Some Aspects of Gender-Based Violence Stereotypes

This article focuses on key aspects of gender-based violence stereotypes. The author discusses that gender-based violence can be defined as a historically constituted rule of conduct or gender-specific behaviour in a particular society that has a centuries-old history, due to a number of factors such as culture, religion, historical development, and geography. However, the existence of such a "rule" or "behaviour" in modern society is not acceptable, and in some cases may be considered a crime or an administrative offence.

The article analyses matriarchy and patriarchal society, as well as their influence on forms of gender-based violence.  During the matriarchy period there were no unrestricted sexual relations between the people, and eventually a group marriage was formed on that basis. The origin of children was determined only by the maternal line. Therefore, women, as the only reliable known relatives of the young generation, enjoyed a high level of respect.

During the patriarchy period, organized society, including key leadership roles in communities, were given to men. When considering the issue of patriarchal culture, researchers define it as a world created by the rules of men. In essence, patriarchal culture necessarily implies subordination, the inequality of representatives of one sex in relation to another. A woman is seen as a certain indeterminate being, as something irrational or insufficient. Scientists point out that the patriarchy itself denies at any level the existence of the idea of equality or partnership. Some forms of gender-based violence were analysed during this period, such as banding of women’s legs, female genital mutilation, and male circumcision. Worth particular mention is that victims of gender-based violence can be women and men.