To tackle the violence against women and girls, we must ensure community-level prevention and response mechanisms. Evidence shows that the traditions, beliefs, norms and practices that operate within communities are major barriers to women’s access to justice, protection and freedom from violence. Social norms and practices can make it difficult for women to formally report violence and seek justice so, it is crucial to confront these barriers.
Engaging at the community level is essential to improving support to survivors of violence, who tend to turn to the community rather than to formal services. community-level support and referral networks are therefore needed alongside interventions to improve the provision of specialist Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) services.
Organizations with initiatives to engage men and boys in preventing violence against women focus on group education, community outreach, mobilization and mass media campaigns to reduce the violence against women and girls. We can use the “gender transformative” approach which challenges rigid gender roles and question the influence of social-cultural, community, and institutional factors as well as individual beliefs and attitudes.
To end the VAW at the community level we have to confront the dominant and harmful norms of masculinity that are viral. Peer pressure is one of the reasons that gender-based violence (GBV) takes place. We must give support to those who are dealing with peer pressure and condemn those who are promoting harmful ideas. If the whole community starts opposing VAW we can use peer pressure to end violence too by social influences and promoting positive norms of masculinity.
Organizing men to undertake action by discussing positive masculinities is effective to make them change their attitudes and behaviors. We must focus on increasing the role of men in responding to the VAW it will encourage other men to do the same and discourage those who are involved in VAW.
We must involve the community and religious leaders to address the harmful traditional practices and ask them to promote reforms and bring change in the community. We can attain a positive change by giving a religious point of view and positive social norms without challenging the patriarchal basis of their authority.