silence.

^{Imagine designed with Canva}

So on Friday 6th December 2024, a team of advocates, the UK-Smile Foundation, a Non-Governmental organisation in collaboration with the Akwa Ibom State Government of Nigeria arrived at the school where I teach, raising awareness. The visit was meant to sensitise the students about gender-based violence, not just about the girl's child and women, but also about the boy's child and men who usually keep physical violence against them as a secret.

On their arrival, both the pupils and students in the high school were gathered together at the school playground to enable the team to address them as one.

During the sensitisation, the team explained that gender violence is one of those vices in schools, where people were not talking about it. They made it known that it was a criminal act to beat up another person in the name of fighting. They specifically made it known that engaging in a fight against another gender may lead to complicated issues that may lead to an individual being arrested and charged in court.

They also encouraged the pupils/students to speak up, tell their teachers, parents or any responsible adult around for help when they notice any sexual advancement made around them by any opposite gender.

^{By the right, one of my students who is also a steemian @fortwis09}

After speaking with the children, the team had a speaking session with the teachers. In the language of the senior official, she warned teachers against physically abusing the pupils/students in the school. According to her, she said there have been cases of teachers who beat students and the students died as a result of injuries sustained from the symptoms of a physical beating.

They also admonished teachers to be observant and watchful as most parents, relatives and neighbours abuse children sexually, and the trauma can affect a child's performance in school.

^{The team speaking with Teachers}

Apart from that, they also spoke about how some people, especially women, endure toxic marriages and some die in the process because of continuous violence in their marriages. Even men were encouraged to speak up as men also encounter violence in their relationships.

They advised that no one should pretend to endure such marriages. Rather, they should speak and seek justice so that they can live to take care of their children instead of endurance in the name of living in toxic marriages because of their children.

It was a reminder to some of us who have heard of such awareness, and an eye-opener to anyone who may not have heard about such discussions, especially children. It was also a great source of encouragement to those who are going through such situations for them to speak up and seek help from others instead of keeping living in silence and fear.

It was a great opportunity to listen to such topics and to gain more knowledge about some of the surrounding things.

What have you known or heard about gender-based violence and abuse? Are you willing to share? I'll be reading in the comment section.

Mentioning
@realitytrend
@chilaw
@ruthjoe