CARE defines gender-based violence (GBV) as: A harmful act or threat based on a person’s sex or gender identity. It includes physical, sexual, and psychological abuse; coercion; denial of liberty; and economic deprivation, whether occurring in public or private spheres. GBV is rooted in unjust power relations, structures, and social/cultural norms.
GBV is a critical rights violation committed against people based on their gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation. GBV itself is often used as a tool to dominate and intimidate and to reinforce gender-based inequalities among groups – for example, family and peer pressures, policies and programs that criminalize certain sexualities, or patriarchal social norms that perpetuate child marriage.