What’s in a label? Rethinking how we talk about gender-based violence |
The words we use to describe gender-based violence (GBV), such as “victim,” “survivor” and “person with lived experience,” aren’t neutral. These labels are powerful. They can affirm dignity or reinforce stigma. They can mobilize movements or obscure systemic issues.
GBV can include sexual, physical, mental and economic abuse. Coercive control and manipulation in intimate partner relationships are an example, as is sexual assault, child marriages or technology-facilitated violence. And in Canada, GBV disproportionately impacts women and girls.
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As GBV evolves across digital and in-person contexts, the stakes of language are especially high.
Drawing on our research and practice, we explore what these labels mean, how they are used and the impact they have on people’s lives. Our aim is to support intentional language as part of the broader work of violence prevention, collective action and addressing harm.
Two starting points help anchor this discussion. The first is that when you are in direct contact with someone who has experienced GBV, follow their lead in how they describe their own experience. The second is to recognize that different communities use terms rooted in their own........