Laws and Policies on Gender-Based Violence | Day 14

By Mariama Bah

Historical laws have long shaped the ever-evolving global response to gender-based violence (GBV), laying the legal and moral groundwork for the protections we continue to fight for today. From early international agreements that first recognized violence against women as a human-rights violation, to landmark national reforms that expanded definitions of abuse, these precedents established the frameworks that modern movements and legislations build on. As we now confront the rise of digital GBV, harassment, exploitation, and abuse enabled through technology, understanding these earlier milestones reminds us that progress is possible, and that each generation adapts the struggle for safety and dignity to new forms of harm.

United States Historical Precedent-Setting Laws

1. Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), 1994: The first comprehensive federal law addressing domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. It created funding for shelters, established legal protections for survivors, and formally recognized GBV as a national crisis requiring coordinated, systemic response.🔗:  Llegalmomentum.org/history of VAWA
2. Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA), 1984: The earliest federal funding stream dedicated to domestic violence prevention. It laid groundwork for national hotlines, shelters, and community-based services—setting a precedent for survivor-centered federal policy. 🔗: Congress.gov/Act F11170
3. Title IX of the Education Amendments, 1972: Though often discussed in the context of education equity, Title IX transformed institutional responses to sexual harassment and assault in schools and universities. Its recognition that sexual violence is a form of sex discrimination became a foundational legal principle still relied upon today. 🔗: DOJ_Civil Rights Division.gov/title-ix – education amendments 1972

International Historical Precedent-Setting Laws

1. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), 1979 – UN:  Often called the international bill of rights for women, CEDAW established that violence against women is a form of discrimination. It set a global human-rights standard that influenced national GBV laws worldwide. 🔗: 🔗: www.ohchr.org/CEDAW
2. Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of Violence Against Women (Belém do Pará), 1994:  The first international treaty to explicitly define violence against women as a violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms. It became highly influential in Latin America’s regional legislation and global GBV policy-making.🔗: OAS.org/Multilateral Treaties
3. Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 1995: A landmark global policy framework that identified violence against women—across public, private, and state actors—as a key barrier to gender equality. It expanded international consensus on GBV and pushed countries to adopt comprehensive national laws. 🔗: UNWomen.org/Beijing Declaration

Active & Recent Legislation to Combat Digital Gender based Violence

As technology evolves, so do the forms of violence that disproportionately target women and marginalized genders/groups.  In recent years, governments and international bodies have begun creating and expanding legislation to address online harassment, non-consensual image sharing, cyberstalking, doxxing, and other forms of digital GBV. The following overview highlights some of the most active and recent laws designed to protect victims, hold perpetrators accountable, and strengthen digital safety. These measures reflect a growing recognition that gender justice must extend into virtual spaces just as firmly as it does offline.

United States Legislation 

1. TAKE IT DOWN Act (2025):  Federal law requiring platforms to remove non-consensual intimate images (including AI-generated deepfakes) and strengthening protections against digital exploitation.🔗: Congress.gov/bill S.146 – TAKE IT DOWN Act
2. Violence Against Women Act (Reauthorized 2022): Includes updated cyberstalking provisions, tech-safety funding, and improved digital abuse training for law enforcement and service providers. 🔗: Justice.gov/violence against women act
3. State-Level “Revenge Porn” Laws (Active in 48+ states) :Laws criminalizing non-consensual image sharing; several include deepfake provisions. 🔗 cybercivilrights.org/revenge porn laws

International Legislation

1. European Union — Directive on Combating Violence Against Women (2024):       The first EU-wide law criminalizing cyber violence, including deepfake porn, cyberstalking, and online harassment. 🔗Consilium.europa.eu/end violence against women
2. United Kingdom — Online Safety Act (2023):  Requires platforms to remove harmful content, including cyberflashing, online harassment, and non-consensual intimate images. 🔗Gov.uk/online safety act 2023
3. Argentina — “Olimpia Law”(2023) (Reforms to Law 26.485):Aims to prevent and penalize online violence against women and ensure safer digital environments. 🔗Spotlightinitiative.org/addressing online violence Argentina

2025-2026 Proposed Legislation

1. Inter-American Model Law to Prevent, Punish & Eradicate Digital GBV:  Regional law designed to standardize protections against technology-facilitated violence across the Americas. 🔗Belemdopara.org/Draft 2 
2. France — Comprehensive Bill Addressing Digital Violence: Includes measures focused on cyber violence, digital harassment, and online safety for women and children. 🔗lemonde.fr./ Bill to tackle violence against women and children V
3. USA — Tech Safety for Victims Act (Proposed, 2025/26 session):  Targets technology-related abuse in domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault cases; would increase resources for survivors and mandate tech-platform cooperation. 🔗Congress.gov/senate bill 2159
4. Greece — GBV Bill Reform (Debated 2025): Proposes criminalizing cyberstalking and revenge porn with stronger penalties. 🔗Apnews.com/article/Legal protests