• What is gender violence?
• Types of gender violence
• Causes of gender violence
• Consequences of gender violence
• Violence against men
• How to prevent gender violence?
• What to do in the event of gender violence?

We explain what gender violence is, its types, causes and effects. Also, what to do in the event of gender violence.

Gender violence affects the physical and mental health of the victim.

What is gender violence?

Gender violence is theviolence that exerts a person about another just for her gender. Violent actions are all those that negatively affect theidentity, thesexuality and reproductive freedom,Health physical and mental and the social well-being of a person.

In manylaws, the concept of gender violence is applied to violence against women. This type of violence includes dynamics of domination, threats and the arbitrary deprivation of political and civil liberties in the social, domestic, political or labor spheres.

Among the most aberrant acts of gender violence are: female infanticide, rape, forced prostitution, abortions based on the sex of the unborn, violence against prostitutes, genital mutilation, human trafficking, harassment and harassment withinorganizations, domestic violence.

See also:Sexism

Types of gender violence

• Physical violence. Action that is performed in order to produce pain or injury. This type of aggression affects theintegrity physical of the person and occurs in work, social or family relationships.
• Psychological violence Action carried out in order to produce feelings of devaluation and suffering in the victim. These acts can be: insults, attitudes of control and reproaches, humiliations, lack ofI respect, among others. Although its consequences are difficult to detect, in the long term they affect the emotional stability of the victim.
• Sexual violence Action that violates (by force or threat) theLiberty of a person to choose when, how and in what way to have sex. Sexual violence includes rape and abuse.
• Economic violence. Action that involves the retention, destruction or theft of property or money illegitimately by the perpetrator. This type of aggression usually occurs in the domestic sphere and produces the reduction or total elimination of the physical and mental well-being of the victim and their children.
• Symbolic violence. Oppression that is exerted on an individual (through messages that establishstereotypes of gender) that forces him to take an inferior position with respect to people of another gender.
• Domestic violence Violent action carried out by a member of the family group about another; it can occur between blood relatives or members by affinity, such as a couple.
• Institutional violence. Acts perpetuated by officials and employees belonging to any institution or organization to hinder the exercise of rights and obtaining benefits of an individual.
• Obstetric violence. Violent action that occurs towards pregnant and non-pregnant women by the workers of the health sector. For example: the abuse of medicalization or dehumanized treatment.

Causes of gender violence

• Gender stereotypes. The difference in roles that is imposed on individuals according to their gender generates attitudes of discrimination and intolerance within the different areas of a society. This unequal treatment that is given to individuals according to their gender can lead to situations of violence.
• Prejudices cultural The macho ideology proliferates the idea of ​​male superiority and primacy over people of another gender. Machismo uses violence as a control mechanism, these patterns of conduct they are usually passed down from generation to generation.
• Desires for power and domination. Individuals of the masculine gender exert violence on persons of another gender to strengthen their authority and their belief superiority.

Consequences of gender violence

• In physical health. It can cause minor or serious physical injury and up to death of the victim. Main injuries: burns, trauma, contusions, worsening of pre-existing diseases.
• In mental health. It can produce irreversible emotional damage to the victim. Main consequences: low self-esteem, emotional instability, anxiety, eating or sleeping disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, suicide attempt.
• In reproductive health. Forced sexual relations can lead to sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies. Violence in pregnant women can lead to miscarriages.
• In the social health. It can produce social isolation from the victim, deterioration in social relationships. One of the consequences of domestic violence is the exposure of children in the family to situations of violence.

Violence against men

The laws of various countries attribute the concept of gender violence to violence against women. The distinction made regarding violence against men is that it does not necessarily occur due to a gender issue. However, violence against men exists and must be denounced.

Gender prejudices and stereotypes mean that the number of complaints is much lower than the cases in which men suffer domestic violence. There are organizations that work to make this type of violence visible, since in many cases the victim does not dare to report it.

In contexts determined, such as wars or the prison service, the male gender is exposed and is a victim of physical, mental and sexual violence.

How to prevent gender violence?

One of the main ways to avoid gender-based violence is prevention. It is important that the members of the societies work together to make the problem visible and prevent new cases and victims.

Domestic environment

• Educate boys and girls about gender equality and respect for others.
• Report in case of suffering or witnessing gender violence.
• Find out about the measures to take into account in the event of violence.

Social ambit

• Guarantee the presence of women in all spheres of society.
• Break down sexist stereotypes that contribute to gender disparities.
• Condemn violent practices on public roads and in public spaces.
• Report in case of witnessing an act of gender violence.

Political and legislative sphere

• Develop policies, programs and campaigns that give visibility to the problem and that support the victims.
• Generate safe environments and environments to avoid violence.
• Enact laws that punish violent behavior and defend the victim.
• Enable fast and effective reporting channels.

What to do in the event of gender violence?

If I am a victim:

• Give notice. Call the police or the gender violence hotline.
• Save documentation. Choose a safe place and also include the documentation of the children, if they exist.
• Seek medical attention. Go to a health care center, the party issuing that seat will be referred to the local court in case of initiating legal actions. In the medical care center, a psychologist can take skills to record the psychological state at the time of the attack.
• Collect evidence. HavePhotographs of the injuries and look for witnesses who may have seen or heard the acts of violence.
• Report the assault. Make the complaint at any police station, it is not necessary to have a lawyer and the identity of the complainant can be reserved.
• Request a protection order. According to the case, it implies exclusion from the home, prohibition of approach and perimeter against the aggressor.

If I am a witness:
On public roads

• Report, in most of the cities there is a free line to report cases of gender violence. If it does not exist, call the police.
• Call the attention of passersby to intimidate the attacker.
• Offer help and support to the victim.

In the domestic sphere

• Listen and accompany the victim.
• Offer help to make the relevant report.
• Offer help to guide you with public and private organizations that deal with this problem.
• Understand that it may be a delicate physical and psychological moment for the victim, so it is advisable not to exert any kind of pressure on her.