The Different Forms of Gender-Based Violence in Society

Gender-based violence is not a singular phenomenon. It manifests in multiple forms across different spaces-from the privacy of homes to public streets and even in areas controlled by state forces. Understanding these categories helps us recognize how deeply embedded violence is in social structures and how it operates at various levels to maintain power imbalances. According to UN Women, gender-based violence affects women disproportionately and includes acts that inflict physical, mental, or sexual harm.

Violence within the family 🔗

The home, traditionally seen as a place of safety, is often the most dangerous space for women and children. Family-based violence encompasses a range of harmful behaviors that occur within domestic settings, where power dynamics and economic dependencies create conditions for sustained abuse.

Domestic violence and intimate partner violence 🔗

Domestic violence refers to violent acts committed by family members or intimate partners. Intimate partner violence specifically involves behavior by current or former partners that causes physical, sexual, or psychological harm. This can include physical aggression like hitting or choking, sexual coercion including marital rape, psychological tactics such as intimidation and isolation, and economic abuse where one partner controls all financial resources.

The impact extends far beyond the immediate victim. Children who witness domestic violence often experience behavioral and emotional disturbances that can affect their development and may lead to them either perpetrating or experiencing violence later in life. The United Nations Population Fund reports that almost one in three women worldwide have experienced intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence at least once in their lifetime.

Dowry-related violence 🔗

Dowry-related violence represents a specific and deadly form of family-based abuse. This occurs when a bride’s family is deemed to have provided insufficient dowry, leading to harassment, torture, or murder by the husband and his relatives. Research indicates that India reports the highest total number of such deaths, with female dowry deaths accounting for approximately half of all female homicides recorded annually in the country.

Despite legal prohibitions, an average of 20 women die every day from dowry-related violence in India. The practice continues partly because dowry is often disguised as gifts to the groom’s family. Women may be subjected to years of harassment and abuse, with cases sometimes ending in bride burning-where women are set on fire, often disguised as suicide or accident.

Community-based violence 🔗

Beyond the family unit, women face violence in their broader communities. Community-based violence occurs in public spaces and social settings, often perpetuated by societal norms and attitudes that normalize aggression against women.

Assault and harassment in public spaces 🔗

Women regularly experience various forms of assault and harassment in public areas-on streets, in workplaces, on public transportation, and in educational institutions. Sexual harassment may involve unwelcome touching, lewd comments about appearance or body parts, sharing sexual jokes or anecdotes, and repeatedly asking someone for dates despite refusals.

This pervasive threat restricts women’s freedom of movement and access to public spaces. Many women modify their behavior, avoid certain areas, or limit their activities due to fear of harassment or assault. The normalization of such behavior in communities reinforces gender inequality and sends the message that public spaces are not equally safe for all.

Human trafficking 🔗

Human trafficking represents one of the most severe forms of community-based violence. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, traffickers use force, fraud, and coercion to compel victims into commercial sex or forced labor. Women and girls are the primary targets, with girls mainly trafficked for sexual exploitation.

Analysis from the International Organization for Migration’s database shows that among trafficking victims, experiences of physical and sexual violence are significantly higher among women and girls, with those in sexual exploitation facing particularly elevated risks. Trafficking often begins with vulnerability-recent migration, substance use issues, mental health concerns, involvement with child welfare systems, or being a runaway or homeless youth.

Societal norms perpetuating violence 🔗

Community-based violence persists because harmful social norms excuse or justify it. Cultural beliefs about male authority, victim-blaming attitudes, and inadequate legal responses all contribute to creating environments where violence against women is tolerated. When communities fail to challenge these norms or hold perpetrators accountable, they essentially condone the violence.

State-condoned violence 🔗

Perhaps the most troubling category is violence committed or enabled by state actors. When those responsible for protecting citizens become perpetrators, it represents a fundamental betrayal of the social contract and creates an environment of total impunity.

Custodial violence and police brutality 🔗

Custodial violence refers to abuse that occurs when individuals are in the custody or control of law enforcement or state authorities. This includes violence in police stations, detention centers, and prisons. While data on gender-specific custodial violence remains limited, broader police violence statistics reveal concerning patterns.

According to recent research, police in the United States kill more than 1,100 civilians annually, with marginalized communities disproportionately affected. About one million people experience police threat or use of force during interactions each year, with approximately 250,000 civilians injured by law enforcement annually. The lack of accountability remains striking-less than one percent of police killings result in criminal charges against officers.

Sexual violence in militarized areas and conflict zones 🔗

In conflict zones, sexual violence becomes a weapon of war. The United Nations has verified more than 51,000 cases of conflict-related sexual violence over the past decade, with 2023 alone seeing over 3,600 verified cases-a 50 percent increase from the previous year. Women and girls account for 95 percent of verified cases, and in 32 percent of instances, the victims are children.

Sexual violence in conflict includes systematic rape, sexual slavery, forced pregnancy, forced sterilization, and other acts designed to terrorize populations and destroy community bonds. International humanitarian law explicitly prohibits such acts, yet they persist across numerous conflict zones including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Ethiopia, Haiti, Myanmar, and Ukraine.

The consequences extend across generations. Survivors face physical injuries, unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and severe psychological trauma including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Children born from conflict-related rape often face rejection and stigma, perpetuating cycles of trauma and marginalization.

State complicity and impunity 🔗

State-condoned violence thrives in environments where accountability mechanisms are weak or absent. When governments fail to investigate abuses, prosecute perpetrators, or provide justice to survivors, they effectively authorize continued violence. This complicity can take many forms: refusing to acknowledge violations, blocking investigations, protecting perpetrators through immunity laws, or failing to provide adequate legal protections and support services for survivors.

In militarized zones, the breakdown of civilian oversight and the elevation of military authority create conditions where sexual violence can occur with minimal consequences. Armed groups operating with state backing may use rape and assault as deliberate tactics, knowing that the chaos of conflict and lack of functioning justice systems will shield them from accountability.

Interconnected forms of violence 🔗

These categories are not isolated. Women often experience multiple forms of violence simultaneously or sequentially. A woman fleeing domestic violence may become vulnerable to trafficking. Survivors of conflict-related sexual violence may face continued community stigma and family rejection. Economic violence within families may trap women in situations where they cannot escape physical abuse.

Understanding these intersections is crucial for developing effective responses. Prevention strategies must address the root causes of gender inequality while also targeting specific manifestations of violence. Support services need to recognize that survivors may need assistance across multiple domains-safety, healthcare, legal aid, economic empowerment, and psychological support.

What do you think? How can communities better challenge the social norms that perpetuate gender-based violence? What role should states play in ensuring accountability for violence occurring both within families and in public spaces?

References

1. https://www.unwomen.org/en/articles/faqs/faqs-types-of-violence-against-women-and-girls
2. https://www.unfpa.org/gender-based-violence
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowry_death
4. https://thediplomat.com/2025/08/dowry-related-violence-continues-to-claim-the-lives-of-indias-daughters/
5. https://www.dhs.gov/human-trafficking-quick-facts
6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8637135/
7. https://www.security.org/resources/police-brutality-statistics/
8. https://www.un.org/en/peace-and-security/page/conflict-related-sexual-violence
9. https://www.icrc.org/en/document/sexual-violence-armed-conflict-questions-and-answers