Every crime has motive, opportunity and method. So where does gender based violence, currently on the rise in Ethiopia, stand in criminology? Where does the urge to assault women come from? Does civilization itself has something to do with this scourge? Society ponders this weighty and timely issue with the following readers’ comments and a layman’s sociological musings. Enjoy...

What is your opinion about the alarming rise
in gender based violence?

I am ashamed to say that there were times when I have physically abused a woman. If only there was a way I can make it right, I would do anything…
Alemayeu, Mechanic
I am totally against all forms of abuse including crimes on women. Please don’t take me wrong though, because I also think that the problem has been greatly exaggerated. Is Ethiopia really such a terrible place for women?
Melaku, Retiree
There can never be too much pubicity when it comes to reporting gender based violece. Even one single case is one too many. These things shouldn’t be happening but there are many people who find gender based violence to be an uncomfortable topic to discuss. More media coverage will overcome this wrong attitude.
Helena,Nurse
Gender based violence is increasing because the authorities do not administer harsh sentences on offenders found guilty. How can the rapist of a pre-teen girl child be punished with five years or less imprisonment with the possibility of parole after one or two years? The justice system is the key to, if not putting a stop to sex crimes, at least to curb the epidemic by giving tough sentencse including life imprisonment and or capital punishment.
Kuratwa, homemaker

It began in the cave

Civilization has come a long way since the day of the caveman and his all purpose club. In addition to knocking out a trapped or wounded animal in the group hunt, the club was also quite useful in getting the women folk to pleasure them.
The-hunter gatherer stage of human development, sociologist say, marked a turning point in human gender relations. It was then that Man began to assume to dominant role. Women began to be relegated to the dark interiors of the cave. No longer was she permitted to run after the larger game animals. Her position became what it has been since for thousands of years. Man goes out, hunts, bring food. Women cooks, beers children and administers to her man …who in time come to be called husband – the caretaker.
This societal division based on prescribed sets of tasks for each gender is the basis of all indecencies perpetuated on the “weaker”
sex.
Women have by tradition been raised not only to obey the strict man/woman barriers but to believe and accept them as among the laws of nature. So much so that in some societies, there are women’s groups that actively struggle to maintain the status quo and remain under total male subjugation.
Be that as it may, our premise is that gender based violence is a result of historic gender bias. Men grow up beating on their sister bias. Men grow up beating on their sister’s, Machismo was encouraged by a daddy who thought nothing about slapping or verbally abusing his wife in front of the children. Boys in our country are raised to be bullies. How many Ethiopian guys open a door, stand up to receive at table or hold ready a chair for a woman? Not very man. Our boys are not bred to be gentlemen. Flirting is more like sexual harassment than courtship.
Sadly, women do not expect then to be otherwise. So they (both sexes) act their parts. The girls play the weak, indecisive creature who acts hard to get and the guy feels he has to exert pressure to score.
Gender based violence takes all forms Verbal harassment, groping, indecent exposure and on to graver acts of rape and murder all are the symptoms of deeply held misconceptions that have classified the
genders.