How art can be used as an effective tool to fight GBV

GENDER-BASED Violence (GBV) is a pervasive issue and often silence makes it easier for abusive men to keep hurting women. Silence also gives victims the message that no one cares about them or their pain.

According to the World Health Organisation, more than 35 percent of women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual partner violence or non-partner sexual violence.

Throughout the world, it is estimated that one in three women will experience some form of GBV throughout her lifetime, threatening her quality of life and overall well-being as she navigates healing and recovery after these experiences.

When we consider ways to end GBV and initiate social change, we frequently favour legislative changes. We also think of adopting comprehensive and inclusive approaches that tackle the root causes, transform harmful social norms, and empower women and girls.

While this is necessary, we are overlooking something.

We seldom think about the arts and the imperative role it plays in eliminating violence against women and girls.

Research has, however, shown that like all other approaches, art can be a creative and valuable tool in addressing or changing the attitudes and behaviours that lead to a culture of rape, GBV and inequities.

Art, according to WHO, can be used to communicate valuable messages across cultures and political divides, help affected communities understand the risks of certain diseases or behaviours and provide ways for affected populations to process and learn from their individual and collective experience to improve their well-being among other benefits.

Although there is still a long way ahead in the fight to end GBV, artistic expressions such as paintings, murals, photography, street graffiti and comics; as well as more tactile forms of the arts including fashion, sculptures, quilting, pottery, poetry and filming, have a comprehensive and universal appeal and can be powerful instruments to raise awareness and promote action.

These artistic expressions create awareness around the causes and prevalence of GBV and the rape culture, which is quite prevalent in developing countries like Zimbabwe.

While gender advocates have long been exploring several strategies to address intimate partner violence, it is time that art can be used as a new and creative approach of subduing GBV.

This is because art can explore various forms that violence can take, protection measures and how to access legal mechanisms.

As part of International Women’s Day commemorations recently, seven female visual artists from Midlands, Bulawayo and Matabeleland South provinces showcased animations and drawings at the National Art Gallery in Bulawayo that help address the ever increasing online violence against women in politics (OVAWP) and commonly overlooked groups of women such as women and girls with disabilities and those residing in marginalised remote areas.

Ms Maginess Ndlovu from Gwanda showcased animations and drawings to highlight how women can be protected from digital abuse. She said many times, women shy away from taking up leadership positions in the country as they are scared of being bullied and assaulted online by their opponents.

Veteran playwright and Intwasa Arts Festival KoBulawayo director Raisedon Baya, believes that art has the power to address GBV, bring people together and foster social change because of its intrinsic ability to connect with people’s emotions and bring visibility to the lived experiences of marginalised communities.

“For a long time artists have been used to speak out against quite a number of social ills and other things bedevilling society. If you recall, art was used to fight against HIV and Aids, malaria, cholera, child marriages and other health related issues that were affecting society.

“So it should also be used to fight gender-based violence. This doesn’t come as a surprise because we have seen how effective art can be in terms of spreading the message and communicating to a wider audience, pointing out those attitudes happening in society and also how they can be corrected,” said Baya.

He said the emotional impact of art as a language crosses cultural, economic and social lines.

“The arts themselves have many qualities. One of the qualities is that it simplifies issues and then it’s able to spread or speak to a lot of people regardless of their economic and education status. Art can speak to anyone at any time and people are able to actually relate to it.

“Remember we always say good art mirrors society so I think it can be properly used to speak about gender-based