Understanding Gender Based Sexual Violence Against Women And Girls

Gender-based sexual violence is a widespread public health problem affecting people of all ages and from diverse backgrounds. Although both women and men experience sexual trauma across countries and contexts (e.g., military vs. civilian), prevalence rates of sexual trauma are higher among women, and women and girls may often be targeted due to their sex and rigidly held beliefs about gender roles. Experiences of sexual violence can have a myriad of negative outcomes for survivors, including implications for mental health and physical health difficulties. The content of this book encompasses a foundation for understanding the impact of gender-based sexual violence, common mental and physical health difficulties associated sexual assault, and trauma-informed care. This volume also addresses evidence-based psychotherapies for trauma survivors as well as emotional difficulties that may affect providers who work with this population (e.g., burnout, secondary traumatic stress). After reading this book, the authors hope readers have a deeper understanding of gender-based sexual violence and can meaningfully apply the practical skills provided throughout this text, whether in support of loved ones or in their daily work. Finally, the authors hope all readers experience decreased stigma, including self-stigma, related to gender-based violence.

This book aims to bring together the pioneering research on gender based violence that has been conducted by the Centre for Gender and Violence Research at the School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol. Topics discussed include violence in young people’s relationships, prostitution policy, disabled women’s experiences of domestic violence, men as victims of domestic violence, feminist movements and methodological concerns. This book will have a wide appeal, as each individual chapter builds on and contributes to existing global and national concerns about gender based violence. The book starts with an exploration of key theoretical, conceptual and methodological issues in researching gender based violence, then moves on to look at specific national (UK) based empirical studies. The final section brings together a wide range of research from diverse contexts, ranging from China, Iran, India and refugee camps in Rwanda. The book will be an invaluable resource for researchers, students and practitioners who have an interest in this area, as well as for policymakers around the world. It will also be of interest to the general reader who wants to learn more about what is now a highly topical issue.

This edited book brings together the voices and insights of survivors, practitioners, educators and researchers working to prevent and minimise the harms of gender-based violence, with a specific focus on equipping health professionals and social workers to support victim-survivors. Practitioners can, and often do, play a critical role supporting victim-survivors of gender-based violence; however, this work has historically been carried out by those in specialist roles and there remains gaps and inconsistencies in education and training for qualifying and post-qualified professionals. This book makes a valuable contribution to addressing these gaps. It provides practitioners with a comprehensive resource on contemporary debates and research in the field of gender-based violence. To support readers’ learning, each chapter contains reflective exercises and draws clear links between research, theory and practice. The book is structured into four sections. The first section considers the ‘rise’ of gender-based violence in policy and practice, and questions to what extent this once marginalised perspective has become embedded in health and social work training and education. The second section of the book explores some of the expressions, contexts and implications of gender-based violence. Each chapter considers the role of health care professionals and social workers and invites the reader to reflect on their (potential) role in these areas. The third section of the collection focuses on one of the most common forms of gender-based violence that health and social work professionals are likely to encounter: physical, psychological, sexual and financial violence by an intimate partner, who may also be a parent. Finally, the fourth section showcases innovative responses to supporting victim-survivors and challenging systems that contribute to gender inequality. The intention of this book is to equip health care professionals and social workers with critical, practical and ethical resources to help them work with victim-survivors and, where possible, engage in transformative efforts to end the harms of gendered inequalities and violence.

This book discusses the pervasiveness of violence against women (VAW) in India and traces its evolution as a public health concern. It highlights the fundamental relationship between health and violence and identifies institutional gaps, which hinder comprehensive healthcare and support to VAW survivors. The volume brings together in-depth case studies from various states and civil society organisations on their initiatives to help bring adequate support and health services to women affected by VAW. These include engagement with hospitals to increase awareness and sensitivity among health service providers and community-run health clinics for marginalised women. The book documents the mobilising efforts of feminists, community-based organisations, state institutions, and CSOs in developing comprehensive healthcare responses and bringing violence against women into the public health discourse. It provides insights into the lack of guidelines for responding to sexual violence in medical and nursing education, and the way that the police and the justice system function in India. This book will be of interest to public health professionals, and students and researchers in public health, gender studies, social work, and sociology. It will also be useful for policymakers and for professionals working for thinktanks or CSOs working on developing health system responses to VAW.

This book provides university students, policy makers, activists, public health workers, clinicians, and lay citizens alike with a vivid overview of the scope of the problem of gender-based violence worldwide, as well as a sense of the important work now underway to eradicate it. An integration of a vast range of data and insights from all the major disciplines that have contributed to our understanding of this problem, this book is invaluable as a classroom text. The authors have been guided throughout this work by the desire to contribute a document that would move the current international discourse along by providing an historical, interdisciplinary overview that is at once critical, constructive, and visionary.

Sexual Assault in Canada is the first English-language book in almost two decades to assess the state of sexual assault law and legal practice in Canada. Gathering together feminist scholars, lawyers, activists and policy-makers, it presents a picture of the difficult issues that Canadian women face when reporting and prosecuting sexual violence. The volume addresses many themes including the systematic undermining of women who have been sexually assaulted, the experiences of marginalized women, and the role of women’s activism. It explores sexual assault in various contexts, including professional sports, the doctor–patient relationship, and residential schools. And it highlights the influence of certain players in the reporting and litigation of sexual violence, including health care providers, social workers, police, lawyers and judges. Sexual Assault in Canada provides both a multi-faceted assessment of the progress of feminist reforms to Canadian sexual assault law and practice, and articulates a myriad of new ideas, proposed changes to law, and inspired activist strategies. This book was created to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Jane Doe’s remarkable legal victory against the Toronto police for sex discrimination in the policing of rape and for negligence in failing to warn her of a serial rapist. The case made legal history and motivated a new generation of feminist activists. This book honours her pioneering work by reflecting on how law, legal practice and activism have evolved over the past decade and where feminist research and reform should lead in the years to come.

A health-care provider is likely to be the first professional contact for survivors of intimate partner violence or sexual assault. Evidence suggests that women who have been subjected to violence seek health care more often than non-abused women, even if they do not disclose the associated violence. They also identify health-care providers as the professionals they would most trust with disclosure of abuse. These guidelines are an unprecedented effort to equip healthcare providers with evidence-based guidance as to how to respond to intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women. They also provide advice for policy makers, encouraging better coordination and funding of services, and greater attention to responding to sexual violence and partner violence within training programmes for health care providers. The guidelines are based on systematic reviews of the evidence, and cover: 1. identification and clinical care for intimate partner violence 2. clinical care for sexual assault 3. training relating to intimate partner violence and sexual assault against women 4. policy and programmatic approaches to delivering services 5. mandatory reporting of intimate partner violence. The guidelines aim to raise awareness of violence against women among health-care providers and policy-makers, so that they better understand the need for an appropriate health-sector response. They provide standards that can form the basis for national guidelines, and for integrating these issues into health-care provider education.

This book discusses the pervasiveness of violence against women (VAW) in India and traces its evolution as a public health concern. It highlights the fundamental relationship between health and violence and identifies institutional gaps, which hinder comprehensive healthcare and support to VAW survivors. The volume brings together in-depth case studies from various states and civil society organisations on their initiatives to help bring adequate support and health services to women affected by VAW. These include engagement with hospitals to increase awareness and sensitivity among health service providers and community-run health clinics for marginalised women. The book documents the mobilising efforts of feminists, community-based organisations, state institutions, and CSOs in developing comprehensive healthcare responses and bringing violence against women into the public health discourse. It provides insights into the lack of guidelines for responding to sexual violence in medical and nursing education, and the way that the police and the justice system function in India. This book will be of interest to public health professionals, and students and researchers in public health, gender studies, social work, and sociology. It will also be useful for policymakers and for professionals working for thinktanks or CSOs working on developing health system responses to VAW.