The concept and the name of Isolating Gender Violence

Abstract

In December 2020, the Catalan Parliament approved by unanimity the world’s first legislation of the concept of Isolating Gender Violence (IGV); in 2021, several parliaments are developing their own legislations. The elaboration of this concept and later this name has been a long and dialogic process among diverse scientists, policymakers, governments, parliaments, victims, survivors, social organizations and citizens. Since 2016, CREA (Community of Research on Excellence for All) has developed a process of elaborating the concept of IGV oriented to obtain the scientific, policy and social impact required to make a key contribution to overcoming gender violence. This process was simultaneous to the elaboration by the same researchers of the criteria of policy and societal impact of the EU’s scientific programme of research (Horizon Europe). This paper presents this dialogic research conducted to get the concept and the name IGV and the consequences of this concept along scientific, policy and social impact. The results show that the key for getting the name and the impacts of this scientific robust concept has been three of the main characteristics of the present EU research program Horizon Europe: the priority of social impact, the co-creation of knowledge between scientists and citizens and sustainability.

History of MeToo University movement in Spain

“…In all, this policy and social impact is possible also because of the scientific impact of the studies made by the members of MeToo University and their supporters. Several articles have been published in top-ranked scientific journals of different disciplines analyzing: the quantitative and qualitative dimensions of gender violence in Spanish universities (Valls, Puigvert, Melgar & Garcia-Yeste, 2016), the concept and the name of Isolating Gender Violence (Vidu, Puigvert, Flecha & López de Aguileta, 2021), the IGV as the first reason to do not support victims (Melgar, Geis-Carreras, Flecha & Soler, 2021), the consequences of IGV for the health of supporters (Aubert & Flecha, 2021), the typology of the victims of IGV (Flecha, 2021), the pioneer legislation on IGV (Vidu, Tomás & Flecha, 2021), the media that take position in support of harassers (Madrid, Joanpere, De Botton, Campdepadrós, 2020), the media working with the professional criteria of journalism (Pulido, Villarejo, Vidu, Ramis, & Flecha,2021), the first international conference of IGV (Vidu, Valls, Puigvert, Melgar & Joanpere, 2017), how new alternative masculinities respond to the demands of support of victims (Nazareno, Vidu, Merodio & Valls, 2022), and also concrete cases that happened during the hard lockdown imposed in Spain due to COVID-19 (Puigvert, Vidu, Melgar & Salceda, 2021).…”

Men Tackling Isolating Gender Violence to Fight against Sexual Harassment

“…Therefore, IGV is not only perpetrated against victims but against both those who stand in solidarity with victims and against direct victims. IGV is perpetuated in order to isolate gender violence victims from their supporters, so they remain isolated and perpetrators may continue acting with impunity [ 2 ].…”

“…Protecting bystanders from retaliation is fundamental for overcoming barriers such as the fear of experiencing IGV and increasing their response. Accordingly, some regional legislation has started to be formulated to tackle retaliations and IGV, aimed at protecting those who protect victims [ 2 ]. Nonetheless, to protect bystanders from IGV, it is essential to comprehend the consequences after they intervene, so the impact of these attacks can be identified and measured, contributing to shedding light on a type of violence and its consequences that have often gone unnoticed.…”

Health and Well-Being Consequences for Gender Violence Survivors from Isolating Gender Violence

“…IGV refers to the attacks and retaliation launched against gender violence victims' supporters so that victims remain isolated. This is violence exerted both against those who help the victims and to the direct victims in order to isolate them and guarantee impunity [15]. In December 2020, the Parliament of Catalonia unanimously passed the world's first legislation on the concept of IGV; in 2021, several parliaments are developing their own legislation [15].…”

“…This is violence exerted both against those who help the victims and to the direct victims in order to isolate them and guarantee impunity [15]. In December 2020, the Parliament of Catalonia unanimously passed the world's first legislation on the concept of IGV; in 2021, several parliaments are developing their own legislation [15]. IGV provokes suffering to advocates with health consequences that are being analyzed by ongoing research; but the research we present in this article is the first one in the world about the health consequences of IGV for direct victims of gender-based violence.…”