Yoyo Hamblen of IFPO and Gary Simpson, Nonverbal and Behavioural specialist discuss the important topic of Gender-Based Violence in the modern security landscape
Violence against women and girls isn’t just a private tragedy—it’s a global security issue hiding in plain sight. Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is often framed as an anomaly, yet it is terrifyingly routine: in the UK, a woman is killed by a man every three days. Behind each statistic is a story, and behind each story, a pattern.
In this article, written by Gary Simpson, we explore how situational awareness and behavioural threat recognition can empower individuals—especially women—to detect danger early and act decisively. Drawing on real-life experience and expert frameworks such as ANPA and JACA, we unpack the subtle tactics predators use and the internal warning systems we often suppress.
Gary Simpson shares his personal story, this piece is not just a wake-up call—it’s a call to action because the more we understand about the lead-up to violence, the more we can interrupt it. Prevention doesn’t start at the moment of attack. It starts the moment something doesn’t feel right.
Gary Simpson’s Account
“On the 3rd of August 1990 my Mum and Aunty were travelling back from a day out with us all in the car, it was stinking hot, and it’d been a long day. She wanted to find a phone and call my dad to let him know we were on our way back.
Luckily, we were passing my grandparents’ house which had a landline, so she intended to stop there and use their telephone. As we approached the house, she noticed that all us kids in the back, were fast asleep, so, not wanting to risk waking us, she decided to head straight home instead. Little did she know what she would have found in the house if she had stopped. To this day, we still talk about this and ask ourselves what would have happened if we had stopped and gone into the house, how differently might things have turned out?
Although too young to understand at the time, the repercussions of that day have been a constant presence in my family’s life for the past 35 years. That day, my grandmother, 44-year-old Ann Heron, was murdered in her own home by a male perpetrator – a crime that, to this day, remains unsolved.
What’s more shocking is that this was not an isolated case; men’s violence against women is a leading cause of the premature death for women globally, with a woman being killed every 3 days in the UK since 2009.”
This story highlights just how close we all are to Gender-Based Violence (GBV)- especially Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). While homicide is the sharpest end of the spectrum, GBV includes stalking, economic abuse, harmful traditional practices (FGM, Forced Marriage), and emotional or psychological abuse.
This article explores the scale of the problem – and introduces tools that help professionals and civilians alike recognise the behaviours that often precede violence.
The Global Picture
- 1 in 3 women globally (736 million) have experienced physical or sexual assault by their intimate partner (WHO, 2021).
- 15 million girls aged 15 to 19 worldwide have experienced SA and forced sex at some point in their lives.
- 1 in 4 women have experienced domestic abuse in the UK (ONS, 2023).
It’s uncomfortable reading, and while men do suffer from abuse, this kind of violence is rarely driven by gender. GBV, by definition, is – and it overwhelmingly targets women, by men.
What does GBV and VAWG look like and how can individuals protect themselves?
Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) take many forms, and recognising them is essential to personal safety. Common manifestations include physical aggression—hitting, kicking, or punching—as well as verbal or psychological abuse, such as yelling, insults, or threats. Intimidation, like threatening body language or blocking movement, is also common. Sexual harassment, including unwanted advances or inappropriate remarks, remains a widespread concern.
Manipulative behaviours—isolating someone from support, applying pressure, or asserting dominance—also fall within GBV and VAWG. These acts are often deliberate and patterned. While not all can be prevented, many leave behind signals—signals we can learn to identify and act upon.
Situational Awareness: Frameworks to Follow
ANPA – Absence of the Normal, Presence of the Abnormal
The first place to start is to trust your gut. This military framework underpins situational awareness. It encourages you to trust your gut – a survival mechanism honed over millions of years.
When something triggers that alarm, ask: What is normally here? What feels out of place? What is my body reacting to?
Your intuition isn’t overreacting – it’s scanning faster than conscious thought.
JACA – Justification, Alternatives, Consequences, Ability
When a person escalates from threats to full blown violence, they often have a criterion of four things.
Created by threat assessment expert Gavin de Becker, JACA helps assess the likelihood of violence.
Let’s say you have broken up with someone. Now he’s at your door, intoxicated and confrontational, reality aside – look at it through the lens of JACA;
- Do they feel justified in escalating it towards violence?
- Do they see any alternatives?
- Are they aware of the consequences?
- Do they have the ability?
If the answer to most or all is “yes,” take action: create space, remind them of consequences, and reduce their opportunity to escalate….
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