Area of Inquiry 7: Violence and Restorative Justice

Violence is an expression of systems, structures and relationships under strain – an instrument of social control and an extreme reaction to the prospect of change. In work that aims explicitly to shift gendered power relations at interpersonal or ingrained institutional levels, it is incumbent on us to be prepared to address violence, both as a common feature of people’s lives and as a potential consequence of NGO efforts to support individuals’ empowerment.

Violence can come in a multitude of forms and affects women, men, girls and boys. In seeking to understand violence and justice, it is important to keep in mind that acts of violence may take a number of forms. The World Health Organization defines violence as:

The intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment or deprivation.

The World Health Organization classifies four types of violence, to include physical, sexual, psychological and neglect. These can take place in at various levels, including self-directed (suicidal or self-abusive); interpersonal (within a household or community)  or collective (driven by social, political or economic struggles).

Agency	Structures	Relations	Related Tools
What attitudes, information, knowledge or skills will an individual need to prevent or address violence? What choices do individuals have when faced with violence (as a victim, or faced with pressure to behave violently)? How are individuals – or collective groups – already acting to prevent and respond to violence in this setting?	What are the forms and characteristics of violence by sex and age group (how are boys, girls, men and women affected differently)? What are men’s and women’s attitudes or beliefs toward violence, and what is considered “normal” in this context? What are responses to different forms of violence by community and justice mechanisms? What care/support is available for survivors of violence? How does custom compare with law in the case of community response to sexual violence? How accessible and sensitive to survivors are the local health, psychosocial, legal or protective services in providing information and services, whether government-sponsored or private? What discrimination or stigma do survivors of violence face? How does the community react when survivors seek restorative justice?	How do women, girls, boys or men negotiate to avoid violence, or seek protection? And with whom? What groups exist to support survivors of violence and prevent future violence? How do family and other extended networks monitor and influence (i.e. prevent or support) violent behaviors in the household, family, communities or schools? Collectively – how do women and men mobilize or advocate around this issue and with whom? How are CARE’s programs relating to groups’ goals and actions? How are these groups related to other key stakeholders/institutions (private enterprise, government, religious institutions, etc.)?	Higher Level Conditions Macro-Secondary Analysis Policy Analysis Governance Analysis Mapping Institutions/ Stakeholders Key Informant Interviews Gender Norms and Trends Community Dynamics Community, Social and Resource Mapping Network Analysis Gender Norms and Trends Forms of Violence Key Informant Interviews Measuring Attitudes toward Women and Gender Equality Critical Incidents Household Dynamics Intra-Household Decision-Making Measuring Attitudes toward Women and Gender Equality Role-Playing and Story-telling Scenarios Life Histories / Timelines

 

Special Consideration for Children and Adolescents:

• Are there beliefs or practices within families that inflict violence on children, such as female infanticide or forced early marriage? How do these affect girls and boys differently?
• Which government or private social service agencies are specifically trained and providing services to children and adolescent survivors of violence?
• What mechanisms are in place in schools or places where children and youth gather to prevent and respond adequately to violence?
• Are there teachers who are coercing children into sex?
• Are the toilet facilities in schools considered safe by both girls and boys?
• How safe do children (girls and boys) feel as they are traveling to and from school or for household duties (i.e. gathering firewood, water)?

 

Reminder: Situating Analysis in Broader Context

Across each area of inquiry, consider how gender relations interact with the analysis of broader context in relation to gender:

1. Cultural norms and values
2. Policies and laws related to human rights, especially implementation pertinent to women’s rights
3. Broader Development: Information on edu. attainment, literacy, incomes and livelihoods, mobility, workload, health, nutrition, morbidity/mortality, violence, etc., by sex.
4. Experiences, attitudes, opinions of critical groups and actors in the context, and their relations with one another as well as with groups of women.