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Gender-based violence is violence directed against a person because of that person's gender, or violence that affects persons of a particular gender, disproportionately.
Violence against women and girls is a form of gender-based violence.
The phrase violence against women and girls is used to describe violent and abusive behaviour directed at women and girls because they are women and girls. It is behaviour which is carried out predominantly by men. It is an abuse of power and stems from systemic, deep-rooted women’s inequality.
Violence against women and girls limits women’s and girls’ freedom and potential and is a fundamental violation of human rights. (Equally Safe 2023:10)
Examples of types of abuse
Violence against women and girls includes actual and threat of:
- physical, sexual, psychological, emotional, and financial abuse occurring in the family, within the general community, and in institutions in both physical and digital spaces and places
- domestic abuse, coercive controlling behaviours, stalking, rape, incest, child sexual harassment, bullying and intimidation
- commercial sexual exploitation including prostitution, lap dancing, stripping, pornography
- human trafficking, including for the purposes of domestic servitude, sexual exploitation and child criminal exploitation, which may include gangs and organised criminal networks
- child abuse occurring within family settings, including domestic abuse, and sexual abuse by male family members including siblings
- child sexual abuse and exploitation including the production and sharing of indecent images of children
- honour-based abuse, including forced marriages, female genital mutilation, dowry abuse and ‘honour based’ coercive control and killings
(Equally Safe 2023: 11)
Equally safe
Equally Safe 2023 is Scotland’s strategy to prevent and eradicate violence against women and girls.
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