Definition of

Gender violence

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Gender violence is violence that a man exerts on a woman.

Gender violence is violent behavior carried out by one sex towards another . The notion generally names violence against women (that is, cases in which the victim belongs to the female gender). In this sense, the notions of domestic violence , intimate partner violence and sexist violence are also used.

It should be noted that violence is behavior that is carried out consciously and on purpose to cause some type of harm to the victim . Originating from the Latin violentĭa , violence can seek to harm physically or emotionally.

Gender , for its part, is a concept with several uses. On this occasion we are interested in highlighting its meaning as the group of beings that share certain characteristics.

Types of gender violence

Specifically, we can establish that there are three clearly differentiated types of gender violence. Thus, in the first place, there is the so-called physical violence , which is that in which the woman is the victim of abuse that leaves traces on her appearance. This would be the case of hitting , pushing, kicking, biting or all those that are caused by the aggressor when using his hands or objects such as knives.

Secondly, there is what is known as psychological gender violence . This is what takes place when the man attacks the woman through insults, humiliation, contempt or threats. In this way, the victim is the result of manipulation that results in her feeling despised, defenseless and even guilty of her partner's reactions.

In this sense, it must be stated that within this type of non-physical violence we can find two clearly differentiated classes. Thus, there is the economic one, which is characterized by the man trying to prevent the woman from having access to work or family money so that she depends on him. And then there is the social one , which is what the aggressor uses so that his victim isolates himself from his environment and does not have contact with anyone who can open his eyes and see the situation in which he finds himself.

Thirdly, in addition to physical and psychological gender violence, there is sexual violence. In this case, the man uses coercion or threat to establish sexual relations that are not desired by the woman.

It should be noted that, on many occasions, cases of family violence are not usually reported, since the victim may be afraid of living with someone violent or may even feel ashamed of the situation.

Assault

Various types of abuse are part of what is understood as gender violence.

It is important to note that, in 1999 , the UN General Assembly declared November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women . The date remembers the murder of the Mirabal sisters , three Dominican activists.

Useful telephone numbers

If you are a victim of gender violence, we have compiled these specific telephone numbers according to the country where you are located. Remember that if it is an emergency, you can also call the official police line, which varies depending on the country, generally being the number 911.