Violence Against Women And Girls - Research Paper Example

Violence against Women and Girls Violence against women is a challenge of concern around the world, especially as thenew age has crept in the modern global world. According to the World Heath Origination, violence against women can occur in various forms such as physical, sexual and psychological or emotional. Violence against women and sexualization of women can be seen as closely related. As Schick (39-55) says, sexualization of women occurs when a woman’s value is judged based on their sex and when their value is based by the society on their physical looks. This is an problems that is increasingly common in almost all societies. Popular media has not helped in dealing with this situation because in most popular media, a woman is depicted in a very sexual way and the role of women placed mostly in their looks. Schick (39-55) looked at the way a popular song by Britney Spears “hit me baby once more” can lead to the wrong impression of a woman. He observed the acting out of this song in a middle school drama class and made the conclusion that such popular people can also lead to the sexualization of women which also leads to the violent against women. The lyrics of the song strongly indicate a very weak image of the role of a woman and the justification of violence against woman. The lyrics features a women (Britney Spears) begging her lover to hit her. She is begging the man to come back to her after they have parted ways. The lyrics continue to outline how desperate and horrified the woman is after her lover leaves. To beg her man to come back to her, she asks him to hit her, probably as a sing to indicate submission and surrender as well remorse. This is an indication of a weak woman whose role in the society is to serve the man and be submissive to men. The fact that the woman is asking to be hit (beaten) also indicates a picture of a woman who deserves to be abused physically as a way to discipline her. When acted out in drama classes, this has a fundamental impact on the children who at an early age start having undesirable images of a woman in her role in the society. Schick (39-55) observed the acting of this song and concluded that this was an early programming of children to start having wring images of the role of women. A major issue with regard to gender violence is the fact that it stems from a wrong attitude towards gender roles. For instance, in societies where the women are seen as subordinate to men, the women are more likely to suffer more gender-based violence (Western 78). On the other hand, where women have been empowered and are seen as equal o men, they are likely to have batter lives and escape gender violence. Protecting the children from the negative images of women sexualization and gender violence is necessary in order to create better societies in the future. As identified above, the media is a major way in which women and girls have been sexualized. Images of women as sexual objects on the media are so often seen and this has a fundamental impact on the way the younger generations start forming their own images of the role and value of a women in a society. Girls who grow up watching shows, music and other programs in the mass media may end up having a certain view of themselves and that one of women as a whole in a different and undesirable way. In this regard, parents and teachers as well as other adults have a very big responsibility to protect the children from the negative images in the media. As Schick (39-55) says, the acting of the Britney Spears’ song in school was a strong indication of how the children are likely to gain negative images of the roles of women and men and how they are supposed to be treated. Parenting styles and role in gender identity It is not easy to discuss the issue of gender violence without talking about the issue of gender identity. The kind of gender identity that an individual has ends up affecting what kind of attitude one is going to have. Many societies are very pivotal in forming the structures which lead to the kinds of gender identities the people in that society are going to form. In most conservative societies, women are defined in a certain way. In a place like the southern part of America for instance, young girls are likely to be forged into certain gender roles which depict them into certain gender identities. In these societies, a woman is supposed to be modest, reserved and in submission to a man. These attitudes towards gender are very big contributing factors to the way a woman is regarded and how they are likely to be treated. In such societies, the parents are more likely to train their children to fit in gender identities that are in line with heteronormative gender roles. According to Ching and Billingham (250-271), there are many distinct parenting styles and each determines how the children are going to develop their gender identities and attitudes. In these societies, a woman is not supposed to be aggressive or have bold ambitions. They are also supposed to be very submissive and to have way to be under the controlling power of a man. While these attitudes towards the female gender may look innocent on surface, they are unfortunately the very first and vital ingredients that make the broth of gender violence. Modern societies are still learning to know how to treat the modern sophisticated woman who is financially independent and also academically competitive. However, even though these women are financially and economically as well as intellectually competitive at the same level with men, they still face a lot of issues which limit how much they can achieve in their societies. One of the most obvious results of women sexualization issues and how it is related to gender violence is the way in which women are treated in most Islamic societies. For instance, in Saudi Arabia, women are prohibited by law from participating in such activities which are only thought to be meant for men, such as driving an automobile. This is an issue which has led to a lot of controversy in the world. In the year 2013, women in Saudi Arabia demonstrated against a law passed prohibiting them from driving. In Indonesia, women demonstrated in the streets while wearing short skirts in demonstration of the increasing rape cases in Indonesia. This provides for a very important difference between sexualization in the West and the East. In the east, women are forced to wear very heavily so that they hide her femininity while in the west social pressures may force a woman to wear revealing clothes because they are judge by how they look. Gender violence has remained to be a major challenge of the 21st century, mainly because it is supported by many traditions and attitudes in many societies. To be able to deal with this gender violence, it will be necessary to overcome these barriers and make sure that women are viewed in a different way. As identified, the way a woman is viewed in a society is a major determining factor in whether she will be subjected to gender violence. This is why awareness about the role of a woman in the society should be increased. Works Cited Ching, Ling & Billingham, Richard. "Relationship Between Parenting Styles And Gender Role Identity In College Students." Psychological Reports 114. 1 (2014): 250-271. Schick, Laurie . "‘Hit Me Baby’: From Britney Spears to the Socialization of Sexual Objectification of Girls in a Middle School Drama Program. ." Sexuality & Culture, 18. 1 (2014): 39-55. Western, Deborah. Gender-based Violence and Depression in Women: A Feminist Group Work Response. New York, NY: Springer Science & Business, 2013. Print. Read More