Educating ourselves is everyone's job, share this with your circle of friends.
What is violence against women?
It may seem obvious, but it isn't. There are types of violence that are covert or normalized. Violence isn't limited to obvious physical or verbal aggression. Unfortunately, the obvious ones are just the tip of this "iceberg," and a large portion remains underwater and is harder to recognize, making it difficult to take action or seek help to resolve the situation.
Violence against women is any conduct, whether by action or omission, based on gender, that, directly or indirectly, in both the public and private spheres, and based on an unequal power relationship, affects their life, liberty, dignity, physical, psychological, sexual, economic or property integrity, political participation, as well as their personal safety.
Any form of violence manifests itself as an "attempt to undermine, to attack our freedom and our autonomy." There are six formally defined types of violence: physical, psychological, sexual, economic and patrimonial, symbolic and political.
Gender-based violence is a structural problem in society. Therefore, it emerges in different areas of daily life, giving rise to nine forms of violence in our everyday spaces: domestic, institutional, workplace, against reproductive freedom, obstetric, media, in public and public-political spaces, violence exercised in digital spaces, or cyber-violence.
Global estimates published by the WHO indicate that approximately one in three women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner or sexual violence by a non-partner at some point in their lives.
How does gender violence manifest itself ?
As can be seen in the Iceberg of gender violence , there are explicit and visible forms of violence (femicide, physical violence, rape, sexual abuse, threats, shouting, insults) and invisible forms (manipulating, humiliating, devaluing, scorning, ignoring, blaming, emotional blackmail).
These types of harmful behaviors, often normalized in relationships, go unnoticed as such, are difficult for the victim to explain, and are incomprehensible to those close to them, creating a potential for other forms of violence to occur and emerge.
Violence can also take subtle and invisible forms (sexist humor, controlling behavior, sexist advertising, invisibility, sexist language, erasure, micromachismo).
Gender-based violence also includes discrimination based on homophobia, transphobia, or discrimination against trans people or members of the LGBT+ community.
What are the consequences of gender violence ?
Gender violence can have non-fatal and fatal consequences.
Non-fatal consequences:
Gender-based violence causes serious short- and long-term physical, mental, sexual, and reproductive health problems. These include physical health problems (fractures, chronic pain syndrome, headaches, lower back pain, abdominal pain, gastrointestinal disorders, mobility limitations, and poor general health).
Mental health (depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep and eating disorders, low self-esteem, alcohol and drug abuse, emotional distress, and suicide attempts).
Sexual and reproductive health (sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancy, pregnancy complications, unsafe abortion).
Fatal consequences:
Femicide, suicide, STD-related mortality, and maternal mortality. The consequences of gender-based violence go beyond the victims, affecting the children of women who are victims of violence, their families, and also have social and economic effects.
What to do if you think this is happening to you?
Experiencing gender-based violence clouds all learning, desires, willpower, autonomy, and power. Confronting the aggressor must be avoided at all costs, as it can end in the worst possible way. The victim's life is essential, and they cannot be exposed to such risk.
There are recommended “Action Plans” for two different situations:
- If the situation of violence is just beginning and I can easily detect it, implement a strategy to get out of that relationship before things escalate and get worse.
- If the situation has already started and it's harder to get away, it's important to ask for help, know that we're not alone, distance ourselves, and then, yes, it's necessary to file the corresponding complaint.
Remember that you are not alone in this. Turning to people you trust can clear up many of the questions you may have about what's on your mind. We understand that this topic can be embarrassing and difficult to face, but the call is to take action.
If you have concerns or need to talk about this topic , you can schedule a consultation with a specialized professional ; we are here to help.
Liliana E. Cohen
@lilianacohen.psychologist
Graduate in Psychology
University of Buenos Aires
Phone / Whatsapp: +54 9 11 64489987
Content developed by Liliana Cohen