Contemporary society, especially in western countries, triumphs the advancement of women in most spheres of life. Women have gained access to high education, to the labor market, to military service, to high administrative jobs, to prestigious positions in the media etc. Nevertheless, women's self security appears to be shaky despite the important achievements gained in the last few decades. Patriarchy still reigns and the gender power structure continues to sustain men's dominance, mainly by the use of coercion and violence. This becomes clear when we consider the threats on women's lives and dignity in family crises, when relating to the cultural and religious dictates that are enforced on women, when realizing the extent of sexual harassment within the hierarchal gender relations at the work place, at the academia, in the army, in the media and in other places.
As technology and media have become a major force in contemporary times, society faces new challenges in protecting and advancing human rights and values. Intensive exposure to violence on virtual and digital media accelerates the legitimacy of using violence in all spheres of life. As the use of violence reflects the power structures embedded in society, the underprivileged and marginalized groups are more susceptible to experiencing violence and exploitation. Women are a conspicuous group among the victims of violence. Despite the ongoing struggle against violence toward women, women are a major victim of males' violence. Women's vulnerability with regard to the manifold kinds of violence exerted toward them is still a major problem that must be addressed by the feminist movement as well as by human rights organizations. Although the feminist movement has gone a long way in confronting violence against women, yet it appears that violence continues to represent its hard core struggle, demanding great efforts to abolish this unbearable phenomenon.
