What is gender-based violence?

According to UN Women (1993) and the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women: “Gender-based violence is any act of violence that is based on gender and that results, or is likely to result, in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.” This definition is internationally accepted and integrated into the Istanbul Convention (2011), which Albania ratified in 2013.

Frequently Asked Questions

The term “gender-based” means that the violence is not random, but stems from the roles, norms, and expectations society places on gender.

  • In many cultures — including Albanian society — women are often placed in a position of economic and emotional dependence, which increases vulnerability to violence.
  • Gender-based violence (GBV) is not only about the act itself, but about inequality structures between women and men that enable it.
  • It is used to control, intimidate, or subjugate a person, often a woman or girl, because of her gender.

Gender-based violence can take many forms, both visible and invisible.

  • Physical violence: Any act that causes bodily harm or pain. Examples: hitting, beating, pushing, injuring, using objects to harm.
  • Psychological / emotional violence: Damaging dignity and self-esteem through humiliation, threats, isolation, or excessive control. Examples: restricting contact with family, insults, ridicule, intimidation.
  • Economic violence: Controlling financial resources, restricting access to money, or preventing employment. Examples: banning work, withholding money for basic needs, forcing wage surrender, controlling property/inheritance.
  • Sexual violence: Any forced or non-consensual act of a sexual nature, including rape, sexual harassment, forced marriage, or incest. Often underreported due to shame and fear of judgment.
  • Online / digital violence: Violence through technology and the internet. Examples: non-consensual sharing of intimate images, social media harassment, cyberstalking, threats via messages.

Gender-based violence is not an accident — it is rooted in:

  • Structural gender inequality (less economic, political, and social power for women).
  • Patriarchal norms and cultural stereotypes.
  • Economic dependence (lack of financial independence makes leaving abuse harder).
  • Limited access to justice and services.
  • Social normalization of violence (“private family matter” mentality).

One of the most important steps in preventing violence is understanding its deep and long-term impacts.

  • Impact on the individual: physical injury, psychological/emotional trauma, and personal economic consequences.
  • Impact on children: even when not directly harmed, children may face serious emotional, social, and school-related effects, and may develop aggressive or withdrawn behavior.
  • Impact on the family: breaks emotional bonds, creates fear/tension, and increases economic strain.
  • Impact on the community: reduced productivity, stigma and isolation of survivors, a “wall of silence,” weakened trust in institutions, and intergenerational transmission of violence.

There are several ways to seek help in case of violence:

  • Helpline: 116 117 (National Helpline for Women)
  • Police: 129 or go to the nearest police station
  • Shelters: Shelters exist in Tirana, Durrës, Shkodër, Elbasan, and other cities
  • Counseling centers: NGOs specialized in supporting survivors
  • Hospitals: You can report at emergency departments
  • Lawyers: For legal assistance and protection

Do you need immediate help?

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please contact the emergency line or report anonymously.

Laws in the Albanian Constitution

All laws, conventions, and declarations published on this page are taken from the relevant official websites and are presented without any changes to the original content.