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Violence

To get some ideas for a research paper I'd like to do, I'm asking women and men about violence against women. The question is: What do you consider violence against women? I would really welcome any ideas or thoughts you might have.
Thank you-Mary Alecia

Thanks for including my two cents in your research. One problem in using "women" to describe any situation or profession is that it automatically makes it "less than." For instance--why is it "women writers" and male writers are just "writers"? Similarly, when we describe "violence against women"--it somehow gives the impression that the violence is less severe. In reality all it means is that it is against women. By definition "violence" is the "exertion of any [physical] force so as to injure or abuse." Therefore, violence against women causes abuse and injury of/to women. I think, too, that we have to extend this to verbal and emotional and not just limit violence to physical scars. Regardless of who is being injured, the majority of the abusers are male (yet we don't call it "male abuse"?). So any discussion of violence should not only include the victim but the perpetrator.
I know this is scattered, but I hope it helps
Amy

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