Gender Based Violence: Examining Inequality in a Gendered Society

This essay explores the social phenomenon of gender-based violence as a deeply ingrained issue rooted in gender inequality. It analyzes two articles focusing on violence against women, discussing key points and their relationship to a gendered society as defined by Michael Kimmel. The first article highlights the gap between words and actions regarding domestic violence in the UK, emphasizing the lack of progress despite initiatives. The second article reveals the alarming statistic that home is often the most dangerous place for women, with a significant number being killed by family members or intimate partners. Both articles are examined through the lens of Kimmel's theory on gendered societies, which posits that social institutions perpetuate gender inequality rather than gender differences causing it. The essay concludes that gender-based violence is a consequence of societal structures that historically favor male dominance and power, reinforcing the need for systemic change to address this pervasive issue. Desklib provides students with access to resources like this essay to further their understanding.

Running head: GENDER BASED VIOLENCE
GENDER BASED VIOLENCE
Name of the student:
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1GENDER BASED VIOLENCE
Introduction:
The social phenomenon gender-based violence is deeply ingrained in gender inequality
and indeed is one of the most notable human rights violation across all societies. Gender based
violence can be defined as violence against a specific person due to their gender. Gender
violence is experienced by both men and women however, it is women and girls who are majorly
the victim of gender based society. The essay aims to discuss gender violence with consideration
of two articles on the same subject. The essay will discuss the articles and the vital point
included in the article along with a discussion on the relationship between the main topic of the
article and gendered society.
Summary of article 1:
The article is The Guardian view on violence against women, focus the difference
between words and deeds. The article was released on the day before international women’s day.
While international women day is an opportunity for celebrating the progress of women and their
success along with avocation on more changes in order to make the world a better and safer
place for women. However, with the news about domestic violence in the UK is severely bad.
After the initiation of coercive or controlling domestic abuse in the year 2015, it was only
supposed to become better which did not. With the perspective of some with reference to some
cases, it is assumed that it has become easier for women today to access justice. Domestic
violence is now being recognised, understood and acknowledged in better ways than any time
before. It is important to mention that the definition of abuse is now taking a psychological and
economic factor. Something that was created in the year 2015 is indeed in need of cross-
examination. While the assumption on women’s opportunity was counted by some, the advocates

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of women in Up were alarmed and frustrated leading them to highlight the position of women
and the power associated with women worldwide. The position of women across the globe is still
distant from equality. There is a significant pay gap between the two genders across the world,
and there is a sharp increase in women’s murder by men. According to researches while the
burden of austerity has fallen 86% on women, there is no to very minimum alteration for decades
when it comes to the rape or domestic abuse. With all these data, the articles have successfully
manifested the position of women and the power that is given to them which certainly do not call
for celebration (The Guardian, 2019).
The relationship between the article and The gendered society:
The gendered society written by Michael Kimmel is about the present thinking gender
including academic and everyday lives. He has included feminine and masculine perspective in
his book examining vast resources of empirical research and conceptions regarding gender
differences. According to Kimmel, the gender differences are the outcome of gender inequality
and not the causes of gender inequality. It can be agreed with the argument presented by him on
the ideas that the social institutions of society across the globe are a gendered institution that
have been producing logics that are gender biased. Certainly, with the article discussed above, it
can be observed that the laws provided by the judiciary system and the rate of domestic violence
are causing are simply not adequate. Yet, by passing a single act, it is expected that domestic
violence will be eliminated from society. The issue is large associated to a great extent to
“capitalism”, and it demands more including concerns such as “inadequate funding for
education, inadequate health care for children and adults, inadequate corporate policies regarding
parental leave, and ‘family unfriendly’ workplaces — with inflexible hours, rigid time schedules,
and lack of on-site child care facilities”. Therefore, it can be agreed with Kimmel that the cause

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of gendered society where the women are given with less and no power and men are natural
believer of hypermasculinity is associated with the society’s institutions that are gendered for
centuries.
Summary of article 2:
Every time a human feels unsafe, they wish to go to their home. However, home is not
the best place for women as according to Deanna Paul, U.N finds the most deadly place for
women in their home. According to studies, 137 women across the globe were killed every day
around the world by either their relatives or by intimate partners. According to the U.N Office
on Drugs and crimes, the report of 2018 on the killing of women and girls showed about 87,000
were killed across the globe among which 58 per cent were the victim of family or domestic
violence. The article has discussed the ways many of these deaths could have been prevented
however it did not since before the death occurs nothing is reported to the authority. Violence
against women goes unreported for various reasons, and the list may become too long. The
essential factor is that the reason it goes unreported is for women worldwide are faced with
almost similar challenges. Women are not given the power and position to take their decision.
The article discussed the extension till which violence against women is performed which
includes fear, impact and various stigma associated with women’s lives. The article has provided
the report stating the increase in the number of women being slain by relatives, and called for a
coordinated response from law enforcement that is accountable for the victim’s protection from
their abusers. By presenting the reports, the article has manifested women’s condition in society
that demands to sensitise the justice system in order to make women feel comfortable and safe
reporting when they are exposed to domestic violence (Paul, 2018).

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The relationship between the article and the gendered society:
According to Kimmel, the social institutes that are largely dominated by gendered
thinking with dominant definitions. It has reinforced continuously and reproduced logics that are
meant to be ‘deviants and disciplined’, however they produce “gender relations between men and
women creating gender order of hierarchy and power”. As discussed in the article, it is the fear
that is the major cause victims do not report domestic violence which can be linked to the fact
that women are not given the position or the power that would encourage them taking the stand
for themselves. Due to the logic provided by the social institutions, the gender order has been
deeply ingrained in the society creating differences between genders for decades, “sexual
division of labor” and “sex segregation”. For example “the gendered family” reproduces “male
domination in society” through the gendered division of household labour and “initiation
rituals”. Therefore, as Kimmel perceives it, the examination of gender should not only perceived
from the differences but also the perspective of male dominance.
Conclusion:
As discussed above, the social phenomenon gender-based violence is deeply ingrained in
gender inequality. However in the end, the conclusion can be drawn as stated by Kimmel that it
is not the causes of gender inequality but the social institutions of society that has been building
concepts and shaping the society from a gendered perspective for power and authority.

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References:
Paul, D. (2018, November 26). U.N. finds the deadliest place for women is their home. Retrieved
from https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2018/11/26/un-finds-deadliest-place-
women-is-their-home/?utm_term=.3702d99d7618&noredirect=on
The Guardian (2019, March 07). The Guardian view on violence against women: Deeds not
words are required | Editorial. Retrieved from
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/07/the-guardian-view-on-
violence-against-women-deeds-not-words-are-required