Gender-based violence is recognised as a major public health concern as well as a serious violation of human rights. Many women also suffer greatly from psychological abuse and degradation and say that these are more difficult to bear than physical pain.

According to the United Nations Population Fund's 'State of the World Population 2000', at least one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex, or abused in some other way -often by someone she knows; one woman in four has been abused during pregnancy. Gender based violence is often fatal.

Many countries condone or at least tolerate a certain amount of violence against women. In parts of South Asia, Western Asia and Africa, for instance, men are seen as having a right to discipline their wives as they see fit.

It is useful to look at gender violence under different categories. Precise facts and figures can then be obtained from UN and other web sites that focus on gender violence or violence against women. The UNFPA report ' State of the World Population 2005' is another useful resource.

• Reproductive Violence
  • forced abortion
  • female infanticide
  • female genital mutilation (circumcision)
• Cultural Violence
  • virginity testing/female genital mutilation
  • teenage male circumcision
  • initiation ceremonies
  • enforced under age sex/HIV AIDS
• Domestic Violence
  • wife-beating
  • marital rape
  • incest
  • dowry deaths
• Community and State Violence
  • Rape (see Manual p75 Pakistani woman)
  • Conflict
• Economic Violence
  • sexual harassment
  • slavery, trafficking and prostitution

Cultural practices in different countries perpetuate the cycle of violence in which women and girls are trapped, particularly in patriarchal societies where boys are valued above girls.