Types of Abuse

Types of Abuse

Types of Abuse

Violence against women (VAW), also known as gender-based violence is fierce acts committed against women and girls that bring physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering to women. Violence against women exists at different levels. Following are the forms of violence against women.

Physical Violence/Abuse

Physical abuse is any intentional act causing injury or trauma to another person or animal by way of bodily contact.

  • Hitting, slapping, punching, kicking
  • Burning
  • Strangulation
  • Spitting or biting
  • Physical restraint e.g. pinning against the wall or bed.
  • Driving dangerously
  • Compelling her to abuse a substance or forced feeding
  • Use of weapons
  • Intentional use of physical force that can cause Death, Disability, Injury, and Harm

Domestic Violence/Abuse

Domestic Violence is a pattern of behavior that involves violence or other abuse by one person against another in a domestic setting. Domestic abuse occurs whenever one person in an intimate relationship or marriage tries to dominate and control the other person. Domestic violence occurs to gain and maintain total control over you. An abuser doesn’t “play fair.” He uses fear, guilt, shame, and intimidation to wear you down and keep you under his thumb. Your abuser may also threaten you, hurt you, or hurt those around you. Domestic Violence occurs within all age ranges, ethnic backgrounds, and economic levels. while women are more commonly victimized, men are also abused—especially verbally and emotionally.

  • Hitting, slapping, punching, kicking
  • Burning
  • Strangulation
  • Spitting or biting
  • Physical restraint e.g. pinning against the wall or bed.
  • Driving dangerously
  • Sleep and food deprivation
  • Refusing medical care and/or controlling medication
  • Reproductive coercion
  • Compelling her to abuse a substance or forced feeding
  • Use of weapons
  • Intentional use of physical force that can cause Death, Disability, Injury and Harm

Sexual Violence/Abuse

Sexual violence is any sexual act or attempt to obtain a sexual act by violence or coercion, acts to traffic a person or acts directed against a person’s sexuality, regardless of the relationship to the victim. It can be in different forms such as Rape, Stripping, Exhibitionism, Sexual photography, Incest, forced prostitution, Trafficking for sexual exploitation, Stalking, Eve-Teasing and Sexual harassment.

  1. Rape/Marital rape
  • Against her will
  • Without her consent
  • When the consent has been obtained by putting her in fear of death or of hurt
  • With or without her consent when she is under 16 years of age

2. Pursuing sexual activity when the victim is not fully conscious or is afraid to say no

3. Hurting partner physically during sex

4. Coercing partner to have sex without protection / sabotaging birth control

5. Stripping

6. Exhibitionism

7. Unwanted touching

8. Unwanted exposure to pornography

9. Sexual photography

10. Incest

11. Forcing a partner to have sex with other people

12. Forced prostitution

13. Trafficking for sexual exploitation

Emotional/Psychological Violence/Abuse

The behavior characterized by a person subjecting, or exposing another person that may result in psychological trauma;

  • Imposing Restrictions on freedom of movement
  • Controlling activities: discourages you from seeing friends or family
  • Name-calling, insulting, Shaming, humiliating even in front of others
  • Blaming for everything
  • Constantly accusing of cheating or else
  • Intimidation/terrorizing: Gets angry in a way that is frightening to you
  • Damaging personal property
  • Causing Isolation
  • Stalking, wants to know what you’re doing all the time be in constant contact
  • The behavior that may result in psychological trauma
  • Harassment online and offline
  • Demands passwordforto things like your phone, email, and social media and shows other signs of digital abuse
  • Threatens to hurt you, people you care about, or pets
  • Threatens to call the authorities to report you for wrongdoing
  • Threatens to harm himself when upset with you
  • Says things like, “If I can’t have you, then no one can”
  • Decides things for you that you should decide (like what to wear or eat)

Economic/Financial Violence/Abuse

Any act or behaviour which causes economic harm to an individual. Economic violence can take the form of, for example, property damage; restricted access to financial resources, education or the labour market, or not complying with economic responsibilities, such as alimony.

  • Take control of all the money and resources
  • Controlling financial assets and effectively putting her on an allowance
  • Damaging her credit score
  • Refusing to give her access to bank accounts
  • Conceal financial information from her
  • Urging or demanding her to quit the job
  • Inflicting physical harm or injury that would prevent her from attending work
  • Stalking or harassing her at work
  • Giving her a set amount of money to spend and no more
  • Constantly questioning purchases, she makes and demanding to see receipts
  • Making financial decisions without consulting her
  • Using her credit card without permission
  • Sell a property that is hers
  • Refusing to work or contribute to household expenses
  • Not paying child support so she can’t afford rent, food, and other needed items

Harassment/sexual harassment/ Stalking online/offline

  • Harassment means any unwelcome sexual advance
  • Request for sexual favors
  • Physical conduct of a sexual nature
  • Sexually demeaning attitudes
  • Harassment and sexual harassment at the work-place
  • Stalking
  • Eve-Teasing, Whistling or catcalling
  • Obscene verbal or written communication
  • Physical conduct of a sexual nature
  • Harass, bully and torture online through social media
  • Making comments about your clothing, body, behavior, or romantic relationships
  • Making sexual jokes or comments
  • Repeatedly asking you out on a date after you have said no
  • Requesting sexual photos or videos of you
  • Threatening you for saying no to a sexual request
  • Spreading rumors about your personal or sexual life
  • Sending online links or photos with explicit or graphic sexual content

Honor Crime

The homicide of a member of a family or social group due to the belief that the victim has brought dishonor upon the family or the community.

Acid throwing

The act of throwing acid or a corrosive substance onto the body of another intentionally.

Forced marriage

Forcing a girl to marry without her consent or against her will.

Child marriage

Marriage of a girl before reaching the age of 16.

Anti-woman cultural practices

  • Denial of medical care
  • Giving females in marriage or otherwise in Badl-e-Sulah,
  • Practice of Wanni, where in young girls are forcibly married, as part of the punishment for a crime committed by their male relatives.
  • Practice of Swara, where young girls are forcibly married to members of clans to resolve any feuds
  • Marriage with Holy Qura’an