The rest of this book focusses specifically on the history of the movements challenging violence against women and girls, and domestic violence in particular, since the late 1960s. However, the epigraph/quote above leads directly on from the one that starts Chapter 2, as a deliberate continuation: the wider women's movement was the foundation. Thus, the reason why the previous two chapters were devoted to the women's liberation movements, including the Black women's movement, in various countries is that the struggle to take on male violence against women was embedded from the start within them. They were its wellsprings.

Activism has always been the backbone of challenging the abuse perpetrated by men and experienced by women. That was the case in the 1970s and 1980s. And it is the case now. Those who are committed to the issue can perhaps be proud, despite the continued incidence of high levels of gender-based violence, to be part, now, of a loose-knit and diverse global movement, spanning the countries of the world. In fact, in almost every nation currently, there is at least some activity to combat male violence. It is to this that we now turn.

Refuges (shelters), rape crisis centres, and many other services and campaigns were set up both in the UK countries and elsewhere in the early 1970s, as part of this worldwide effort. All these years later, the movement takes complex forms, and is active to varying extents, in different regions, countries and cultures – but is there, almost everywhere, nonetheless. As we take on board diversity and difference, and varying degrees of power between women, as indeed we must, it is possible, these days, to make wide links and build solidarity on violence against women. The links and solidarity can, at best, stretch across the vast diversities between women around the world (as has been my experience working with activists and survivors in many different countries). And it is then possible to join together across all those differences to challenge the various types of violence and abuse which jeopardise and harm women (and children) everywhere.