Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a longstanding problem that has shifted very little despite increasing international and national media coverage and attention from governments and in policy debates. But what do we know about it and how to stop it? This book synthesises the latest knowledge about violence against women and girls, what it is, who experiences it, the causes and consequences.
Although particular events and occurrences may be widely reported by media and commentators, they are frequently seen in isolation rather than as part of a wider context. Academy Fellow Jacqui True brings evidence-based expertise and insights to understanding the problem of violence against women and girls and how to prevent it and her book connects women’s everyday experiences of violence to broader global patterns. The aim is to create shared understanding and a foundation for action and deep change.
The book canvasses violence against women in many contexts including war, gang rape, cyberstalking and ‘revenge porn’ providing an expansive frame for understanding VAWG. Among the many questions it tackles are: What are we talking about when we discuss VAWG? What kinds of violence does it encompass? Who does it affect most and why? What are the risk factors for victims and perpetrators? Cultural explanations, the types of legal redress available to victims and questions of data are included: what statistics do we gather and what do they tell us? Ultimately this multidisciplinary perspective on a world-wide problem brings together the most promising policy and advocacy frameworks aimed at ending violence against women and girls.
Author Jacqui True is an internationally renowned scholar of globalization and gender, a professor of international relations at Monash University, Melbourne the Director of the Centre for Gender, Peace and Security and also Director of the ARC-funded Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
