Women in Politics Power and Control Wheel

Violence directed toward women in the political sphere manifests in a variety of ways and can come from multiple sources. These manifestations are derivations of multiple tactics performed by various individuals, groups, and systems, and operate collectively to create a consistent threat of violence against women in politics and sustain the experience of fear in the subject. Though the tactics are not necessarily coordinated, they amplify one another to create a context where the threat becomes pervasive.

This wheel is a summary representation of the breadth of tactics commonly used to create and sustain this dynamic. Not every woman in politics who experiences violence will experience all the tactics listed nor will she necessarily experience them with the same frequency or to the same degree. Not every agent of that violence will employ all tactics listed. Every experience of violence is unique and the breadth and depth of how these tactics are used are different in each instance. The effect on each individual will also be different, depending on a variety of factors, including the scope and source of the violence and that individual’s personal history. Nonetheless, there remains a consistent experience of violent threat and resulting fear for one’s own safety or autonomy.