An example I would give, while not necessarily "hidden" in terms of not being physical violence is rape within a marriage. In some African cultures like my own, there is no such provision or consideration of rape if it involves married people. The law often mirrors this cultural stance. To my knowledge there is no provision in Zambian law against marital rape. However you will find that so many women suffer at the hands of their spouses. They have no form of protection even if their husbands may be unfaithful to them. This is also one of the reasons why the rate of HIV infection is so high.

I think its a challenge to address the hidden traits of VAW for the simple fact that it is often difficult to define. I think working at the fundamental level by educating both men and women on the importance of treating people in a dignified way may help address some of these hidden traits such as verbal abuse. Sexual harassment for instance often gets swept under the rag when it doesn't involve physical contact, but every woman knows how disturbing it can be. I think that having a zero tolerance to any type of violence or harassment would help. Also, women need to be empowered to report any form of violence.

Governments should ensure perpetrators of violence are punished.Non Governmental Organizations working to end Gender Based Violence should ensure that they carry on more sanitizations and they should engage men and boys to be partners in the eradication of violence against women. Women and girls should always '' break the culture of silence''

Existing laws should be reformed and punish perpetrators of violence. Women should also break the ''culture of silence and make sure they report cases of violence''. Most victims of rape keep silent and would not speak out. Personally, I think the appropriate way to end violence against women is by sanitizations and engaging men and boys to be partners in eradicating gender based violence.

The women victims of these violence prefer to keep quiet about it because of the community perception that GBV is a private affair that shouldn't be discussed in the public. In many cases, these victims lack courage to reveal that they've been raped and are pregnant or beaten by their spouses because there's no one to speak to and also the stigma that comes with such acts. It is also saddening to note that most of these women victims don't know that they are victims and because of poverty, their families prefer to negotiate on their behalf for little money with the perpetrators. This is unacceptable and as Stella has put it, grassroot sensitization programmes should be initiated where both gender are beneficiary of such initiatives. Education should be at the forefront of tackling GBV and also to shift the community mindset,community leaders should be sensitized to own this as a community issue and ensure that those committing such acts against women are held accountable and prosecuted.

Sensitization must be done to both genders so that they get to understand the various forms of violence. Psychological violence is barely addressed simply because most people do not know that it is a form of violence against women. Living in fear of what may happen to you when you are at home can kill you faster than the physical torture.

Violence that has effect on women Psychologically is an area that's fully ignored when addressing VAM women who undergo some form of violence ought to get assistance for a full recovery both physically and psychologically, it's always easy to recover physically but not psychologically many can not afford getting assistance from psychiatrists, anew form of violence to me is one that prevents a woman to be active in society by engaging in economic activities just to ensure they do not get to be independent this has contributed to us having a huge number of women who are house wives without connection to any economic activity these women tend to be vulnerable to different forms of violence. Corporation between different sectors will ensure a full implementation of the many laws we have with serious empowerment activities at grassroots will go along way to address VAM. 

Violence that has effect on women Psychologically is an area that's fully ignored when addressing VAM women who undergo some form of violence ought to get assistance for a full recovery both physically and psychologically, it's always easy to recover physically but not psychologically many can not afford getting assistance from psychiatrists, anew form of violence to me is one that prevents a woman to be active in society by engaging in economic activities just to ensure they do not get to be independent this has contributed to us having a huge number of women who are house wives without connection to any economic activity these women tend to be vulnerable to different forms of violence. Corporation between different sectors will ensure a full implementation of the many laws we have with serious empowerment activities at grassroots will go along way to address VAM. 

Disrespecting and abusing a person's dignity, basic human rights, and self esteem is the starting point of violence. It may be physical or mental. Opening up about it for the victim is very difficult because of several reasons from hostile or non-encouraging environment, cognitive dissonance where the victim is conditioned to think what is happening is right and accepts it.... it may be due to fear and intimidation tactics etc. Complanceny, keeping quiet, knowing the victim as well as the perpetrator but not speaking out, gender bias, socio-economic gains, taboo, fear of embarrassment and many more. Existing policies needs a rethink because in most of the cases especially in undeveloped and developing countries they have patriarchal roots. Women voice in legislation is essential in policy making.