The word “culture” has many definitions. It ranges from “customary beliefs and social forms…” to “cultivating living material in nutrient media…”
There is one definition that fits the present exercise I am embarking on and it is:
“the set of values, conventions or social practices associated with a particular field, activity or societal characteristic”.
Thus if one should examine the way we cook in Ghana, one could easily say we have a rather spicy culinary culture. Most meals are cooked with lots of pepper and other hot spices.
So let’s take the societal characteristic of infidelity in Ghana, a practice that seems to be more common among men than women and stands at the heart of the misery of a lot of married women. One can reach to our history of polygamy to understand why some men find the need to be with more than one woman. Another factor that plays into this practice is the lack of opportunities for women in business and the economy. Thus some women find the need to look for men who can “sponsor” a good lifestyle. All these factors play together to create a culture of infidelity.
Another societal finding is the sexual exploitation of children. Among a lot of men, sex with girls in their early teens or even pre-teens is not seen as abnormal. Looking at a history of child brides helps in getting to the bottom of this nefarious practice. Historically, girls were seen as ready for marriage and childbirth the minute they started menstruating. Thus it was not uncommon to see child brides. This terrible practice may make some men see sex with children as not being abnormal, thus creating a culture of sexual exploitation of children.
Then is the issue of sexual harassment of women. Anecdotally, this is a rather common occurrence in Ghana. It is seen in schools, workplaces, in bars, restaurants and even at places or worship. A 2013 study by Norman et al looked at sexual harassment at 4 Ghanaian medical schools. Of all the students interviewed, over 60% of the women reported some form of harassment versus 39% of the men.
Sexual harassment can often lead to sexual violence and that is yet another societal characteristic. The stats are damning. According to a 6-year collection of data by the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, approximately six women are likely to be raped every week. Between 2011 – 2016, there were 30,408 cases of assault. If one adds the number of children assaulted, it more than worsens the picture. From 2011 – 2014, 5,752 children were defiled.
Though a lot of men and some women will not accept, certain societal norms allow these practices to flourish.
Probably the first of all these causes is the phenomenon of gender inequality. The fact that some see women as being less than men and only alive to cater to all the needs of men, even their sexual urges, is a problem. This inequality has been propagated through history and is often supported by religious beliefs. The results are sexist and misogynistic behaviors.
Secondly, the exploitation of the “weak” by the more powerful feeds into this. This is a phenomenon that is as old as humanity itself. So one sees girls getting assaulted by men or even boys by older women or men. Men wield most of the power in society and this power is used in lots of these instances of assault in a predatory fashion. So a woman seeking a job or even a promotion may have to give sexual favors to achieve her aim.
Thirdly is the rampant indiscipline. Sexual urges are common in all humans. However, one learns to control them and also learns to seek consent from a prospective partner before trying to engage him or her in any sexual activities. In a society that in undisciplined, it stands to reason that a large section of the men (and women) will have no personal discipline and a lack of the ability to control urges. If one adds the view that women are less than men and are there to cater to the needs of men, a toxic brew develops that propagates harassments and assaults.
Further, a lot of men in the society do not see rape or sexual assault as something that is wrong and criminal. Some even but joke about it or even minimize it. Some brag about sexually assaulting women or even children, seeing that erroneously as a feather in their cap.
To make matters worse, these predators are often not punished and can go on to assault again. In the villages, the elders take care of the case, often only reprimanding the perpetrator and telling the victims to live with it. In the urban areas, shame often keeps victims from reporting assaults.
Taking all these factors that perpetuate sexual violence against mostly women, can’t one say there is a certain culture that keeps these abhorrent practices alive? Now the presence of such a culture does not mean all men are predators but rather that certain norms persist that allow some men to act in a predatory fashion.
Which brings me to my question – what could one call such a culture?