Research glossary

Gender is based on the expectations and stereotypes about behaviours, actions, and roles linked to being a ‘man’ or ‘woman’ within a particular culture or society. The social norms related to gender can vary depending on the culture, and can change over time.

The gender binary influences what society considers ‘normal’ or acceptable behaviour, dress, appearance and roles for women and men. Gender norms are a prevailing force in our everyday lives. Strength, action, and dominance are stereotyp­ically seen as ‘masculine’ traits, while vulnerability, passivity, and receptiveness are stereotypically seen as ‘feminine’ traits. A woman expressing masculine traits may be chastised as ‘overly aggressive,’ while a man expressing ‘feminine’ traits may be labelled as ‘weak.’ Gender norms can contribute to power imbalances and gender in equality in the home, at work, and in communities.

The socially constructed identities assigned to the biological characteristics of people in society. The concept of gender includes the values, attitudes, feelings, and behaviours as well as the interactions and relationships associated with being a woman (femininity) and being a man (masculinity) in a given culture and setting. These are also influenced by social, historical and cross-cultural factors.

Any act of violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm to a person
because of his or her gender or gender role in a society or culture, including threats of such acts, severe spousal
battery, including of female children; non-spousal violence; sexual violence related to exploitation; rape; sexual
harassment and intimidation at work, in school and elsewhere; trafficking in women; sexual abuse and forced
prostitution. Often times, a person has no choice to refuse or pursue other options without severe economic,
social, physical or psychological consequence (United Nations, 1993).
- Any harm that is perpetrated against a person’s will. In some cases men and boys may also be victims of
gender-based violence. Violence may be physical, sexual, psychological, economic, or socio-cultural.
Categories of perpetrators may include family members, community members, and/or those acting on behalf
of cultural, religious, or state institutions (RHRC, 2003).

Violence based on gender norms and unequal power dynamics, perpetrated against someone based on their gender, gender expression, gender identity, or perceived gender. It takes many forms, including physical, economic, sexual, as well as emotional (psychological) abuse.

Gender-based violence is a term that recognizes that violence occurs within the context of women’s and girl’s subordinate status in society and serves to maintain this unequal balance of power.

Gender-based violence is sometimes used interchangeably with “violence against women” although the latter is a more limited concept. The United Nations (UN) defines violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life
The UN also notes that “While gender-based violence can happen to anyone, anywhere, some women and girls are particularly vulnerable - for instance, young girls and older women, women who identify as lesbian, bisexual, transgender or intersex, migrants and refugees, indigenous women and ethnic minorities, or women and girls living with HIV and disabilities, and those living through humanitarian crises.The existence and impact of gender-based violence are therefore often interconnected with other systems of inequality and/or vulnerability.

The general term used to capture violence that occurs as a result of the normative role expectations associated with the gender (and sexuality) associated with the sex assigned to a person at birth, as well as the unequal power relations between the genders, within the context of a specific society. GBV includes physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse or threats of such acts or abuse, coercion, and economic, social contact or educational deprivation, whether occurring in public or private life, in peacetime and during armed or other forms of conflict, and may cause physical, sexual, psychological, emotional or economic harm.

Gender discrimination is unfair treatment based on someone’s gender or gender expression. It can limit access to education, jobs, healthcare, safety, and justice.

It may show up as unequal pay, workplace harassment, exclusion, or dismissing someone’s voice because of their gender.

Example: An older person may start by messaging a teenager on social media, giving them compliments and making them feel special. Over time, they may ask the teenager to keep the relationship secret, send personal photos, or meet in private. What begins as “friendliness” can slowly turn into pressure, control, and abuse.

“Grooming is when someone builds a relationship, trust and emotional connection with a child or young person so they can manipulate, exploit and abuse them.

Children and young people who are groomed can be sexually abused, exploited or trafficked.

Anybody can be a groomer, no matter their age, gender or race. Grooming can take place over a short or long period of time – from weeks to years. Groomers may also build a relationship with the young person's family or friends to make them seem trustworthy or authoritative.”

Grooming is when someone builds a relationship, trust and emotional connection with a child or young person so they can manipulate, exploit and abuse them.

Children and young people who are groomed can be sexually abused, exploited or trafficked.

Anybody can be a groomer, no matter their age, gender or race. Grooming can take place over a short or long period of time – from weeks to years. Groomers may also build a relationship with the young person's family or friends to make them seem trustworthy or authoritative.