The Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (DEVAW) was adopted by UN General Assembly resolution in 1993. While the Declaration does not create legally binding obligations for states, it nevertheless represents a clear consensus that "violence against women constitutes a violation of the rights and fundamental freedoms of women and impairs or nullifies their enjoyment of those rights and freedoms . . ." The Declaration explains that violence against women is "a manifestation of historically unequal power relations between men and women, which have led to domination over and discrimination against women by men and to the prevention of the full advancement of women." Although the Declaration describes violence as rooted in historical power inequalities between men and women, it still makes clear that violence against women violates existing universal human rights norms. Significantly, the Declaration's definition of violence is expansive, including physical, sexual or psychological harm as well as threats and coercion, occurring in both public and private spheres. Finally, the Declaration emphasizes the obligation of the state to ensure prevention, investigation and punishment of all perpetrators, minimizing the distinction between public and private actors.