Gender-Based

Violence: Power, Use

of Force, and Consent
Lesson 16
Lesson Objectives

▪ Identify the relationship between abuse of power and GBV

▪ Understand that the term “violence” in the context of GBV (Gender-
Based Violence) means using some type of force, which may or may
not include physical force; and
▪ Understand the meaning of “informed consent” and its relationship
to GBV.
Introduction

This session explores the meaning of three important

concepts behind GBV; Power, Use of Force/Violence,
and informed consent.
Power
Power

▪ Power is directly related to choice. The more power

one gas, there are more choices available. The less
power one has, fewer choices are available.
Unpowered people have fewer choices and are
therefore, more vulnerable to abuse. GBV (Gender-
Based Violence) involves the abuse of power.
Unequal power relationships are exploited or
abused
POWER

Perpetrators can have “real” or “perceived” power. Some examples of different types
of power are the following:
a) Social – peer pressure, bullying, leader, teacher, parents;
b) Economic – the perpetrator controls money or access to
goods/services/money/favors; sometimes the husband or the father;
c) Political – elected leaders, discriminatory laws, President;
d) Physical = strength, size, use of weapons, controlling access or security; soldiers,
police, robbers, gangs;
e) Gender-based (socials) – males are usually in a more powerful positions than
females; and
f) Age-related – often, the young and elderly people have the least power
Use of Force/Violence
Use of Force/Violence

“Force” might be physical, emotional, social, or economic in nature. It

may also involve coercion or pressure. Force also includes intimidation,
threats, persecution, or other forms of psychological or social pressure.
The target of such violence is compelled to behave as expected or to do
what is being requested, for fear of real and harmful consequence.

Violence consists of the use of physical force or other means of

coercion such as threat, inducement, or promise of a benefit to obtain
something from a weaker or more vulnerable person, Using violence
involves forcing someone to do something against his/her will – use
force
Informed Consent
Informed Consent

Consent means saying “yes” agreeing to something. Informed

consent means making an informed choice freely and
voluntarily by persons in an equal power relationship.

Acts of GBV occurs without informed consent. Even if she says

“yes”, this is not true consent because it was said under duress
– the perpetrator(s) use some kind of force to get her say yes.
Children (under 18) are deemed unable to give informed
consent for acts such as female genital cutting(FCG), marriage,
sexual relations, etc.
CYCLE OF VIOLENCE
CYCLE OF VIOLENCE

The cycle of violence refers to repeated acts of violence in a relationship. It

starts with minor incidents and moves on to more serious levels of violence.
The cycle of violence may start in a child who is a victim or witness to
violence and may be repeated when the child becomes an adult.
The impact of being a victim or a witness to violence on a child is traumatic.
It can make a child scared, unhappy, lonely, lone self-confident, blame
themselves, lose sleep, and pick up fights with peers.
Children should understand that having conflicts is alright, but resolving
conflict through violence is not right.
When children understand that violence is not acceptable, they will grow up
into adults who respect other people.
Summary

Power and abuse of the same are integral

components of GBV. These components also had an
effect to the consent to be given by the survivor.
Consent may be informed or vitiated, on which
violence is perpetrated. This violence plays along a
cycle of being overpowered and giving of consent to
the detriment of women and their children
Thank you for
listening.