DRCC submission on Gender-Based Violence to Citizens Assembly March 2021

Why is sexual violence an issue of gender inequality?

We will never have gender equality while sexual violence continues. Sexual violence – rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment - occur either because of a false sense of entitlement on the part of a person or group of people who believe that they can engage in sexual acts without the consent of the other. It also occurs when a person abuses the power that they have, or believe that they have, over another person.

This submission covers:

• Solutions to the issue
• A vision of what society might look like without this violence
• What sexual violence is and covers
• Effects of sexual violence
• The culture surrounding sexual violence
• Sexual violence and young people.

It was submitted to the Citizens Assembly on Gender equality on 13 March 2021.