ĭefinitions such as these apply to instances where gender is the basis for violence carried out against a person. Gender-based violence against women shall mean violence that is directed against a woman because she is a woman or that affects women disproportionately 5. For example, in the Council of Europe’s Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), Article 3 offers the following definition: In more recent legal documents, there are examples of the two terms being merged, and the term ‘gender-based violence against women’ is used. The UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women defines violence against women asĪny 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 deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life 4.
Gender-based violence and violence against women are two terms that are often used interchangeably, as most violence against women is inflicted (by men) for gender-based reasons, and gender-based violence affects women disproportionately.
