Vicarious violence is a term coined and defined by the psychologist and judicial expert Sonia Vaccaro since 2012, which refers to a modality of gender violence. Violence against women does not end within the limits of their bodies and their emotions, but can extend to their environment, their bonds or affective networks.
This type of violence frequently appears when the aggressor, generally partners or ex-partners, cannot have direct access to the woman, so the source of violence is substituted by a significant person for her, and who is within her reach; in general, about the children. In this way, the affective ties of the woman are used as a channel to exert violence on her.
In June of this year, the deputy Mónica Macha presented a project to incorporate vicarious violence in the text of Law No. 26,485 on Comprehensive Protection to prevent, punish and eradicate violence against women. The inclusion of vicarious violence as one of the types of violence not only points to its legal recognition, but also to its prevention. It is necessary to eradicate the cultural pattern that leads to dismissing threats and disbelieving them, so that in situations of violence, not only women can be protected, but also children.
Vicarious violence has been silenced for a long time. It is time to name it to understand how this form of abuse affects mothers and their children.
Vicarious violence is a term coined and defined by the psychologist and judicial expert Sonia Vaccaro since 2012, which refers to a modality of gender violence. Violence against women does not end within the limits of their bodies and their emotions, but can extend to their environment, their bonds or affective networks.
This type of violence frequently appears when the aggressor, generally partners or ex-partners, cannot have direct access to the woman, so the source of violence is substituted by a significant person for her, and who is within her reach; in general, about the children. In this way, the affective ties of the woman are used as a channel to exert violence on her.
In June of this year, the deputy Mónica Macha presented a project to incorporate vicarious violence in the text of Law No. 26,485 on Comprehensive Protection to prevent, punish and eradicate violence against women. The inclusion of vicarious violence as one of the types of violence not only points to its legal recognition, but also to its prevention. It is necessary to eradicate the cultural pattern that leads to dismissing threats and disbelieving them, so that in situations of violence, not only women can be protected, but also children.
Vicarious violence has been silenced for a long time. It is time to name it to understand how this form of abuse affects mothers and their children.