Types of Gender-Based Violence
The United Nations defines gender-based violence as any act 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 deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.”
Relationships are complex, and love, affection, and commitment can still be part of relationships despite the violence. Sometimes, these positive elements are the foundation for change. Women seek help to reclaim their power, by breaking their isolation to seek support, escape the abuse, and find ways to keep themselves and their children safe. Abusers struggle to change, couples try to restore balance and equality, friends and family step in: these and other struggles strengthen our collective hopes for violence-free lives.
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) recognizes four types of crimes against women: domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. Other forms of violence include abusive international marriages, elder abuse, forced marriage, and human trafficking.