Violence is the use of physical force to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something.
From Old French “violence,” from Latin “violentia,” meaning “vehemence, fury, severity,” from “violentus,” meaning “violent or forceful.” The word has long connected strong force with harm.
Violence isn’t only what you see in fights and wars; it also includes hidden harm at home or online. Many societies actually measure their health by how much they can reduce everyday violence, not just big conflicts.
"Violence" covers many harms, but gender-based violence—including domestic abuse, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence—has been pervasive and historically under-acknowledged. Language has sometimes minimized these harms or treated them as private rather than systemic.
Use "violence" precisely and avoid euphemisms that downplay harm. When relevant, name gender-based or domestic violence explicitly, and avoid framing survivors (often women and LGBTQ+ people) as responsible for the violence against them.
["abuse","assault","harm","brutality","coercion"]
Women's and LGBTQ+ movements have been central in naming and legislating against domestic and sexual violence, shifting them from "private matters" to recognized human-rights issues.
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