Sexual and domestic violence, stalking, and violence against women are pervasive and costly issues in Massachusetts, across the country, and around the world. In addition to the definitions, facts and statistics, it’s important to understand that domestic violence and sexual assault occur because of cultural and social factors that foster and support these and other forms of violence as a means to maintain control and power in individual relationships as well as community and societal dynamics.

Sexual and domestic violence and stalking are symptoms of a deeper problem: the oppression of people by virtue of their gender, race, economic class, ethnicity, sexuality, gender identity, religion or other characteristics. People often identify with more than one of these attributes. For instance, a woman of color could face discrimination and oppression both because she is a woman and because she is not white. When thinking about a survivor’s experience of sexual or domestic violence, it’s important to keep in mind that multiple oppressions could be occurring and overlapping at the same time.

What does this mean? The occurrence of this violence doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Yes, it’s about an individual’s exertion of power and control over another person using sex and violence as the weapon. But it’s also about the way that these forms of violence are used as strategies of power and control of one group over another as a way to reinforce the status quo. The clearest example is how rape is used as a weapon in war. In much the same way, sexual and domestic violence reinforces gender roles and status quo in our society. As such, sexual assault, rape, battering, and human trafficking are in fact human rights violations.

Ever heard the phrase “moving upstream?” In social justice lingo it means getting to the root of the problem and addressing its causes, so as to stop the problem from continuing to flow. The theory goes that unless we look upstream, our attention will remain focused only on reacting to and addressing the problem after the fact.

As a statewide membership organization, dedicated to preventing and abolishing sexual violence, domestic violence, and stalking, JD) firmly believes that unless we understand and operate in this context, we will be stuck downstream, forever providing support for those who have already experienced violence while not ending the violence.

Ready to learn more about the issues?

Massachusetts Statistics and Fact Sheets:

• Domestic Violence Fact Sheet
• Sexual Assault Fact Sheet
• Not One More:  JDI Domestic Violence Homicide Report 2003-2012
• Domestic Violence Homicides in Massachusetts

For the most up to date research and national statistics please visit the following resources:

• National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) – Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
• VAWnet – hosts thousands of materials on gender-based violence and related issues. A project of the National Center on Domestic Violence.