Structural violence refers to harm produced by the ordinary organization of institutions, norms, and unequal social arrangements. It is often harder to perceive than interpersonal abuse because it can feel routine, impersonal, and deeply familiar.
In work on gender-based violence, structural violence helps explain why some people have fewer options, less credibility, less safety, and less access to justice or support. It widens the lens without removing personal responsibility from those who cause harm.