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Prevention of Gender-Based Violence Workshop

Airmen from Headquarters U.S. Air Forces Europe and Africa supported the Uniformed Services University in a collaboration with more than 50 members of the Zambian Defence Forces during a four-day Prevention of Gender-Based Violence Workshop here.

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Photo by: U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs 

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USAFE-AFAFRICA Airmen team with Zambian counterparts for Domestic Violence Awareness Workshop

Airmen from Headquarters U.S. Air Forces Europe and Africa supported the Uniformed Services University in a collaboration with more than 50 members of the Zambian Defence Forces during a four-day Prevention of Gender-Based Violence Workshop here.

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Photo by: U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs 

LUSAKA, Zambia -- Airmen from Headquarters U.S. Air Forces Europe and Africa supported the Uniformed Services University in a collaboration with more than 50 members of the Zambian Defence Forces during a four-day Prevention of Gender-Based Violence Workshop here.

Zambian Air Force Colonel Belinda Mesunge stated "this course has given us tools and information to take back to our services to help us prevent GBV. The lessons were logical and to the point allowing us to give our opinions and contribute to the lessons through sketches that were easy to follow and hard to forget."

Other senior leader participants at the workshop were Col. Michael Kersten, USAFE-AFAFRICA Surgeon General Office’s Medical Readiness Division Chief, and his Zambian counterpart, Army Colonel Cynthia Chimpusa. Both Kersten and Chimpusa stated that all military leaders must stand up and support Women, Peace and Security initiatives as a priority for all commanders. 

Article 1 of the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women from December 1993 defined GBV as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.” 

The 2014 Council of Europe (COE) Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, also known as "the Istanbul Convention," expanded on GBV explaining that, while violence against women is a form of gender-based violence that is committed against women because they are women, it is not only women and girls who suffer domestic violence, countries that have signed and ratified the convention are encouraged to apply the protective framework it creates to men and boys who are exposed to violence within the family or domestic unit. However, COE has stated that the majority of victims of domestic violence are women and that domestic violence against them is part of a wider pattern of discrimination and inequality. 

As a cornerstone of the workshop, Dr. Lynn Lieberman Lawry, Uniformed Services University Professor, led an interactive engagement that included small group exercises to understand the root causes, types, and consequences of gender-based violence. Lawry said the smaller exercises help participants determine prevention strategies based on the root causes of GBV while large-group exercises examined gender norms as well as power and privilege. Videos were used for group discussions to understand consent and how to serve with pride. Lawry added that, at the end of the workshop, participants understood how to start thinking about strategies to prevent gender-based violence that are country specific and culturally sensitive. Doctor Lawry's military-centric curriculum is currently being used in 34 countries, with Zambia as the latest adoptee of her program. 

"Understanding what survivors of GBV experience is a key component for fostering empathy and trauma response," said Capt. Aisha Evans, 86th Medical Group, Officer in Charge of the Developmental Behavioral Family Readiness Center. "Creating an empathetic environment is the best way to gain the trust of a victim. Trust is imperative. We may not know how a victim feels, but being able to understand trauma and body language allows you to create a space that is both needed and safe for the survivor."

Tech. Sgt. Samara Brown, International Health Specialist and Women, Peace and Security Advisor to the USAFE-AFAFRICA Command Surgeon, spearheaded the efforts in line with the Secretary of the Air Force’s Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Initiatives. "As the lead component in GBV initiatives across Europe and Africa, I acknowledge that this is a challenge for us in the United States and in our military ranks as well,” said Brown. “Combining our efforts with our Defenders such as MSgt Brandi Johnson, reminds us that victims must be protected as well as validated throughout the reporting process.” 

Master Sgt. Brandi Johnson, who currently serves as the Functional Area Manager for USAFE A4S Security Forces Division, honed on the importance of Air Force programs such as Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program reminded workshop participants of the dangers of having a system in place that does not hold offenders accountable. "Vanessa Guillén should have never happened and should never happen again,” Johnson said, referring to a Soldier killed in 2020 by a fellow Soldier who had a history of harassment and assault towards Guillén. “We must change the way first responders respond to cases such as domestic abuse and sexual assault. We need to remember that we are the first ones who can make a victim feel safe. I am proud to serve and defend and I have a zero tolerance policy when it pertains to GBV in my Air Force.”

Chief Master Sgt. Melvin Morena had previously served as an International Health specialist for NATO and is the Senior Enlisted Leader for the Medical Readiness Division. He emphasized that "partnering with our Zambian friends only makes us stronger as we work together to eliminate gender-based violence globally.”