‘Violence against women and children’ is a broad term that encompasses trespasses of many shapes and forms. None of which is acceptable.
This concept includes:
1. Physical Violence: Hitting, slapping, kicking, or using other physical force intended to injure or harm.
2. Sexual Violence: Forced sexual acts, and exploitation, including harassment and unwanted sexual advances. This can occur within relationships or by strangers and often includes children and human trafficking.
3. Emotional and Psychological Abuse: Verbal abuse, intimidation, threats, controlling behaviour, isolation, and other actions that erode the mental health and self-worth of the victim. This includes manipulation, name-calling, humiliation, and gaslighting.
4. Economic or Financial Abuse: Controlling access to financial resources, preventing the victim from working or attending school, and restricting their economic independence. This can include withholding money, restricting access to funds, or sabotaging employment.
5. Neglect: Failing to meet the basic needs of children, including lack of proper food, shelter, medical care, education, and emotional support. Neglect is a form of abuse, especially concerning children, as it impairs their development.
6. Cultural or Structural Violence: Societal norms and practices that discriminate against or devalue women and children, contributing to systemic disadvantages. This can include harmful traditional practices.
7. Digital or Online Violence: Cyberbullying, stalking, or harassment through social media, text messages, or other online platforms. This form of violence includes spreading harmful or non-consensual images or information.
8. Being sexually unfaithful to a child’s other parent is not generally categorized as “abuse” in the way that direct harm or neglect is to a child. Yet infidelity of one or both spouses can have indirect emotional effects on children, depending on how it affects the family dynamics and the well-being of the parents.
When infidelity leads to high levels of conflict, separation, or divorce, children may experience emotional stress, confusion, or a sense of instability. This can indirectly impact their mental health and development, especially if parental conflict becomes intense or if it disrupts the child’s sense of security and family structure.
These forms of abuse and violence often intersect, creating complex, layered experiences for the victims, who may suffer from multiple forms of abuse simultaneously.
Nobody wants to know about this, but it is real and it is happening, even under our noses.
Over the next few days we will be sharing a few letters and poems from people we know. Most prefer to stay anonymous…They are beautiful, brave women who dared to share, and let their voices be heard. Thank you so very much in advance.