# Gender & gender-based violence (GBV)

Sex is biology; gender is the roles, expectations and power a society attaches to it. GBV is violence that flows along those power lines, and in Nepal it is one of the most common wounds a counselor will ever sit across from.

**If you are in danger right now:** call [112](tel:112) / [100](tel:100). Women's helpline [1145](tel:1145) (NWC "Khabar Garaun"); OCMC at the nearest hospital. After sexual violence, medical care helps at any time; HIV prevention works best within 72 hours and emergency contraception within 120 hours.

## Concepts, forms, and the counselor's response

**Core distinctions the curriculum tests:**

- *Sex* vs *gender*: sex is biology; gender is the roles, expectations, and power a society attaches to it
- *Gender roles* (who cooks, who inherits) and *gender needs* (practical vs strategic)
- *Equality* (same treatment) vs *equity* (fair treatment that closes gaps)
- Sexuality as a normal dimension of the person
**Forms of GBV:**

- Physical
- Sexual
- Emotional or psychological
- Economic (denying money, property, work)
- Harmful traditional practices: in Nepal: child marriage, dowry-related violence, chhaupadi (menstrual exclusion), witchcraft ("boksi") accusations, and trafficking
**Causes** run through power inequality, norms that excuse violence, impunity, and alcohol as an accelerant: never as an excuse.

| Survivor-centred principle | In practice |
| --- | --- |
| Safety first | Is it safe to go home tonight? Safe place, safe timing of sessions, danger assessment before anything else |
| Confidentiality | Records coded; information shared only with consent, except child protection, imminent danger to life, or a legal duty, and then only the minimum needed: a leak can be lethal |
| Respect & autonomy | The survivor decides: whether to report, leave, stay; your job is options, not orders |
| Non-discrimination | Belief, not blame. Never "why didn't you leave?", never "what were you wearing?" |
| Referral, coordinated | Health, as soon as possible: within 72 hours for HIV prevention (PEP), within 120 hours for emergency contraception, and care still helps at any time; police/OCMC one-stop crisis management centres, safe houses, legal aid: with consent at every step |

Nepal

Nepal's NDHS surveys have consistently found that a large share of ever-married women report experiencing spousal violence, most never seeking help. The system pieces you must know by name: **OCMC** (One-stop Crisis Management Centres in hospitals), the National Women Commission's **1145** "Khabar Garaun" helpline, judicial committees at the local level, and safe houses run by organisations like WOREC and Saathi. Marital rape is a crime in Nepal. Couple counselling is contraindicated while violence is active: see [Approaches & forms](https://manoatlas.com/approaches.md).

The response timeline. Two windows are clocks: HIV prevention within 72 hours and emergency contraception within 120. Everything else, including medical care itself, helps at any time, so a late disclosure is never a reason not to refer.

Key points

1. Sex is biology; gender is the roles and power a society attaches to it. GBV runs along those power lines and is very common in Nepal.
2. Safety first, then choice: the survivor decides; the counselor knows OCMC, 1145, judicial committees and safe houses by name.
3. After sexual violence, medical care helps at any time; HIV prevention works best within 72 hours, emergency contraception within 120.
Learn more

Pick one, not all.

Guide**WHO: "Caring for women subjected to violence" (LIVES: Listen, Inquire, Validate, Enhance safety, Support)**; a five-step first-line response made for non-specialists.

Report**Nepal Demographic and Health Survey: domestic violence chapter**: the country's core evidence base on GBV.

Documentary**India's Daughter (BBC, 2015)**: on sexual violence and the attitudes behind it in South Asia; heavy: screen with care and support available.


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*Source: https://manoatlas.com/gbv · Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Mano Atlas is an educational resource, not a diagnostic tool.*