Teaching About Gendered Violence Without Disempowering Women

Abstract

Violence against women is increasingly the focus of public attention, and many classes on gender address this issue. The focus of such attention is often the widespread prevalence of gendered violence and the deep and lasting harm done to women by this violence. Although this reality is important, I argue in this chapter that it is equally important for students to understand the ways in which women can and do resist this violence, both individually and collectively. Simply focusing on the violence itself perpetuates an understanding of women and girls as inherently vulnerable – an understanding which is not borne out by social science research. Balancing attention to victimization with information about resistance avoids this reification of women’s vulnerability, counters the sense of helplessness that often results when students learn about this topic, and opens up space for considering solutions to the problem of violence against women.

Every 2 min, someone in the United States is sexually assaulted (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) n.d.). One in four women has experienced severe intimate partner violence (Black et al. 2011). Nearly one in five women will be sexually assaulted while studying at a college or university (Krebs et al. 2007). One in six women has been the victim of stalking (Black et al. 2011).