Domestic Violence - Information for Women

Violence against women causes immense pain and suffering and is a major concern. The Dundee Violence Against Women Partnership brings agencies together to tackle such abuse.

Violence against women is used to describe forms of violence which are mainly experienced by women and perpetrated by men. The Dundee Violence Against Women Partnership defines violence against women as including:

• Domestic abuse
• Rape and sexual assault
• Childhood sexual abuse (including incest)
• Sexual harassment and intimidation at work and in public spaces
• Prostitution and other forms of commercial sexual exploitation
• Pornography
• Trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation
• Dowry-related violence
• Female genital mutilation
• Forced marriage
• Child marriages
• Honour crimes
   

The partnership adopts a gender-based definition, understanding and analysis of violence against women. All members work with this definition and understanding of violence against women whilst they are acting as members of the partnership.

The partnership does not deny or minimise the use of violence against men or within same sex relationships. However, the use of a gender-based analysis acknowledges the historical context of violence against women within a society that affords greater status, power and control to men that it does to women.