Violence against women

Violence Against Women (VAW) describes types of abuse and violent acts that are primarily or exclusively experienced by women (also known as gender based violence).

The United Nations defines ‘Violence against Women’, as a ‘form of discrimination against women and a violation of human rights and shall mean all acts of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life’.

The main categories of abuse under the category of Violence Against Women are: