White Ribbon Australia uses the definition of violence against women found in the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women.

“Any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life”

Violence against women affects women’s well-being and prevents them from fully participating in society. It impacts on families, the community and the nation.

Violence against women is a gendered issue

To prevent violence against women, we must understand its gendered nature:

• Women are far more likely than men to experience sexual violence and violence from an intimate partner, and with more severe impacts.
• Women are more likely than men to be afraid of, hospitalised by, or killed by an intimate partner.
• Around 95% of all victims of violence, whether women or men, experience violence from a male perpetrator.

Violence against women occurs across cultures and communities. It takes many forms, including physical, sexual, social, emotional, cultural, spiritual and financial abuse, and a wide range of controlling, coercive and intimidating behaviour. Regardless of the form it takes, it is understood to be most often used by men and its impact is to limit and control women’s independence.

It’s important to understand that violence against women does not always need to involve physical abuse – often other forms of abuse (for example verbal abuse and threats, social isolation, limiting access to money) can be enough to impact a person’s behaviour and cause them to be fearful. Women often describe these non-physical forms of abuse as being severely damaging to their self-esteem, independence and wellbeing.

White Ribbon Australia understands that the range of types of violence and their impacts on women and girls occur on a continuum, so that behaviours such as sexist jokes are seen as resulting from the same culture that enables physical and sexual assault, and murder of women and girls. This understanding explains why the impact of various kinds of abuse on women and girls increases with experiences, and can affect their safety and wellbeing in different ways.

White Ribbon Australia joins with men in their own communities to look for opportunities to build a culture where women don’t experience violence and abuse. By doing this we are creating a safer and healthier space for women, men and diverse identities.

*Source White Ribbon Australia www.whiteribbon.org.au

White Ribbon Day is held on in Australia on November 19th, with International White Ribbon Day on November 25th and is an annual day to raise awareness of family violence. The day is delivered each year by the White Ribbon Campaign.

Violence against women is a global problem, and we need to do something about it.

On White Ribbon Day and the 16 days to end violence against women that follow (25th of November to 5th of December) we are asking people in their communities, organisations and workplaces, to come together, and say ‘no’ to violence against women.

When men lead by example as allies for gender equality then change will happen faster. We can all play our part – at home or work; on the sports field or in the classroom – every man has an important role to play in ending male violence towards women.

*Source White Ribbon