THINK Violence against women The various hegemonic social orders examined in the previous chapter initiate ways of exercising power that are authoritarian, exclusionary, and domineering, and benefit particular groups of people to the detriment of others. From this perspective, violence against women18 should be understood as an exercise of power based on the existing patriarchal order of gender where the male dominates the female. This order suppresses women, restricts the full development of their potential, prevents them from exercising their rights, makes them live for others, forces them to exercise their reproductive functions, and usurps their right to self-determination. The various mechanisms used to impose the violence range from ostracism to physical attacks and even death. Violence against women is defined as any action, word, or omission that aims to subjugate, subordinate, denigrate, harm, marginalize, demean, or exploit a woman or group of women, physically or psychologically. Thus, it is not only inflicted in the form of beating, rape, or insult, but also through harassment, economic and political marginalization on account of gender, or restricting and undermining a woman’s abilities, contribution, and potential. The body is one of the favoured territories for the exercise of control and imposition of regulations and repression. The body is often the object of multiple forms of violence. The patriarchal order deprives women of their right to free determination over their bodies and controls their sexuality and their relationship with their own bodies as well as with other people. Thus women are not allowed—nor taught—to make their own decisions about their bodies (they feel they do not have the authority to do so and in some cases laws prohibit them from doing so). As a consequence, they are unable to enjoy their bodies and experience them as spaces for pleasure. Thus, their bodies are for the service, pleasure, care, control, and attention of others (mainly men). This expropriation and control finds expression in various ways, often with extremely negative consequences. In different societies it manifests itself differently. For example: j In a general disregard for women and the failure to acknowledge that women have knowledge of their own bodies. j In the criminalization of abortion, exposing women to the risk of unwanted pregnancies or death on account of poorly performed abortions. j In imposing motherhood as the sole objective of a woman's life. j By restricting her mobility, by regulating the times and spaces in which she can move around freely. Disregarding these rules could result in social rejection, rape as punishment, and even death. 18. Our definition of violence against women is broadly based on Article 1 of the Inter-American Convention of Belem Do Para.
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