Violence Against Women (VAW)

Violence against Women

Violence against women is the primary subject in all countries and global, affecting women in every socioeconomic group and at each life stage. But, poor women belonging to groups inclusive of indigenous peoples, human rights defenders, migrants, refugees, those with disabilities, ethnic or racial minorities, or those living in battle conditions are extra prone to violence. Even though sexual and gender-based violence is defining traits of contemporary struggle, secondly.




Violence towards women is not confined to wartime or war zones; it’s miles notably well-known in peaceful settings as nicely. This violence is endemic in locations of apparent economic prosperity and political empowerment. The sectors affected are such as free exchange or unique financial areas and new democracies, as well as in situations of impoverishment and political repression.




As per the World Health Organization, a clear definition of VAW is given. Can be read here

Gender-Based Violence

Violence against women (VAW) is also called Gender-Based Violence. Violence against women has been given different definitions depending on the use and the place. VAW refers to the collectively violent acts that violate women’s human rights as established by international law. According to the United Nations, violence against women refers to the manifestations of traditional unequal power relationships between men and women.  Women are subjected to the social mechanism linked to force subordinate positions compared to their counterpart men.



Istanbul Convention

Similarly, according to the Istanbul Convention, VAW is understood as a gross violation of women’s human rights that result in sexual, physical, emotional, or economic suffering of women. Violence against women can be categorized into the following: mob violence, rape, sexual assault, and domestic violence, among others. Equally, violation of women’s rights to life, liberty, and security such as rights to work, education, health, social safety, food, water, and shelter.




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Some of the violence is motivated by the states such as war rape like forced abortion, forced sterilization, and sexual slavery. Another motivated state violence against women is police and authoritative personnel violence. There are also organized criminally motivated violence, such as women trafficking and forced prostitute. Furthermore, as far as violation of human rights is concerned, VAW is seen as discrimination against women.

This typically makes women victims of violence because they are women. Gender construction of women as a less human being or inferior to men has led violence against women acceptable and invisible. For instance, globally, the murders of women by their intimate partners has risen to 38%. The other 0.3 billion women have been forced female genital mutilation, and another 0.7 billion have been forced to marry as children.  36 % of the women, globally, have undergone either psychological, physical, or sexual assault.



VAW Economic Development

Economic globalization and development have created other avenues to challenge women’s rights. The increaser of a war crime has contributed to set back the efforts of decreasing the violence against women. Additionally, the increase of post-conflict and post humanitarian crises and natural disasters has increased the gender inequality in both economic and political arenas. This has equally contributed vulnerability of women to violence and yet the current global political dispensation has neglected them.




Globally, violence against women has dramatically perpetuated by first, social norms or patriarchal systems. This is the male dominance over the female. These norms are related to male authority, acceptance, and female obedience. For example, all forms of abuse in different settings are acceptable. The society set the expectations that must be reached by men. For instance, men who do not provide for their families are subjected to social sanctions hence exert excessive power over women and children to reverse the frustrations.




Second, exposure to violence in childhood is a contributing factor in later VAW. For instance, boys who witnessed their mothers beaten by their fathers or experience physical abuse and punishment are more likely to harass their partners later in life. Third, alcohol abuse has also contributed to an increase in the frequency and suffering of partner violence.

Lastly, poverty has been proved to develop VAW. For instance, men who are subjected to poverty or those who experience social exclusion are likely to cause destruction. Furthermore, these conditions become extreme, especially where the state faces civil wars, conflict, collapsed economies, or internally displaced persons.




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