Based on the definitions above, we know that:
Who
GBV can occur to anyone – regardless of gender, biological sex, social background, region or nationality. Although GBV can happen to anyone, a majority of GBV survivors or victims are women, especially those from marginalized communities. Perpetrators (s) are often people known to survivors such as an intimate partner, family members, friend, co-workers, community leaders and teachers. [3]. According to statistics, approximately one in four women and girls over the age of 15 may experience sexual violence by an intimate partner at some point in their lives, and rates of sexual abuse by non-partners range from one to 12 percent over the course of a woman’s lifetime [4].
Why
The root causes of GBV are unequalled power relations and gender social norms; both men and women are expected to perform socially determined roles. For example, traditional roles dictate that women should be humble, passive, emotional and powerless while men are aggressive, unemotional, and powerful. Additionally, other concepts like toxic masculinity, power, privilege, and permission all play a fundamental role in contributing towards GBV.
Where
GBV can occur anywhere – not only in private settings but also at public places like offices, schools, and even religious places of worship. As the main root cause of GBV stems from unequalled power relations, some environments that consist of authority figures, such as boss/employee relations at work, often experience instances of GBV.
When
GBV can happen at any time – As there is often no rhyme or reason to the motives of the perpetrator, there is no specific time where GBV is more likely to happen, regardless of location or time of day.