This book conveys the findings of a study carried out in three rural districts of Malawi. It aims to explore the issue of gender-based violence, known locally as nkhanza, and its impact on women with regard to their social and legal status. The study covers: the implications of the marriage system for gender-based violence; men, women and children's perceptions of violence; structural issues and systems of justice; the role of economic factors; nkhanza as an accepted form of conflict resolution; and the psychological impacts.