Glossary of Terms
Understanding Gender-Based Violence Through an Intersectional Lens
At HERSANA, we believe that language is power. To support and advocate effectively for Black femme survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), we must first understand the words and concepts that shape our experiences, communities, and systems. This glossary is designed to provide clear, accessible definitions of terms related to GBV, rooted in an intersectional, anti-oppressive, and trauma-informed approach.
Drawing inspiration from national and international sources, this living resource reflects the unique realities of survivors in the UK, especially those from marginalised communities. Whether you are a survivor, supporter, professional, or curious learner, we hope this glossary deepens your understanding and supports your commitment to social justice, equity, and healing.
This glossary will be updated regularly as language evolves and our work continues.
A
Ableism
Prejudicial and discriminatory beliefs and behaviours that devalue people living with developmental, emotional, physical, or mental disabilities.
Abuse
A pattern of behaviour used to gain or maintain power and control over another person. Abuse can be physical, emotional, psychological, sexual, financial, or spiritual. Abuse is not always visible or easily identifiable.
Advocate
A person who provides support, information, and resources to survivors of gender-based violence. At HERSANA, advocates may be IDVAs, ISVAs, or community support workers.
Ageism
Stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination against individuals based on their age, often affecting older adults' health and wellbeing.
B
BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic)
A term used in the UK to describe people of non-white descent. HERSANA recognises the limitations of this term and uses more specific and affirming language like Black femmes when appropriate.
Barriers to Support
Factors that prevent survivors from accessing safety, justice, and healing such as racism, misogynoir, immigration status, language barriers, economic dependency, stigma, and fear of not being believed.
Biphobia
Fear and/or hatred of bisexuality, often exhibited through name-calling, bullying, exclusion, prejudice, discrimination, or acts of violence.
C
Cisgender
A person whose gender identity and gender expression align with their sex assigned at birth.
Classism
Negative beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours, as well as systems of practices that devalue, exploit, and exclude people perceived as being from a lower social standing or class.
Coercive Control
A pattern of controlling behaviours such as isolation, manipulation, threats, and surveillance, that aim to strip a person of their freedom and autonomy. This is a criminal offence in the UK.
Consent
Freely given, enthusiastic, informed, specific, and reversible agreement to engage in any kind of activity - particularly sexual. Consent must be present at all times and can be withdrawn at any time.
Colonialism
The imposition of policies, laws, economies, cultures, or systems by settler governments to support and continue the occupation of Indigenous territories and the subjugation of Indigenous nations.
Culturally Safe Approaches
Approaches that recognise and challenge unequal power relations between service providers and survivors by building equitable, two-way relationships characterised by respect, shared responsibility, and cultural exchange.
D
Domestic Abuse
Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening, degrading, or violent behaviour (including sexual violence) in the context of a current or former intimate relationship or family connection.
Disclosure
When a survivor shares information about their experience of abuse. This may happen directly or indirectly.
E
Economic Abuse
A form of abuse where the abuser controls a person’s access to money, employment, or financial resources to limit their independence and maintain power.
Emotional / Psychological Abuse
Use of words or actions to control or frighten a family member or intimate partner, or to lower their self-respect and self-esteem. This includes insults, belittling, constant humiliation, intimidation, threats to harm, threats to take away children, and harm or threats to harm pets.
F
Family Violence
Any form of abuse or neglect that a child or adult experiences from a family member or from someone with whom they have an intimate relationship, whether current or former.
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C)
The excision, infibulation, or mutilation of the labia majora, labia minora, or clitoris of a girl or woman, in whole or in part, for non-medical reasons. FGM/C is a form of abuse and is a crime in the UK.
Femicide
The gender-related killing of women and girls, often by a current or former partner. HERSANA recognises femicide as a preventable and urgent human rights issue that disproportionately affects Black and minoritised women.
Forced Marriage
A marriage in which one or both people do not and/or cannot consent. This is distinct from arranged marriage and is a criminal offence in the UK.
G
Gender Expression
The manner in which a person presents and communicates gender in a social context, which can include clothing, speech, body language, hairstyle, voice, and/or the emphasis or de-emphasis of bodily characteristics or behaviours.
Gender Identity
A person's internal and individual experience of gender, which may include an internal sense of being a man, woman, both, neither, or another gender entirely.
Gender Norms
Expectations and stereotypes about behaviours, actions, and roles linked to being a ‘man’ or ‘woman’ in a particular society. These norms contribute to power imbalances and gender inequality.
Gender-Based Violence (GBV)
Harmful acts directed at an individual based on their gender, gender identity, or gender expression. It includes domestic abuse, sexual violence, trafficking, female genital cutting and more.
Gaslighting
A form of psychological manipulation where a person is made to doubt their own memory, perception, or sanity.
H
Harassment
Unwanted behaviour that causes someone to feel intimidated, degraded, or humiliated. Can be verbal, physical, online, or sexual in nature.
Harmful Practices
Cultural, religious, or traditional practices that negatively affect individuals' health, rights, or dignity.
Homophobia
A range of negative attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours directed towards people perceived as LGBTQIA, resulting in systemic effects of prejudice, discrimination, and violence.
“Honour” Based Abuse (HBA)
Premeditated violence committed against a family member, usually female, who is perceived to have brought shame or dishonour to her family by engaging in disapproved conduct. HBA can include forced confinement, assault, and killing.
Human Trafficking
The recruitment, transportation, transfer, receipt, holding, concealing, harbouring, or exercising control over a person for the purpose of exploitation, generally for sexual exploitation or forced labour.
I
Intersectionality
A framework for understanding how different forms of discrimination (e.g. racism, sexism, classism, ableism) overlap and compound one another - particularly in the lives of Black femmes and marginalised people.
Intersex
An umbrella term for various types of biological sex differentiation. Intersex people have variations in their sex characteristics that fall outside typical binary notions of male or female bodies.
Intimate Partner Violence
Physical, sexual, emotional (psychological), or financial harm done by a current or former intimate partner or spouse. This can occur in any relationship, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
L
LGBTQIA+
An acronym that stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual or Aromantic. The plus (+) sign is often used to include other diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions.
M
Misogynoir
A term coined by Moya Bailey that describes the specific hatred, dislike, or prejudice directed at Black women and femmes, where racism and misogyny intersect.
P
Perpetrator
A person who carries out acts of violence or abuse. Also referred to as an abuser or offender.
Post-Separation Abuse
Abuse that continues after a relationship ends. This is often perpetrated through legal systems, child contact, threats, stalking, or financial control.
Preferred Pronouns
Third-person pronouns that an individual prefers others to use when identifying them. These can include she/her/hers, he/him/his, they/them/theirs, ze/zie, hir/hirs, xe/xem/xyr, among others.
Physical Abuse
The intentional use or threatened use of physical force against a family member or intimate partner, including pushing, hitting, cutting, punching, slapping, shoving, and strangulation.
Q
Queer
An umbrella term for sexual and gender minorities who are not heterosexual or are not cisgender.
R
Racism
Systemic subordination, oppression, and exploitation of specific groups of people based on perceived physical and/or cultural characteristics, resulting in power and privilege for the dominant group and unequal treatment for oppressed groups.
Rape
Legally defined in England and Wales as non-consensual penetration of the vagina, anus, or mouth by a penis. Other non-consensual sexual acts may be charged as sexual assault.
Re-victimisation
When a survivor is exposed to further trauma, often by institutions, systems, or individuals after the initial harm, through disbelief, blame, or retraumatising practices.
S
Safety Planning
A personalised, practical plan that includes ways to remain safe while in a relationship, planning to leave, or after leaving. Safety plans are survivor-led and tailored to individual needs.
Survivor
A person who has experienced gender-based violence. HERSANA uses the term survivor to honour the strength and resilience of those who have experienced abuse, though we respect the right of individuals to use their preferred term, such as victim.
Sex
Refers to the biological and physiological characteristics that define males, females, and intersex persons. There is variation in these attributes, leading to characteristics that do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies.
Sexism
Prejudice or discrimination based on sex or gender, particularly against women and girls.
Sexual Assault
Any unwanted sexual activity involving physical contact, including kissing, fondling, and sexual intercourse.
Sexual Exploitation
Sexual abuse of children and youth through the exchange of sex or sexual acts for drugs, food, shelter, protection, or other basics of life, and/or money. It includes involving children and youth in creating pornography and sexually explicit websites.
Sexual Harassment
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, and other forms of verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, often involving an abuse of power.
Sexual Orientation
A term used to describe a pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions. Sexual orientations can include heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, polysexual, queer, among others.
Sexual Violence
A sexual act without consent, an attempt to obtain a sexual act, threats to obtain a sexual act, or unwanted sexual comments or advances, by any person regardless of their relationship to the victim/survivor, in any setting.
T
Technology-Facilitated Violence (Cyberviolence)
Behaviours that use technology to facilitate virtual and/or in-person harm, including threatening, harassing, bullying, embarrassing, assaulting, extorting, coercing, tormenting, or socially excluding another person.
Transgender/Trans
A term used to define people whose gender identity or gender expression differs from their sex assigned.
Trauma-Informed
An approach that recognises the widespread impact of trauma and integrates knowledge of trauma into policies, procedures, and practices to avoid retraumatisation and support healing.
Want to Learn More or Suggest a Term?
This glossary is a living document. Language evolves, and so do we. If you’d like to suggest a new term, provide feedback, or learn more about how HERSANA supports Black femme survivors of gender-based violence, we’d love to hear from you.
Together, we can build a more just, informed, and compassionate world.