Violence against women (VAW) has become an issue for public action and a subject of controversy and debate in the public arena. The occurrences of VAW are – at least in part – reported by public authorities and public policies are designed to combat it, by means of prevention campaigns, setting up of shelters or counselling services. All these measures bring together a range of institutional and non-institutional actors, at both national and international levels. VAW is furthermore the focus of specific laws. In this presentation, we will approach this issue from the perspective of the sociology of public problems and sociology of law. We will present the results of our research project on Switzerland, which analyses how VAW has been discussed and addressed in various cantons and at the federal level. In order to do this, we will use a genealogical approach, focusing on the construction of different concepts around VAW, as well as on the various actors who carried the issue into the public arena. By doing so, we aim to offer an understanding and evaluation of the diverse solutions offered by public authorities today to address VAW.
