Gendered Violence

Why Are Women Still So Vulnerable? A Spiritual and Social Perspective on Gendered Violence

In the UK, violence against women has reached harrowing levels, so much so that authorities call it an epidemic. From April 2024 to March 2025, the charity Refuge reports that of 525 young women receiving long-term support, half suffered strangulation or suffocation – a 9% increase from the previous year-while nearly half experienced physical threats and a 35% faced death threats (Reuters.com).Meanwhile, violence against women makes up around 20% of all reported crimes in England and Wales, affecting one in 12 women annually (aljazeera.com).

These figures may appear statistical, yet they are profoundly spiritual raptures – signs that societal values, belief systems and cultural frameworks are failing women at every turn. It is important to note that they are not just statistics but whispers of women who never came home. Each number is a name, a face and a life disrupted or lost.

A Story Behind the Statistics

Sarah (name changed for privacy) was 27, living in Birminghan and working in a creative industry she loved. On the surface, she was free. But freedom slowly eroded under the grip of a partner who used coercive control, isolating her from friends, monitoring her messages and deciding when she could leave the house. One night, an argument turned into an attempt on her life. She survived but her voice still shakes when she says, “ I didn’t realise how quickly love can become a prison.”

Sarah’s story is not rare. It is the lived reality of thousands of women each year, in every postcode.

“Nothing strengthens the female heart like the human touch of another woman.” Margaret Baldwin

Why Women? The Weight of Patriarchy & Spiritual Diminishment

Globally, one in three women experiences physical or sexual violence in her lifetime, an alarming 30% which underscores the universality of this crisis (who.int,axios.com). Patriarchal systems, rooted in control and suppression of women are foundational to this violence. Harmful societal norms, like male entitlement, rigid gender roles and control over women’s bodies, perpetuate cycles of abuse (Oxfam.org).

This isn’t merely a social imbalance, it’s a spiritual scar. Patriarchy imposes laws, believed or imposed, that deny women autonomy, shatter their inner sovereignty and distort our collective understanding of compassion, power and kindness.

UK at Crisis Point – Home is Not Safe

The UK story is grim: police data confirms 2 million women are victims of male violence each year, with recorded offences rising 37% in the past five years and one in every six murders linked to domestic abuse (Oxfam.org, theguardian.com). Specifically, strangulation, a method with a high risk of lethal outcomes, is profoundly prevalent. In one year, there were 23,817 recorded cases of strangulation or suffocation in England and Wales alone (ifs.org.uk).

“You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.” Maya Angelou

Beyond Borders: Patriarchy ‘s Global Reach

Internationally, violence against women transcends culture and continents. Globally, 736 million women – nearly one in three- have suffered physical or sexual violence. (Projecthope.org). In 2023, the UN reported about 51.100 women were killed daily by intimate partners or family, a staggering average of 140 per day (apnea.com).

Certain regions such as Northeast Asia (Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong) have among the highest female homicide rates despite overall low crime levels – often because violence occurs behind closed doors, not in public (time.com). In contrast, Uganda – like many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, reports that 50% of women aged 15-49 experience intimate partner or sexual violence (en.wikipedia.org).

“Know your worth. The world will fight to take it away from you.” Pia Madison

“Liberated” in Name Only? Autonomy vs. Reality

Many women in the UK may identify as liberated. Legally free, educated, self-aware but autonomy is rarely absolute. Structural vulnerabilities persist such as harassment, violence and coercion. Digital spaces reflect these disparities too, with women reporting discomfort expressing political views- only 23% feel safe doing so, versus 40% of men (pic.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

True spiritual emancipation demands both inner sovereignty and external structures that uphold it. Without both, “liberation” is a fragile illusion.

Lessons from Matriarchal Societies

In the Mosuo communities of China or the Minangkabou of Indonesia – both matrilineal cultures, women traditionally hold property, make family decisions and enjoy higher levels of physical safety. Violence is not absent but it is less socially acceptable and women’s voices hold more societal weight.

In patriarchal nations, women’s safety is often contingent on male permission or societal tolerance, proof that the structure of a society shapes not just women’s opportunities but their survival.

Healing Pathways: Spiritual Strategies for Reclaiming Power

1. Soulful Education: Embed awareness of coercive control and red flags into school curricula, so that vulnerability can become a source of communal power. (reuters.com).

2. Sacred Circles & Rituals: Community-based gatherings where women reclaim narrative, reclaim spiritual identity and reclaim voice.

3. Restorative justice Practices: Healing must extend beyond punishment. Perpetrators can be held accountable in ways that repair spiritual bonds and community trust.

4. Inner Liberation: Through meditation, affirmations and embodied practices, women can realign their sovereignty with worldly autonomy.

“ She remembered who she was and the game changed.” Lalah Delia.

From History to Now

In the Victorian era, women were legally considered their husband’s property. While laws have shifted dramatically, the echoes of that ownership remain in wage inequality, media objectification and the lingering belief that women’s safety is negotiable. The patterns have evolved but the power imbalance persists.

Call to Action

Change is not the work of governments alone. It is the work of communities and individuals. We can:

• Support women’s shelters and advocacy groups.

• Start conversations in our communities about coercive control and respect.

• Mentor young women and girls to value their voices.

Violence against women is not isolated. It’s a global spiritual crisis born of patriarchal narratives that continue to deny women their worth, autonomy and safety. Yet, through spiritual literacy, community healing, legal transformation and inner resilience, we can forge a path from fear to liberation. History shows that societies can be reshaped and the feminine spirit when restored to full power, can transform entire cultures.

As the Founder of Psychologistics, with over 80 written articles and 4 books, I bring this insight and passion to live audiences. I am available for hire as a Guest Speaker at events, conferences and panels offering thought-provoking, inspiring and practical perspectives on women’s empowerment, social change and the spiritual dimensions of resilience and personal responsibility.

For bookings and enquiries, please visit www.psychologistics.org or email piamadison1@yahoo.com