By Luke Betty
For many years 38-year-old Asna Lonyait suffered violence in silence.Whenever she was subjected to a form of violence, she would retreat into a room and cry behind the closed doors only to show up later for her daily activities as if nothing happened.
“I would lock myself and cry so bitterly but later on get back to my usual activities,” she shared.
Like many women in Burat ward, Asna believed GBV was limited to physical assault and in worst case scenarios, rape. Emotional abuse, economic exploitation by men were simply a way of life that every woman was supposed to bear.
Her perception changed following a survivors awareness meeting organized by Ever Ready Grassroot Network, a women led movement aimed at supporting women live in a violence free community.
“I thought of GBV as rape and physical beating but now I know even being insulted, that used to make me cry bitterly, is an infringement to my rights,” she said.
In arid Isiolo, many women endure violence silently fearing stigma and rejection from family and fellow community members.
During the session, they were offered a psychosocial support process that encouraged them to share their stories in a safe space as part of the healing.
The forum that brought together 30 GBV survivors, under a Plan International funded project dubbed GBV Prevention and Response in the Horn of Africa seeks to strengthen traditional systems to better prevent and respond to violence.
Another beneficiary Halima Abdirahman noted that the meeting had strengthened her understanding on what GBV is and the available referral mechanisms that she said would greatly benefit her community.
“We haven’t been reporting violence due to fear of retaliation by the perpetrations. We’ve learnt of the anonymous reporting channels from the government as well as humanitarian organizations and will make an effort to ensure no case goes unreported,” she said during an interview.
The network’s Chairperson Habiba Mohammed decried increased incidents of violence against women in the area noting many had been occasioned by poverty and negative effects of climate change that had pushed many residents to desperation.
“Many livestock keepers have lost their herds to climate change and this has affected their wellbeing in a big way. If a man has no flock to herd and they spend most of the time home, without an income they are likely to become violent,” she said.
She however maintained that the organization wa committed to mentoring women survivors who would later become trusted sources of infirmation and encourage others to seek help and challenge harmful cultural norms within their villages.