GENDER SENSITIVE LANGUAGE

GENDER SENSITIVITY

is about being considerate of the opposite gender’s feelings.

It is the process by which people are made aware of how gender plays a role in life through their treatment

of others.

The Premise for Gender Sensitivity

It’s not Pitying Women.

It’s not male bashing.

It not Anti-male.

It’s not a war of sexes.

Both Men and Women are VICTIMS of Gender Inequality, although the VICTIMS are more often the women than men.

Both Men and Women have a stake in the struggle for gender equality.

Gender-Fair Language

 selecting words that are gender neutral or gender inclusive

 aims at reducing gender stereotyping and discrimination

Two principle strategies: Neutralization and Feminization

Neutralization - replacing male-masculine forms (policeman) with gender-unmarked forms (police officer)

Feminization - the use of feminine forms to make female referents visible (i.e., the applicant… he or she instead of the
applicant)

Things to avoid when promoting GFL

Language that uses the generic masculine- excludes women and renders them invisible

Sexist language Gender-Fair Language

An employee should wear his ID at all times Employees should wear their ID at all times.

The teacher is usually appointed on the basis of his training. Teachers are usually appointed on the basis of their

training

Things to avoid when promoting GFL

2. Language that involves the use of suffixes (-ess,-ette,-trix,-enne)

Current usage: Alternative:

Actress Actor
Usherette Usher
Heroine Heroes

Things to avoid when promoting GFL

3. Use of sex-linked modifiers

Current usage: alternative:

Lady Justices Justices

Working mothers wage earners

Male secretary secretary

Things to avoid when promoting GFL

4. The use of certain terminologies in designating occupations, positions and roles can call attention to a person’s sex.

Current usage: alternative:

Delivery boy deliverers

Motherhood/fatherhood parenthood

Things to avoid when promoting GFL

5. The use of some terminologies can disparage and marginalize women or persons of another gender.

Current usage: Alternative:

Chick girl, woman

Bachelorette, spinster unmarried women

Things to avoid when promoting GFL

6. Language as seen in the use of some phrases fosters unequal gender relations (e.g lack of parallelism)

Current usage: Alternative:

Man and wife husband and wife

Guidelines for use of gender-fair language

Use the plural form for both nouns and pronouns

Example:

Biased Language: The carpenter can perform his job in a better way if he makes use of the latest manual.

Gender Sensitive Language: Carpenters can perform their job in a better way if they make use of the latest manual.

Guidelines for use of gender-fair language

Avoid the use of pronouns

Example
Biased Language: Each chemist should send one of her chemical-tests to the laboratory.

Gender Sensitive Language: Each chemist should send one chemical-test to the laboratory.

Guidelines for use of gender-fair language

Use he or she (or his or her) when you occasionally need to stress the action of an individual

Example

Biased Language: Each applicant must submit his resumé.

Gender Sensitive Language: Each applicant must submit his or her resumé.

Guidelines for use of gender-fair language

Substitute articles (the, a, an) for his; and who for he

Example 1

Biased Language: The director must submit his annual report by the end of next month.

Gender Sensitive Language: The director must submit the annual report by the end of next month.

Example 2

Biased Language: If the student writes an essay plan, he will save a lot of effort.

Gender Sensitive Language: The student, who writes an essay plan, saves a lot of effort

Guidelines for use of gender-fair language

Shift from third person singular (he or she) to second person, when and where appropriate

Example

Biased Language: Every kindergarten assistant should submit her report to the head of school.

Gender Sensitive Language: You should submit your report to the head of school.

Avoid Gendered Nouns or Use Alternatives

Example:

De-gender chairman to chairperson, instead of re-gendering it to chairwoman

LECTURE ON RA 9262 “ANTI-VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN & CHILDREN ACT OF 2004” VAWC

WHAT IS REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9262? (ANTI-VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN OR VAWC)?

 Passed by congress in February 2004

 Signed into law on march 8, 2004
 To protect women and their children from any form of abuse or violence
WHAT IS VAC “VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN”?

COMMITTED BY ANY PERSON AGAINST THE WOMAN’S CHILD WHETHER LEGITIMATE OR ILLEGITIMATE, WITHIN OR
WITHOUT THE FAMILY ABODE,

WHICH RESULT IN OR IS LIKELY TO RESULT IN PHYSICAL, SEXUAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL HARM OR SUFFERING, OR ECONOMIC
ABUSE INCLUDING THREATS OR ACTS, BATTERY, ASSAULT, COERCION, HARASSMENT OR ARBITARY DEPRIVATION OF
LIBERTY.

WHAT IS VAW “ VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN”?

An act or a series of acts committed by any person against:

His wife

Former wife,

A woman with whom he has or had a sexual or dating

relationship, or

With whom he has child or against the woman’s child.

WHO IS THE OFFENDER?

THE FOLLOWING CAN BE HELD LIABLE FOR VIOLATION OF RA 9262:

A. HUSBAND;
B. FORMER
C. BOYFRIEND OR EX-BOYFRIEND
D. LIVE-IN PARTNER OR EX-LIVE-IN PARTNER
E. ONE WITH WHOM THE WOMAN HAS A COMMON CHILD; AND
F. ONE WITH WHOM THE WOMAN HAS/HAD A SEXUAL OR DATING RELATIONSHIP NOTE: ANY PERSON CAN BE HELD
LIABLE (LALAKI MAN O BABAE).

PUNISHABLE ACTS:

ACTS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN COMMITTED WITHIN OR OUTSIDE THE FAMILY RESIDENCE RESULTING TO:

PHYSICAL VIOLENCE

BODILY OR PHYSICAL ARM

SEXUAL VIOLENCE

RAPE,

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

ACT PF LASCIVIOUSNESS

 TREATING A WOMAN OR HER CHILD AS A SEX OBJECT & SEXUALLY SUGGESTIVE REMARKS
 PHYSICALLY ATTACKING THE SEXUAL PARTS OF THE VICTIM’S BODY
 FORCING HER/HIM TO WATCH OBSCENE MATERIALS OR FORCING THE WOMAN/CHILD TO DO INDECENT ACTS
 FORCING THE WIFE OR LOVER TO LIVE IN THE CONJUGAL HOME OR SLEEP TOGETHER IN THE SAME ROOM W/
ABUSER
 CAUSE THE VICTIM ENGAGE IN ANY SEXUAL ACTIVITY BY FORCE, THREAT OR FORCE, PHYSICAL HARM, OR
COERCION
 PROSTITUTING THE WOMAN OR HER CHIL
PSYCHOLOGICAL VIOLENCED

ACTS CAUSING MENTAL OR EMOTIONAL SUFFERING SUCH

 INTIMIDATION ,
 HARASSMENTS,
 STALKING,
 DAMAGE TO PROPERTY,
 PUBLIC RIDICULE OR HUMILIATION,
 REPEATED VERBAL ABUSE AND MARITAL INFIDELITY
 ACTS CAUSING THE VICTIM TO WITNESS THE PHYSICAL, SEXUAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE OF A FAMILY MEMBER
 ACTS FORCING THE VICTIM TO VIEW PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIALS
 UNLAWFUL DEPRIVATION OF THE RIGHT TO CUSTODY AND/OR VISITATION OF COMMON CHILDREN

ECONOMIC ABUSE

 ACTS THAT MAKE A WOMAN FINANCIALLY DEPENDENT OR

 PREVENTING THE VICTIM FROM ENGAGING IN ANY LEGITIMATE PROFESSION, OCCUPATION, BUSINESS, OR
ACTIVITY (EXCEPT IN CASES WHEREIN THE OTHER SPOUSE/PARTNER OBJECTS ON VALID, SERIOUS, AND MORAL
GROUNDS)
 DEPRIVATION OR THREAT OF DEPRIVATION OF FINANCIAL RESOURCES & THE RIGHT TO THE USE OF THE
CONJUGAL, COMMUNITY, OR COMMONLY-OWNED PROPERTY
 DESTROYING HOUSEHOLD PROPERTY
 CONTROLLING THE VICTIMS ’ OWN MONEY OR PROPERTIES OR SOLELY CONTROLLING THECONJUGAL MNEY OR
PROPERTIES

HOW IS “BATTERED WOMAN SYNDROME” DEFINED UNDER THE LAW?

BATTERED WOMAN SYNDROME

A SCIENTIFICALLY DEFINED PATTERN OF

PSYCHOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS FOUND

IN WOMEN LIVING IN BATTERING RELATIONSHIPS AS A

RESULT OF CUMULATIVE ABUSE.

VICTIMS DO NOT INCUR CRIMINAL LIABILITY OR CIVIL LIABILITY;

A VICTIM WITH BWS IS NOT DISQUALIFIED FROM HAVING CUSTODY OF HER CHILDREN

THE PERPETRATOR OF A WOMAN WITH BWS SHALL NOT HAVE CUSTODY OF MINOR CHILDREN

THE COURT SHALL BE ASSISTED BY EXPERT PSYCHIATRISTS/PSYCHOLOGISTS IN THE DETERMINATION OF THE

STATE OF MIND OF VICTIM-SURVIVOR

WHAT IS A PROTECTION ORDER?

IT IS AN ORDER WHICH AIMS TO:

ORDER ISSUED TO PREVENT FURTHER ACTS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST A WOMAN OR HER CHILD

SAFEGUARD THE VICTIM FROM FURTHER HARM;

MINIMIZE ANY DISRUPTION IN THE VICTIM’S EVERYDAY LIFE; AND

HELP THE VICTIM REGAIN CONTROL OVER HER LIFE.

WHERE CAN YOU GET PROITECTION ORDERS?

REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OR

MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURT

BARANGAY

KINDS OF PROTECTION ORDERS

BARANGAY PROTECTION ORDER (BPO),

TEMPORARY PROTECTION ORDER (TPO); AND

PERMANENT PROTECTION ORDER (PPO).

HOW CAN BARANGAY PROTECTION ORDER HELP THE VICTIM?

THE BRGY. PROTECTION ORDER (BPO) WHICH IS EFFECTIVE FOR 15 DAYS IS ISSUED AND PERSONALLY SERVED BY THE
PUNONG BARANGAY/KAGAWAD AND ORDERS THE RESPONDENT TO:

 STOP THREATENING THE VICTIM, AND

 STOP HARASSING, ANNOYING, OR CONTACTING THE VICTIM BY ANY MEANS, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.
 NO MEDIATION OR CONCILIATION OF ACTS OS VAWC IN THE BARANGAY

WHO CAN FILE FOR A PROTECTION ORDER?

NOTE: VAWC IS A “PUBLIC CRIME”

 THE OFFENDED PARTY

 PARENTS OR GUARDIANS OF THE OFFENDED PARTY
 ASCENDANT, DESCENDANTS, OR COLLATERAL RELATIVES WITH THE 4TH DEGREE OF CONSANGUINITY OR AFFINITY
 OFFICERS OR SOCIAL WORKERS & LGU’S
 POLICE OFFICERS, PREFERABLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN’S DESKS
 PUNONG BARANGASY OR BRGY. KAGAWAD
 LAWYER, COUNSELOR, THERAPIST, OR HEALTHCARE
 PROVIDER OF THE PETITIONER
 TWO CONCERNED RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS WHO HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE OFFENSE DONE

HOW DOES ONE APPLY FOR PROTECTION ORDER?

THE APPLICATION MUST BE IN WRITING, SIGNED, AND VERIFIED UNDER OATH BY THE APPLICANT. IT INCLUDES:

 NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF PETITIONER & RESPONDENTS:

 DESCRIPTION OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PETITIONER & RESPONDENT:
 A STATEMENT OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ABUSE:

CUSTODY OF CHILDREN

 THE WOMAN VICTIM OF VIOLENCE SHALL HAVE CUSTODY AND SUPPORT OF HER CHILD/CHILDREN.
 CHILDREN BELOW SEVEN (7) YEARS OLD BUT WITH MENTAL OR PHYSICAL DISABILITIES SHALL AUTOMATICALLY BE
GIVEN TO THE MOTHER, WITH THE RIGHT TO SUPPORT, UNLESS THE COURT FINDS COMPELLING REASONS TO
ORDER OTHERWISE.
PENALTIES

ACTS FALLING UNDER SECTION 5(a) “causing physical harm to the woman or her child” constitute attempted, frustrated,
or consummated parricide or murder or homicide;

Shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of the revised penal code.

If these acts resulted in mutilation:

 Shall be punished in accordance with the revised penal code

 Those constituting serious physical injuries shall have the penalty of prison mayor (imprisonment of 6 years and 1

day to 12 years);

 Those constituting less serious physical injuries shall be punished by prison correctional (imprisonment of 6

months and 1 day to 6 years);

 Those constituting slight physical injuries shall be punished by arrest mayor (imprisonment of 1 month and 1 day to
6 months.)

Acts falling under section 5 (b) “threaten to cause the woman or her child physical harm” shall be punished by
imprisonment of two degrees lower than the prescribed penalty for the preceding paragraph but shall in no case be lower
than arrest mayor.

(B) ACTS FALLING UNDER:

*SECTION 5 (C) ATTEMPTING TO CAUSE THE WOMAN OR HER CHILD PHYSICAL HARM; AND

*SECTION 5 (D) PLACING THE WOMAN OR HER CHILD IN FEAR OF IMMINENT PHYSICAL HARM

SHALL BE PUNISHED BY ARRESTO MAYOR (IMPRISONMENT OF 1 MONTH AND 1 DAY TO 6 MONTHS)

SECTION 5 (E): ATTEMPTING TO COMPEL THE VICTIM TO ENGAGE IN CONDUCT WHICH THE WOMAN OR HER CHILD

HAS THE RIGHT TO DESIST; OR ATTEMPTING TO RESTRICT OR RESTRICTING THE VICTIM’S FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT,

OR ANY CONDUCT BY FORCE OR THREAT OF FORCE, PHYSICAL OR OTHER HARM OR THREAT OF PHYSICAL OR OTHER HARM,
OR INTIMIDATION DIRECTED AGAINST THE WOMAN OR CHILD”

 SHALL BE PUNISHED BY PRISON CORRECTIONAL (IMPRISONMENT OF 6 MOTHS AND 1 DAY TO 6 YEARS)

 SECTION 5 (F): INFLICTING OR THREATENING TO INFLICT PHYSICAL HARM ON ONESELF FOR THE PURPOSE OF
CONTROLLING HER ACTIONS OR DECISIONS:
 SHALL BE PUNISHED BY ARRESTO MAYOR (IMPRISONMENT OF 1 MONTH AND 1 DAY TO 6 MONTHS)

SECTION 5 (G): CAUSING OR ATTEMPTING TO CAUSE THE WOMAN OR HER CHILD TO ENGAGE IN ANY SEXUAL ACTIVITY
WHICH DOES NOT CONSTITUTE RAPE, BY FORCE OR THREAT OF FORCE, PHYSICAL HARM, OR THROUGH INTIMIDATION
DIRECTED AGAINST THE WOMAN OR HER CHILD OR HER/HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY;

 SHALL BE PUNISHED BY PRISON MAYOR (IMPRISONMENT OF 6 YEARS AND 1 DAY TO 12 YEARS);

SECTION 5 (H): ENGAGING IN PURPOSEFUL, KNOWING, OR RECKLESS CONDUCT, PERSONALLY OR THROUGH ANOTHER

 THAT ALARMS OR CAUSES SUBSTANTIAL EMOTIONAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS TO THE WOMAN OR HER
CHILD; AND
 SECTION 5 (I) CAUSING MENTAL OR EMOTIONAL ANGUISH, PUBLIC RIDICULE, OR HUMILIATION TO THE WOMAN
OR HER CHILD
 SHALL BE PUNISHED BY PRISON MAYOR (IMPRISONMENT OF 6 YEARS AND 1 DAY TO 12 YEARS)
IF THE ACTS ARE COMMITTED WHILE THE WOMAN OR CHILD IS PREGNANT OR COMMITTED IN THE PRESENCE OF HER
CHILD,

 THE PENALTY TO BE APPLIED SHALL BE THE MAXIMUM PERIOD OF PENALTY PRESCRIBED IN THE SECTION.
 IN ADDITION TO IMPRISONMENT, THE PERPETRATOR SHALL
A. PAY A FINE IN THE AMOUNT OF NOT LESS TTHAN ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P100,000.00) BUT NOT MORE
THAN THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P3OO, OOO.00);
B. UNDERGO MANDATORY PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELING OR PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT AND SHALL REPORT
COMPLIANCE TO THE COURT

STATISTICS

Number of reported cases of violence against women and children in the Philippines from 2016 to 2020.

In 2020, the number of cases of violence against women and children reported in the Philippines reached about 11.16
thousand. Overall, the number of such cases of violence in the country had been gradually declining in the past five years.

FAMOUS CASES

Actress Sunshine Cruz’s marriage from estranged husband Cesar Montano recently got annulled, but before the court ruled
its decision, Cruz revealed that she went through a lot during her “dark and chaotic” marriage with her ex-husband.

It can be recalled that Cruz filed a lawsuit against Montano after she claimed that he raped her on May 12, 2013, Mother’s
Day. The rape case is still not resolved and remains docketed at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, where it awaits
judgment.

Aside from rape, she said that she also experience domestic abuse from Montano. She said that there were three instances
of physical abuse – one in July 2009, a second in January 2013, and a third in May 2013.

In 2016, Kapuso actress Rhian Ramos revealed in a lengthy Instagram post that she was a victim of sexual harassment after
a man groped her rear when she attended a party.

“I always used to think of myself as a strong enough girl that if the day ever came that someone would do this to me, I’d
fight back. Honestly, it’s different when you’re already in that situation. I was stunned and didn’t know what to do. Naiyak
lang ako,” she narrated.

“This wasn’t something I was willing to let go. I couldn’t understand why a man would feel the entitlement to touch a
woman without her consent. To take something from her by force. I was in slacks and a loose top. At no point did I even
make eye contact with this man. What did I do to ask for this?” she said.

Because of the incident, she decided to give out free pepper spray to women at MRT-3 Ayala Station on Valentine’s Day of
2017 to help them protect themselves.

Veteran actress Cherrie Pie Picache filed a sexual harassment case against actor Baron Geisler after the latter was accused
of touching her breast during the taping of their television series back in 2011.

Entertainment news stated that Geisler was under the influence of alcohol when he decided to grope Picache.

Picache’s talent manager, Ed Instrella, sent a statement to ABS-CBN saying they decided to file a sexual harassment
complaint “to help provide, and implement policies to discipline violators and to protect actors as well as production staff
members from the same juvenile action.”

Geisler, on the other hand, denied the charges saying that he will never do such thing since he sees Picache as his own
mother.
COUNTRIES WITHOUT THIS LAW

Five Worst Countries to Live in for Women’s Rights

1. Syria: Over the last decade, Syria has been living in a perpetual state of war. With gender-based crimes and violence at

an all-time high, Syria is ranked as the most dangerous country for women to live in the world.

2. Afghanistan: Women in Afghanistan face extremely restricted living conditions and a high child marriage rate. Moreover,

a recent Human Rights Watch report found only 37 percent of Afghan women are literate.

3. Yemen: Yemen has long been a dangerous country for women and girls. The country has high sexual violence rates.

Plus, women have unequal access to inheritance or child custody in comparison to men.

4. Pakistan: In Pakistan, the main threat toward women and girls is domestic violence. Domestic abuse and honor killings

are prevalent. Honor killings refer to a man’s right to murder his female relative for behavior he finds unacceptable and

dishonorable. Despite attempts to stop them, these killings still happen frequently.

5. The Central African Republic: Suffering from a long and war-torn history, the Central African Republic is still in the

throes of armed conflict. And unfortunately, women are receiving the brunt of it. Sexual violence is often a tactic of war.

Consequently, this tactic is inflicted upon women of all ages, with girls as young as 10 reporting abuse.

Gender-Based Violence
What do we mean by Gender-based violence?

 refers to any type of harm that is perpetrated against a person or group of people because of their factual
or perceived sex, gender, sexual orientation and/or gender identity
 based on an imbalance of power and is carried out with the intention to humiliate and make a person or
group of people feel inferior and/ or subordinate
 includes physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse, threats, coercion, and economic or
educational deprivation, whether occurring in public or private life.
What causes Gender-Based Violence
Cultural factors
Patriarchal and sexist views
Gender stereotypes and prejudice
Femininity and masculinity
Socialization of gender
General acceptance of violence
Legal factors
many women still being considered guilty
low levels of reporting and investigation
vulnerability to domestic violence
low levels of trust in public authorities
decriminalization of homosexuality is still very recent
Economic factors
lack of economic resources generally makes women, but also LGBT+ people particularly vulnerable to violence
creates patterns of violence and poverty
Political factors
under-representation of women and LGBT+ people in power and politics
fewer opportunities to shape the discussion and to affect changes in policy

Which types or forms of gender-based violence do exist?

Physical Violence
Verbal violence and hate speech
Psychological Violence
Sexual Violence
Socio-economic Violence
Domestic Violence
Harassment and Sexual Harassment

Which types or forms of gender-based violence do exist?

1. Physical Violence
 an act attempting to cause, or resulting in, pain and/or physical injury.
 perpetrator: “I can do things to you that you do not want to happen”
 demonstrates differences of social power through coercion
 witnessing the abuse of one parent by another leads to serious psychological harm in children
 children regularly become victims of an act of revenge

2. Verbal violence and hate speech

 include issues that are specific to a person that are uncomfortable
 saying bad things and threatening with other forms of violence
 may include comments and jokes or may present people as sex objects
 Verbal violence may be classified as hate speech. It can take many forms: words, videos, memes, or
pictures that are posted on social networks, or it may carry a violent message threatening a person or a
group of people because of certain characteristics
- The European Commission on Racism and Intolerance defines hate speech as:
- “advocacy, promotion or incitement, in any form, of the denigration, hatred or vilification of a person
or group of persons, as well as any harassment, insult, negative stereotyping, stigmatization or threat
in respect of such a person or group of persons and the justification of all the preceding types of
expression, on the ground of 'race'8, color, descent, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, language,
religion or belief, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation and other personal characteristics or
status.
 Jokes, spreading rumors, threats, slander, and incitement if violence or hate that aims at humiliating,
dehumanizing and making a person or group of people scared
3. Psychological Violence
* includes isolation or confinement, withholding information, disinformation, and threatening behavior
* In private sphere, psychological violence includes threatening conduct.
ex. actions that refer to former acts of violence
In public sphere includes the isolation of young women or men who do not act according to traditional
gender roles
ex. exclusion from certain group activities
4.Sexual Violence

 engaging in non-consensual vaginal, anal or oral penetration with another person, by the use of any body
part or object
 Marital rape and attempted rape constitute sexual violence forms of sexual violence in the public sphere:
sexual harassment at the workplace, sexual violence as a weapon of war and torture, and sexual violence
against (perceived) LGBT+ people.
5. Socio-economic Violence

 Includes taking away the earnings of the victim, not allowing them to have a separate income, or making
the victim unfit for work through targeted physical abuse.
 in the public sphere may include denial of access to education or paid work, denial of access to services,
exclusion from certain jobs, denial of pleasure and the enjoyment of civil, cultural, social and political
rights. In the case of LGBT+ people, they may even be subject to criminalization.
6. Domestic Violence

 most common type of gender-based violence.

 acts of physical, sexual, psychological or economic violence that occur within the family or domestic unit
or between former or current spouses or partners,whether or not the perpetrator shares or has shared
the same residence with the victim”.
 Anyone can be a victim of domestic violence.
- “why doesn’t (s)he leave?”
 domestic violence is a complex phenomenon
 battered woman syndrome, where a woman in an abusive relationship starts feeling helpless, worthless,
powerless, and accepting of the status quo
 financial dependence on the abuser, social constraints, and a lack of alternatives such as shelters for
abuse victims
 common social pressures regarding the nature of a family
7. Harassment and Sexual Harassment
Can I hug my colleague at work without asking, or is this sexual harassment? Is it OK to comment on a woman’s
body?

 Sexual harassment is defined as “any form of unwanted verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct of a sexual
nature with the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of a person, in particular when creating an
intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.”
Harassment and sexual harassment are also defined in EU Directive 2002/73/EC16.

 Harassment - “where an unwanted conduct related to the sex of a person occurs with the purpose or
effect of violating the dignity of a person, and of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating
or offensive environment”.
  Sexual harassment - “where any form of unwanted verbal, nonverbal or physical conduct of a sexual
nature occurs, with the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of a person, in particular when creating
an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment”.
Verbal examples of sexual harassment may include:

 making sexual comments about a person’s body

 asking about sexual fantasies, preferences or history,
 asking personal questions about someone’s social or sex life,
 making sexual comments about a person’s clothing, anatomy, or looks
 repeatedly trying to date a person who is not interested
telling lies or spreading rumours about a person’s sex life or sexual preferences
Examples of non-verbal harassment include:

 looking a person up and down (‘elevator eyes’)

 following or stalking someone
 using sexually suggestive visuals
 making sexual gestures with the hands or through body movements
 using facial expressions such as winking, throwing kisses, or licking lips.
Instances of physical harassment include:

 giving someone a massage around the neck or shoulders

 touching another person’s clothing, hair, or body
 hugging, kissing, patting, touching or rubbing oneself sexually against another person.

- The key concept in understanding harassment is that any overtures are unwelcome.
4.Why is gender-based violence a problem?
Gender-based violence is a human rights violation
Gender-based violence threatens a person’s physical and psychological integrity.
Gender-based violence is discrimination
Gender-based violence is an obstacle to gender equality
Gender-based violence is under-reported and there is often impunity for perpetrators
Gender-based violence affects everyone
Gender-based violence has a very heavy economic cost.

WHAT IS VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN?

 Any act of gender-based violence that results or is likely to result in physical, sexual or psychological harm
or suffering to women including threats or such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty whether
occurring in public or private life. Gender-based violence is any violence inflicted on women because of
their sex.

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN? (VAW)

  Violence against women is one of the most frequent human rights violations. It is rooted in the power
imbalance between the genders.
WHAT FORMS DOES THIS VIOLENCE TAKE?

 This violence manifests in various ways: sexualized, physical, psychological, social and financial. Sexualized
violence is one form of gender-based violence and an expression of discrimination. However, women are
not only discriminated against in a sexist manner: they are also often subjected to additional forms of
discrimination, such as racism, homophobia or ableism. The impacts of these interlock, reinforcing and
changing each other.
WHAT IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?

 ‘Domestic’ or ‘family’ violence, also known as ‘intimate partner violence’, refers to any violence
committed by people within close social relationships. This is an internationally recognized violation of
human rights. The aim of this violence is to exercise control and power. Although the term ‘domestic’
might often refer to a house or household, the violence is often committed within the wider family or by
a former partner.
WHO ARE THE PERPETRATORS?

 In the majority of cases of partner violence, those carrying out the violence are male, and those affected
are female (and frequently their children).
WHO ARE THE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?

 Within partnerships, those affected by the violence are almost exclusively women. In terms of the
number of killings of women because they are female (feminicide, or femicide), Germany is unfortunately
one of the leaders in the EU.
WHO ARE THE PERPETRATORS OF VAW?

 Perpetrators of violence against women can be found in every society, nationality, religion and age
group,with all levels of education or wealth. The majority of perpetrators across the world are male, and
in the case of sexualized violence they are almost exclusively male. Most come from the close social
environment of those affected. It is actually much rarer for a woman to be raped by a stranger at night in
the park.
TYPES OF VAW: A LIFE-CYCLCE

 APPROACH * Elderly
 Infancy
 GIRLHOOD
 ADOLESCENCE
 REPRODUCTIVE AGE