Violence Against Women (VAW)

Purpose of the Violence Against Women Prevention Plan

Violence against women is a form of terrorism that occurs each day in Missouri and around the world. Violence against women poses a daily threat to life and traumatizes millions of women, girls and families every year. Just as Homeland Security seeks to assure all citizens are prepared, vigilant and informed, those concerned about prevention of violence against women should also be prepared, vigilant and informed.

Violence against women affects women across all economic, educational, cultural, racial and religious lines. Violence against women can take many forms, from intimidation and control to stalking, battering, rape and even murder. Indeed, nearly one third of the women in this country who are murdered are killed by a former or current intimate partner. As the leading cause of injury for American women between the ages of 15 and 54 years, violence is an ominous public health problem in this country.

Typically violence against women is considered a women’s issue, however women do not necessarily control the resources or the decisions on a community level to lead to prevention. Violence against women is most certainly a men’s issue because men commit the majority of violence against women; men are also victims of sexual assault; men know and are survivors of violence against women; and men can STOP violence against women. This state plan proposes to engage men in an area where they are traditionally not involved as resources but heavily involved as part of the problem, and to work in allegiance with women and girls to end violence against women.

For decades champions have been working to provide services and support to victims of violence against women by treating injuries, providing safe shelter, offering counseling, and assisting women to regain self-sufficiency. This planning effort values and honors those efforts and recognizes these services will be critical in the lives of women and children for decades to come. Realizing that the present availability of support services for victims will never meet the growing need for services, this plan seeks to focus on preventing violence from happening in order to reduce the future need for services.

VAW Defined

Violence against women takes several forms, including domestic violence, intimate partner violence, sexual assault and abuse, rape, incest, dating violence, and elder abuse. Violence is categorized as: physical violence, sexual violence, threats of sexual or physical violence, and psychological/emotional abuse, including coercive tactics. The following definitions are from Intimate Partner Surveillance: Uniform Definitions and Recommendations Data Elements, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1999.