One in Three Women Has Experienced Violence — Advocates Demand an End to the Culture of Silence Protecting Abusers
Kakuma, 28 May 2026
In refugee camps and communities worldwide, a dangerous silence shields perpetrators of gender-based violence. Advocates are now demanding this changes urgently.
A Call That Can No Longer Be Ignored
On 27 May 2026, the GBV Prevention Network published a stark and urgent message on its official Instagram account, standing in solidarity with activists, violence prevention practitioners, feminists, and frontline workers across the globe [1]. The post called for ‘increased and intentional protections for girls in all spaces and facets of life’ — language that is deliberate and significant [1]. It is not a vague aspiration. It is a demand directed at communities, institutions, and individuals who have, for too long, allowed a culture of silence to protect abusers rather than survivors [1][2].
The Scale of the Problem: One in Three Women
The statistic that anchors this entire conversation is both global and deeply personal: one in three women worldwide has experienced physical or sexual violence in her lifetime [GPT]. This figure, widely cited by the World Health Organisation and United Nations bodies, places gender-based violence (GBV) among the most pervasive human rights violations on the planet [GPT]. In displacement settings — where women and girls are already stripped of the protections that stable housing, familiar communities, and functioning legal systems can provide — that risk rises sharply [GPT].
What ‘Normalisation’ Means — and Why It Must Be Rejected
One of the most important elements of the GBV Prevention Network’s 27 May 2026 statement is its direct rejection of normalisation [1]. The network stated plainly: ‘pedophilia and violence against girls is never normal. We cannot, and will not, normalize the violence’ [1]. This language matters because normalisation is rarely loud or obvious. It operates quietly — in the joke that goes unchallenged, the complaint that is dismissed, the survivor who is told to keep quiet for the sake of family reputation [GPT].
How to Access Support: Practical Steps for Survivors in Camps
For anyone living in a displacement setting such as Kakuma or Kalobeyei who has experienced or witnessed GBV, support services are available and accessible without cost [GPT]. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) operates GBV programming within Kakuma, providing case management, psychosocial support, and referrals to medical care [GPT]. The UNHCR also maintains protection desks within the camp where individuals can report incidents confidentially [GPT]. There are no eligibility restrictions based on nationality, registration status, or gender — services are open to all survivors [GPT].
The Message Is Clear: Silence Is Not Protection
The GBV Prevention Network’s campaign, posted to both Instagram and Facebook on 27 May 2026, carries a message that is simple enough to share and urgent enough to act on [1][2]. Violence against girls and women is not inevitable. It is not cultural. It is not private. It is a violation — and it is one that communities have both the responsibility and the power to stop [1]. The call to action is directed at everyone: not only policymakers or protection agencies, but neighbours, family members, teachers, and bystanders who witness harm and choose silence [1][2].