Women in an Insecure World

Abstract

All of these cases are evidence of violence committed against women, for the reason that they are women, i.e. because the status that society accords to their gender permits men (for the most part) to behave violently against women (for the most part). It is obvious that other groups of the population may be affected in a similar manner, but female victims of gender-based violence deserve special attention, not only because they represent the majority of victims, but also because, as opposed to children or the elderly, women can fight the violence both actively and effectively.² Gender-based violence is both of a physical and psychological nature and cuts through all cultures and societies. It is committed within the family (battering, sexual abuse of female children, dowry-related violence, marital rape, female genital circumcision, and other traditional practices that have proven to be harmful to women; non-spousal violence, and violence that accompanies various forms of female exploitation), in communities (sexual abuse, harassment, and intimidation in the workplace and educational institutions, trafficking in women, and forced prostitution), as well as in society at large (see Table 1).

Citation

Vlachová, M. (2005), "Women in an Insecure World", Caforio, G. and Kümmel, G. (Ed.) Military Missions and their Implications Reconsidered: The Aftermath of September 11th (Contributions to Conflict Management, Peace Economics and Development, Vol. 2), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 299-311. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1572-8323(05)02016-3