Between social influence, collective responsibility, and the protection of victims, the fight against gender-based violence depends on the commitment of those who hold authority. In churches, neighborhoods and associations, their words can help transform attitudes and counter the normalization of violence. But that influence requires proper training, referral mechanisms, and a firm commitment to the safety of victims.
Gender-based violence (GBV) is a major social problem. Its consequences reach far beyond physical injury, affecting victims’ health, dignity, psychological balance and economic independence. Preventing it is the responsibility of public authorities, the courts, health professionals and specialized organizations — but also of families and communities.
Priests, pastors, association leaders and other figures of authority hold an important place in social life. Their closeness to the population allows them to pass on values, shape behavior and challenge practices that tolerate violence. Yet that same influence can reinforce injustice when victims are blamed or when a family’s reputation is placed above their safety. The challenge, then, is to turn this moral and social authority into a genuine instrument of prevention, accountability and protection.
From the pulpit to concrete commitment
In communities where religious institutions hold an important place, sermons, prayer gatherings and community activities can foster mutual respect, equality and a rejection of violence.
Pastor Casseus Joseph, a university professor, stresses that responsibility:
“Every religious leader has a clear responsibility to play in preventing gender-based violence. We cannot stop at words alone. We must act, raise awareness, educate, denounce every form of violence, and encourage respect, dignity and equality within families and communities. The church must not remain a mere witness to the suffering of victims. It must be a place where people find counsel, support, protection and sound guidance. We have a duty to help break the silence, to fight the normalization of violence, and to build a community where everyone — especially women and children — can live without fear and with their rights respected,” he said.
That responsibility calls for concrete action. No religious conviction should be used to force a victim to endure abuse in the name of marriage, forgiveness, or keeping a family together. Reconciliation cannot be imposed at the expense of a victim’s safety. Leaders must clearly condemn violent behavior and direct those affected toward the appropriate services.
Breaking the silence without exposing victims
Fear of reprisals, economic dependence, shame, stigma, and family pressure can all keep victims from reporting violence.
For Dr. Lindor Fabrice, a manager working in the humanitarian sector, the community must recognize its role in protecting them.
“Shame, stigma, fear of reprisals, economic dependence, and certain social norms contribute to the silence surrounding GBV. Community leaders can help break that silence by listening without judging, by challenging prejudice and by protecting confidentiality. Above all, violence must not be treated as a simple matter between a couple. The community has to understand that it bears a responsibility to protect its members.”
When a case is reported, the priority should be to listen, to respect confidentiality, and to avoid public confrontations or imposed mediation that could expose the victim further. Community leaders must also recognize the limits of their role and help victims reach the services they need.
The health and psychosocial toll
GBV can cause trauma, fractures, lasting pain, and injuries linked to sexual violence. It can also lead to anxiety, sleep disorders, shame, guilt, social isolation, and symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress.
Dr. Lindor Fabrice, a physician with FOSREF, underscores the importance of comprehensive care.
“We assess the impact of GBV on victims’ health through a holistic approach, because the consequences of this violence go well beyond the visible injuries,” he explains.
He adds: “Our psychological evaluation takes the particular humanitarian context into account.”
In Haiti, insecurity, mass displacement, economic hardship and the disruption of essential services can deepen certain vulnerabilities. Women and girls living in displacement sites can be more exposed when access to safe spaces, care and protection mechanisms remains inadequate. Community leaders can inform the public about available services and push back against rhetoric that blames victims. Their role must remain complementary to that of health professionals and specialized organizations.
Preventing GBV also requires the active involvement of men and boys.
Some social models still tie masculinity to domination, control and aggression. Promoting positive masculinity means encouraging respect, responsibility, listening, equality and self-restraint.
Child protection is another major concern. Children can be victims of physical, psychological or sexual violence, and they also suffer the consequences of violence within the home. They need to know their rights, to be able to speak to trusted adults and to have access to reporting mechanisms suited to them.
Dr. Lesly Michaud, director of World Vision International in Haiti, highlights the importance of community awareness and accountability. Protecting children requires particular vigilance against abuse, exploitation, and neglect. The absence of a birth certificate can also complicate a child’s access to education and to certain services.
Women’s autonomy and collective responsibility
Knowing their rights helps women recognize abuse and seek help. But awareness alone is not enough when economic dependence, threats or the absence of accessible services limit what they can do.
“It would be unfair to demand that a woman report violence without taking into account her economic dependence, her family responsibilities, the threats she faces or the possible absence of accessible services,” says the director of World Vision International in Haiti.
Women’s clubs and community associations can encourage dialogue, build self-confidence and spread information about health services, legal assistance and psychosocial support.
Economic empowerment, vocational training and income-generating activities can widen the options available to women facing dangerous situations. Women must also take part in designing and evaluating the initiatives that concern their safety and their future.
Training leaders and measuring results
The engagement of religious and community leaders must rest on concrete skills. Training should cover active listening, recognizing the signs of violence, confidentiality, risk assessment, and referral to the appropriate services.
These leaders should not conduct improvised investigations or impose reconciliation. Clear protocols, reliable contacts and coordination with specialized organizations are essential so that victims are not abandoned or forced to recount their story again and again.
The effectiveness of these efforts must also be measured. The number of meetings held or people reached is not enough to show progress. What matters is the quality of the reception victims receive, the accessibility of services and real changes in attitudes. A rise in reported cases may reflect greater trust in protection mechanisms, while a decline may point to new obstacles. Any assessment must therefore account for the context and respect the confidentiality of victims.
Religious and community leaders cannot replace the state. Preventing GBV requires effective access to justice, health care, psychosocial support and protection services.
The authorities must strengthen the relevant services, support specialized organizations and encourage cooperation between public institutions and community actors. Without funding, qualified staff and follow-up mechanisms, commitments risk remaining mere words.
Women’s and youth organizations, health professionals, social workers, the courts and religious leaders must act in complementary ways, each respecting the others’ areas of competence.
Gains to consolidate for better protection
With 6.4 million people in Haiti in need of humanitarian assistance, the deteriorating security situation is deepening vulnerabilities — particularly those of women and children, who make up 70 percent of the displaced. Every day, 27 women and girls suffer gender-based violence, most of them rapes and, in some cases, gang rapes, the Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, Nicole Kouassi, said at the launch of the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) for Haiti in December 2025.
According to the data presented, about 80 percent of the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area is under the control of armed groups, while grave violations of children’s rights have risen by 490 percent. The difficulty of travel between La Gonâve and the mainland also illustrates the constraints facing the population.
In response to the emergency, World Vision International in Haiti and its partners — FOSREF, Food for the Hungry and the TOYA Foundation, with funding from Global Affairs Canada — provided support to 4,760 people across 911 households. Each beneficiary family received financial assistance of US$536. The project also delivered health care for mothers and children, hygiene-awareness activities, and psychosocial support for those affected. These interventions help ease the hardship of displaced families, especially those headed by women, households with members over the age of 65, and people living with disabilities. Even so, the scale of the need is a reminder that humanitarian assistance must be matched by lasting protection against gender-based violence.
In this context, religious and community leaders have an essential role to play. Their commitment must go beyond awareness-raising to include listening to victims, combating stigma, and helping them reach specialized services. Training these actors, mobilizing public institutions, and strengthening protection mechanisms remain indispensable to ensuring that victims receive dignified and safe support. Because beyond emergency aid, the real challenge is the collective capacity to prevent violence, protect the vulnerable, and preserve their dignity.
Text: Telegramme360
https://ctninfo.com/fighting-gender-…-protect-victims/
