In Mercy’s community, we see different forms of violence against women happening – the physical, Economic, sexual violence, and emotional violence which is inevitable in the existence of the first three forms of violence. We also see different women/girls in Mercy’s community experiencing violence or have experienced violence in the past. So, in such a community, responding to one case of violence will not stop the violence from happening. Therefore, it is important to prevent the violence to stop it from happening or reduce its occurrence where it has already happened. Through prevention, community members will be able to understand the root cause of violence (which is the power imbalance between men and women) – and together as individuals, groups, families, and the entire community will break the silence around violence and they will come up with actions to address the root cause of violence thus preventing the violence.
Community discussions/ debates using a poster or any communication material used to engage community members over a period time. An activity that encourages critical thinking personal reflection and fosters behavior change can help people get a deeper understanding of violence and get inspired to prevent it.
