This book provides comprehensive information about various types of gender-based violence (GBV) and abuse. GBV is a major public health and social problem that affects people, mostly women and girls, in every community, culture, and country. GBV refers to the violence or a pattern of abusive behaviours including physical aggression, sexual coercion, psychological abuse and controlling behaviours resulting in physical, sexual or psychological harm. It is associated with severe physical and psychological consequences, and can result in death. .
GBV can take many forms including female foeticide, infanticide, female genital mutilation, child marriage, grooming, trafficking, forced marriage, dowry- related abuse, honour-based violence, rape, sexual assault, stalking, harassment, street violence, abuse against older people, domestic violence, and intimate partner violence. It can take place in public, private and virtual settings, and within the context of intimate, familial, community and institutional relationships. While all these forms affect girls and women more, boys and men can also be exposed of various forms of violence including child abuse, sexual abuse, wartime violence, corporal punishment to name a few.
This book takes a unique approach and presents an overview of gender-based violence and related practices throughout the world. The book is written in a user friendly manner in order to be accessible as an introductory text to a wide range of readers including students, practitioners and researchers. Edited by a public health academic and a social worker, with contributions representing a wide range of disciplines, the book will appeal to many professions including nurses, midwives, social care and social work practitioners, police, teachers, psychologists, and sociologists.