End Sexual Violence? Address Root Causes

April marks Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and whilst this is a difficult topic to broach, it is of paramount importance we give it attention.

In March, many of us read about the alleged rape and death of an eight-year-old girl in Bangladesh, which sparked protests across the nation with people calling for expedited justice for rape victims and strengthening laws for women and children’s safety. Locally, we read commentary recommending the adoption of victim-centred approaches following a court case brought by a victim against their father for repeated rape and sexual abuse as a child.

These occurrences are not rare. Globally, UNICEF estimates that 1 in 8 girls and 1 in 11 boys are raped or sexually assaulted before the age of 18. Without significant systemic intervention, these statistics will not improve.

Sexual violence can have long lasting psychological, physical and economic ramifications. Victims of sexual violence face higher risks of depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, social isolation, sexually-transmitted infections and many other mental and physical health problems. It is consistently associated with greater financial stress over time.  The effects go beyond the individual, with an adverse impact on society as a whole including significant financial costs and implications for societal well-being.

Hong Kong, like elsewhere, is not free from sexual violence. It is estimated that 12% of children in this city are sexually abused, 85% of whom are girls. For women, 1 in 3 experience sexual violence (consistent with global figures). Whilst we don’t have sexual violence figures for men in Hong Kong, data from other economies estimate 1 in 6 will experience this. While victims and perpetrators can be of any gender, men disproportionately comprise the majority of perpetrators across economies and demographics.

The magnitude of these statistics forces us eschew the idea that sexual violence is the aberrant behaviour of a few individuals. Instead, we must recognise this is a societal issue as well as a systemic issue. To do so means that we must also take accountability for preventing it and for creating the conditions in which victims of all backgrounds can access the full range of support they might need.

Ending sexual violence in Hong Kong has been a longtime focus of TWF. We raise awareness of the issues through campaigns and advocate for legal reforms that would greatly strengthen available protections for victims. We work with our Male Allies and Young Allies to raise awareness around sexual violence and harassment, equipping them with active bystander skills that can be used to intervene in a variety of circumstances.

But there is much more to do. As a society, we need to target the root cause of gender-based sexual violence, addressing social inequalities, unequal power dynamics, harmful gender norms and deep-seated misogyny. This sounds daunting, but there are many ways as individuals we can contribute to this work. Here are three ways to start:

Challenge Harmful Gender Norms: Actively challenge harmful stereotypes and attitudes that perpetuate violence – online and in person. Speak out against jokes, comments, or behaviours that normalise or trivialise sexual violence.

Role Model and Discuss Healthy Gender & Relationship Norms: Have age-appropriate conversations with children about consent, healthy relationships, gender-based violence and positive understandings of different genders and gender dynamics.

Be Supportive: Fear of stigma is one of the greatest barriers to victims seeking support. Offer empathy and support to survivors of sexual violence. Let them know where they can seek professional help. Listening without judgment and validating their experiences can help destigmatise these issues.