I found the article by Parpart on Choosing Silence to be controversial on empowerment participation and development debates. Feminist speaks on behalf of silenced voices and mainly do so through intensive research to validate their findings. On the other hand, marginalized groups are voiceless and when confronted by gender-based violence (GBV), they have no one to turn to and even when laws are in place to ensure equal human rights, there is lack of enforcement.
Most of GBV cases in marginalized areas are implemented by people someone may look up to for protection; relatives and friends. While the silence may provide space to deal with trauma Parpart et al. (2010 p.5), silence may never help a victim to regain his/her self-esteem. Most of GBV victims gain their self-esteem after opening up to someone and in many cases to people they had not known before. My best high school friend was raped by her step father at the age 9 and didn’t open up with anyone until at the age of 13 when she joined high school and heard other girls share their experiences. She was not only able to open up with her mother but also face her step dad and appeal for apology. By doing this, she regained her identity and she is a certified lawyer and a gender activist today.
According to Women eNews Kenya (May 2011), Kenya’s Sexual Offences Act (2006) though celebrating six year since it became a law has not been successful in addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Kenya. Instead, the cases have increased with 2007/2008 Post Election Violence (PEV) period recording the highest number of cases since independence. The Nairobi Women’s Hospital Recovery Centre that addressed capital and its environs noted over 650 cases related to PEV that lasted for 3 months. The hospital treated an estimated 443 survivors of GBV of which 80% were rape related cases and 7% were domesticated. These results would be more alarming if they revealed the national statistic of GBV during the same period. Nairobi Women’s Hospital is less than half hour’s walk to the second biggest slum in Africa; Kibera. Strategic positioning of GBV Reporting Centers especially in conflict prone areas where women and children are more vulnerable can help in reducing silenced voices of marginalized groups. Development of the Hospital Recovery Centre was as a result of advocacy by Kenyan feminists. The center has documented increased number of reported cases.
Sources:
http://www.hbfha.com/web/index-218.html: Gender Based Violence in Kenya’s Post-Election Crisis.
http://kenvironews.wordpress.com/2008/08/12/enforcement-of-the-sexual-offences-act-in-kenya/: Enforcement Of The Sexual Offences Act In Kenya
http://ladyenews.wordpress.com/2011/05/20/kenyas-sexual-offences-act-only-in-paper/
I agree with you Joyce that Parpart’s article on Choosing Silence is controversial. I believe that Parpart makes an important argument, especially in the context on gender-based violence (GBV). In many cases, GBV can be highly stigmatized and therefore not discussed in pubic settings where survivors are able to give “voice” and speak out. Looking at it from the importance of literal “voice”, I find the intrusion of development to be rather controversial in this context and therefore support Parpart’s point. If survivors are not exercising voice until they speak out about violence, then the message is sent that development interventions are speaking for them. This also implies that survivors are incapable of speaking until an outside voice speaks on their behalf. For this reason, I find Parpart’s stance in Choosing Silence important so that we do not overlook the subtle implications for defining “voice” in such a literal sense. In relation to the issue of sexual violence that you present, I also agree that it is incredibly important not to dismiss the importance of speaking out against sexual violence. Those who have the ability to do so should openly exercise their agency and, as Kabeer articulates, “challenge oppression. I agree that if more programs were put in place where women felt comfortable to report these crimes, more women would have the opportunity to speak on their own behalf. This could help to avoid the stigma that women face and thus create opportunities for exercising choices to be heard.
ReplyDelete