“For me, as long as my husband doesn’t slap me, I’m okay. GBV is when a man beats his wife. He can shout, that’s fine—but slap, no.”—Akello (not her real name), a participant in a recently concluded Nwoya district (Acholi subregion) regional engagement.
Akello’s perspective highlights a widespread misconception about gender-based violence (GBV)—that it is limited to physical abuse. Many tolerate other forms of violence because they are unaware of their broader scope.
The 1993 UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women defines GBV as any act causing physical, sexual, or psychological harm, including threats, coercion, or deprivation of liberty in public or private life. This definition underscores that GBV is much more than physical harm, yet public understanding often remains narrow. In Uganda, for example, police reports typically use “domestic violence” interchangeably with GBV, perpetuating the notion that violence must happen at home and involve physical harm.
Now, when it comes to GBV, both men and women can experience GBV, though statistics show that women disproportionately bear the burden. According to Uganda’s 2023 Police Crime Report, out of 15,184 reported domestic violence cases, 10,792 victims were female adults compared to 3,243 male adults. Similarly, juvenile victims included 644 girls and 505 boys.
These figures reveal a troubling reality: GBV affects thousands, transcending age, gender, and socio-economic status. It is not confined to one space or demographic, but it is women who continue to face the greatest risks.
GBV can manifest in many forms and not just the physical as is normally thought. Uganda’s 2019 National Policy on Eliminating GBV outlines several forms of abuse, demonstrating how deeply entrenched it is in society. Physical violence includes acts like battering, slapping, and beating. Sexual violence, also referred to as Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), encompasses rape, defilement, incest, sexual harassment, and sexual exploitation. Harmful traditional practices are another category, which includes female genital mutilation, early or forced marriages, dowry-related violence, and the culturally specific practice of labia pulling, which remains controversial.
Economic violence often goes unnoticed but can take the form of denying someone access to financial assets or forcing them to surrender their income. Emotional and psychological violence is also widespread and includes verbal abuse, confinement, and even harassment via technology, such as online bullying or humiliation on digital platforms.
Gender-based violence manifests in everyday actions that many fail to recognise. For instance, some women are forced to hand over their salaries to their partners, denying them financial independence. Others are pressured to leave their careers or are barred from taking jobs that their partners view as threatening or inappropriate. Verbal abuse, such as shouting at a partner, colleague, or family member, is another example of GBV that is often normalized. Similarly, denying someone their basic human rights, including access to necessities, reflects a deeper level of control and abuse.
Each of these behaviours undermines an individual’s independence, dignity, and rights, highlighting how pervasive GBV is in both private and public life.
The impacts of GBV ripple far beyond individual survivors. It affects their families and communities, leading to long-term physical, emotional, and psychological harm. Despite this, GBV remains widespread, with 40 cases reported daily in Uganda, according to the 2023 police report.
This persistence is partly due to a lack of awareness. In a recent training for women’s rights champions, only one out of 30 participants claimed to have never witnessed or experienced GBV—a testament to how deeply normalized it is.
Reducing GBV in Uganda requires collective acknowledgment that it goes beyond physical violence. The National Development Plan III (NDP III) aims to reduce GBV prevalence by 30% come 2025. Achieving this ambitious goal demands significant efforts in three key areas. First, adequate funding is essential to support prevention and response initiatives effectively. Second, human capital is required to ensure there are trained personnel capable of handling cases sensitively and competently. Lastly, a countrywide awareness campaign is critical to educating communities about the many forms of GBV and challenging harmful societal norms.
Currently, Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) is working with local organisations, the authorities and law makers at national and grassroot level as part of the response, encouraging more awareness and action if the 2025 national target to reduce GBV is to be met. A target which should only be a stepping stone towards an even greater further reduction.
When more action is taken and when positive results are communicated, then more people are likely to have the confidence to come forward and report GBV. The actual cases or numbers of victims might actually increase.
Ultimately, ending GBV and helping people like Akello who may be unaware of what would constitute as GBV, starts with understanding its many forms and recognising it as a fundamental violation of human rights. It is by challenging long-held beliefs and addressing all aspects of GBV that Uganda can begin to make real progress in this area.
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Understanding gender-based violence in Uganda: It is more than just physical abuse
Understanding gender-based violence in Uganda: It is more than just physical abuse
Busiku Esther Sharon
“For me, as long as my husband doesn’t slap me, I’m okay. GBV is when a man beats his wife. He can shout, that’s fine—but slap, no.”—Akello (not her real name), a participant in a recently concluded Nwoya district (Acholi subregion) regional engagement.
Akello’s perspective highlights a widespread misconception about gender-based violence (GBV)—that it is limited to physical abuse. Many tolerate other forms of violence because they are unaware of their broader scope.
The 1993 UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women defines GBV as any act causing physical, sexual, or psychological harm, including threats, coercion, or deprivation of liberty in public or private life. This definition underscores that GBV is much more than physical harm, yet public understanding often remains narrow. In Uganda, for example, police reports typically use “domestic violence” interchangeably with GBV, perpetuating the notion that violence must happen at home and involve physical harm.
Now, when it comes to GBV, both men and women can experience GBV, though statistics show that women disproportionately bear the burden. According to Uganda’s 2023 Police Crime Report, out of 15,184 reported domestic violence cases, 10,792 victims were female adults compared to 3,243 male adults. Similarly, juvenile victims included 644 girls and 505 boys.
These figures reveal a troubling reality: GBV affects thousands, transcending age, gender, and socio-economic status. It is not confined to one space or demographic, but it is women who continue to face the greatest risks.
GBV can manifest in many forms and not just the physical as is normally thought. Uganda’s 2019 National Policy on Eliminating GBV outlines several forms of abuse, demonstrating how deeply entrenched it is in society. Physical violence includes acts like battering, slapping, and beating. Sexual violence, also referred to as Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), encompasses rape, defilement, incest, sexual harassment, and sexual exploitation. Harmful traditional practices are another category, which includes female genital mutilation, early or forced marriages, dowry-related violence, and the culturally specific practice of labia pulling, which remains controversial.
Economic violence often goes unnoticed but can take the form of denying someone access to financial assets or forcing them to surrender their income. Emotional and psychological violence is also widespread and includes verbal abuse, confinement, and even harassment via technology, such as online bullying or humiliation on digital platforms.
Gender-based violence manifests in everyday actions that many fail to recognise. For instance, some women are forced to hand over their salaries to their partners, denying them financial independence. Others are pressured to leave their careers or are barred from taking jobs that their partners view as threatening or inappropriate. Verbal abuse, such as shouting at a partner, colleague, or family member, is another example of GBV that is often normalized. Similarly, denying someone their basic human rights, including access to necessities, reflects a deeper level of control and abuse.
Each of these behaviours undermines an individual’s independence, dignity, and rights, highlighting how pervasive GBV is in both private and public life.
The impacts of GBV ripple far beyond individual survivors. It affects their families and communities, leading to long-term physical, emotional, and psychological harm. Despite this, GBV remains widespread, with 40 cases reported daily in Uganda, according to the 2023 police report.
This persistence is partly due to a lack of awareness. In a recent training for women’s rights champions, only one out of 30 participants claimed to have never witnessed or experienced GBV—a testament to how deeply normalized it is.
Reducing GBV in Uganda requires collective acknowledgment that it goes beyond physical violence. The National Development Plan III (NDP III) aims to reduce GBV prevalence by 30% come 2025. Achieving this ambitious goal demands significant efforts in three key areas. First, adequate funding is essential to support prevention and response initiatives effectively. Second, human capital is required to ensure there are trained personnel capable of handling cases sensitively and competently. Lastly, a countrywide awareness campaign is critical to educating communities about the many forms of GBV and challenging harmful societal norms.
Currently, Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) is working with local organisations, the authorities and law makers at national and grassroot level as part of the response, encouraging more awareness and action if the 2025 national target to reduce GBV is to be met. A target which should only be a stepping stone towards an even greater further reduction.
When more action is taken and when positive results are communicated, then more people are likely to have the confidence to come forward and report GBV. The actual cases or numbers of victims might actually increase.
Ultimately, ending GBV and helping people like Akello who may be unaware of what would constitute as GBV, starts with understanding its many forms and recognising it as a fundamental violation of human rights. It is by challenging long-held beliefs and addressing all aspects of GBV that Uganda can begin to make real progress in this area.