Teenagers, Chatbots, and Mental Health
April 30, 2026Interview: What is the meaning of gender-based violence
December 2019
Gender-based violence is often discussed only when it becomes visible through extreme cases, yet its roots are far deeper and more pervasive. My interview explores the meaning, causes and consequences of gender-based violence, moving beyond the common association with violence against women per se.
It explains how gender-based violence should take many forms — psychological, economic, physical and sexual — and may affect women, girls, men, LGBTQ+ persons, ethnic and religious minorities, and other vulnerable groups.
The interview places particular emphasis on the cultural, social and legal dimensions of the phenomenon. I consider that prevention cannot rely solely on punishment.
It must involve education, awareness, families, schools, institutions, and communities. Gender stereotypes, patriarchal structures, religious misinterpretations and social silence all contribute to making violence appear normal, inevitable or even lawful in certain contexts. The discussion also addresses the situation of men as victims of gender-based violence, referring to atrocities committed by ISIS against gay men and to cases of sexual violence against men during the conflict in the former Yugoslavia.
The interview further highlights the global scale of the problem, especially in conflict-affected areas such as Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen and Myanmar. It examines practices including sexual violence, child marriage, female genital mutilation, selective abortions, trafficking and the persecution of vulnerable minorities. At the same time, it draws attention to underreporting, fear, shame, economic dependence and lack of trust in judicial authorities as major barriers to justice.Finally, the interview considers the Italian legal response, including the “Codice Rosso” law, while stressing that legal reform alone is not enough. Combating gender-based violence requires coordinated action across the judicial, educational, health and social sectors, together with a profound cultural change.