--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Acknowledging that a woman's right to be…" description: "\"“Acknowledging that a woman's right to be safe from a gender-based attack was a \"civil right,\" I believed, was critically important in changing the Ame..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50c/joe-biden-454_criminal-justice_acknowledging-that-a-woman-s-right-to-be_2536770.jpg" --- # Acknowledging that a woman's right to be safe from a… ![“Acknowledging that a woman's right to be safe from a gender-based attack was a "civil right," I believed, was critically important in changing the American consciousness. When a right reaches the status and categorization of a "civil right," it means the nation has arrived at a consensus that is…” quote by Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50c/joe-biden-454_criminal-justice_acknowledging-that-a-woman-s-right-to-be_2536770.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50c/joe-biden-454_criminal-justice_acknowledging-that-a-woman-s-right-to-be_2536770.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50c/joe-biden-454_criminal-justice_acknowledging-that-a-woman-s-right-to-be_2536770.jpg) > ““Acknowledging that a woman's right to be safe from a gender-based attack was a "civil right," I believed, was critically important in changing the American consciousness. When a right reaches the status and categorization of a "civil right," it means the nation has arrived at a consensus that is nonnegotiable. Violence against women would no longer be written off ... Once our criminal justice system -- at the local, state and federal levels -- recognized these as serious and inexcusable crimes, women could stop blaming themselves.”” [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing safety from gender‑based violence as a civil right shifts national consensus, making such violence non‑negotiable and prompting legal systems to treat it as a serious crime. **In simple terms:** Treating women’s safety as a civil right changes law and attitudes. Key Takeaway Support and enforce protections for women. Themes civil rights gender violence legal reform social change Mood determined urgent Type political motivational When to use this quote - legislative advocacy - community education - support services - policy making Key Concepts equality human rights policy justice Questions to Reflect On - How can societies ensure enforcement? - What role do individuals play in cultural change? A Different Perspective Implementation varies; cultural resistance may persist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-right/) [Criminal justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminal-justice/) [Criminal justice system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminal-justice-system/) [Gender Based](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gender-based-754143/) [Justice system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice-system/) [Nonnegotiable Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonnegotiable-violence-1395129/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Safe Gender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe-gender-1395128/) [Violence against women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence-against-women/) [Violence Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence-women/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) ## Related quotes > [In working to end violence against women and children, we need to ensure that men are centrally involved. Men need to organise themselves in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-ramaphosa/in-working-to-end-violence-against-women-and-children-we-need-to/) [Cyril Ramaphosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-ramaphosa/) > [When violence against women is no longer societally accepted, no longer kept secret; when everyone understands that even one case is too many. 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And it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/the-origins-of-violence-against-women-by-men-are-not-biological-if/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“We have an abundance of rape and violence against women in this country and on this Earth, though it’s almost never treated as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/we-have-an-abundance-of-rape-and-violence-against-women-in-this/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [When people were very concerned about the violence against women, I encouraged people to stick with it because it was going somewhere and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-rachel-wood/when-people-were-very-concerned-about-the-violence-against-women-i/) [Evan Rachel Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-rachel-wood/) > [“The TRUTH is...If more men would rise up and speak against domestic violence, there would be less(V.A.W.)Violence Against Women in our world! Why Should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/the-truth-is-if-more-men-would-rise-up-and-speak-against-domestic/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [I'm very disturbed by violence against women when it is violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/i-m-very-disturbed-by-violence-against-women-when-it-is-violence/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [As men, we all have something to give. 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Everything...they all help destroy precious lives!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/what-does-war-murder-genocide-violence-abuse-rape-domestic-violence/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [The violence perpetrated by men against women must stop - and it's up to men to stop it. It is up to men to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-violence-perpetrated-by-men-against-women-must-stop-and-it-s-up/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Joe Biden > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [I always kid the president in different circumstances. 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Best decision I ever made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/i-m-joking-i-m-joking-best-decision-i-ever-made/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [ Somalis have made my city of Wilmington, Delaware, \[their home\] on a smaller scale. There is a large, very identifiable Somali community, i might… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/somalis-have-made-my-city-of-wilmington-delaware-their-home-on-a/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [“And don’t any of you, by the way, any of you guys vote Republican. I’m not supposed to say, this isn’t political. …don’t come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/and-don-t-any-of-you-by-the-way-any-of-you-guys-vote-republican-i-m/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [We also wanted to change the story - change the approach to the 21st century on energy, on education, on transportation, on infrastructure, generally,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/we-also-wanted-to-change-the-story-change-the-approach-to-the-21st/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The spirit of Thanksgiving rests in our recognizing the blessings in our lives, and as we all take stock, I hope you will join…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/the-spirit-of-thanksgiving-rests-in-our-recognizing-the-blessings-in/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The president has a big stick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/the-president-has-a-big-stick/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) [Explore all 546 Joe Biden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) ## More Criminal justice quotes > [We need to incorporate that age-old concept of redemption into the work that we do in the criminal justice system in California.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamala-harris/we-need-to-incorporate-that-age-old-concept-of-redemption-into-the/) [Kamala Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamala-harris/) > [“But a punishment like forced labour or even imprisonment – mere loss of liberty – has never functioned without a certain additional element of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/but-a-punishment-like-forced-labour-or-even-imprisonment-mere-loss-of/) [Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/) > [It's encouraging to watch bipartisan leaders from different states recognize the need for fair and rational legislation focused on creating second chances for those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/it-s-encouraging-to-watch-bipartisan-leaders-from-different-states/) [Michael G. 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