Violence against women can include different treatment based on gender stereotypes and through subtle control of women’s lives, bodies and sexuality.
This violence stems from historically unequal power relations between women and men. It represents an issue that concerns the whole population as it constitutes an infringement upon a person’s rights and freedoms.
Violence against women can manifest in various ways. The best known are domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual exploitation and femicide, but violence against women is also:
sexual harassment in the workplace
honour-based violence
genital mutilation and cutting
reproductive coercion
anti-feminist remarks and attacks
sexist jokes
harassment on the streets
online hostility
etc.
Gender stereotypes and sexism contribute to maintaining gender-based violence as they:
result in judgments or expectations that differ according to a person’s gender
influence the connections and relationships between women and men
promote the maintenance of unequal power relations between the genders
The fight to counter gender stereotypes and sexism and the promotion of egalitarian relationships constitute the first step toward achieving gender equality in fact. Egalitarian relationships help to prevent violence against women.
In Québec, girls and women represent the majority of victims of domestic violence, sexual harassment, sexual assault and sexual exploitation. According to data reported in 2019 by police forces in Québec, women represent:
76% of victims of domestic violence
88% of victims of sexual assault
95% of victims of crimes related to pimping and human trafficking
Some people find themselves in contexts of increased vulnerability in relation to violence against women. Included are people of sexual and gender diversity, the elderly, immigrant or racialized women, Indigenous women and those living in poverty or with disabilities.
Violence in any form is an obstacle to the victim’s full participation in society. Among other things, it causes:
physical injuries
anxiety disorders
concentration problems
low self-esteem
loss of trust in others
financial insecurity
addiction problems
suicidal thoughts
It also creates social and economic consequences that affect society as a whole, such as:
absenteeism and decreased productivity at work
increased requests for physical and psychological healthcare and social services
requests for police, judicial and penal services
Through various actions (awareness raising, training, intervention, guidance, research), respect for the fundamental rights of everyone is ensured, as well as contributing to the evolution of mindsets and behaviours for a peaceful and more egalitarian society.
