‘1/3 of women affected by physical, sexual violence’

MANILA, Philippines – More than a third of women worldwide are affected by physical or sexual violence, mostly at the hands of their intimate partners, according to a report by the United Nations.

The report “Global and regional estimates of violence against women: Prevalence and health effects of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence” represents the first systematic study of global data on the prevalence of violence against women both by partners and non-partners.

Release by the World Health Organization (WHO) in partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and South African Medical Research Council, the report said 35 percent of all women would experience either intimate partner or non-partner violence.

It also found that intimate partner violence is the most common type of violence against women, affecting 30 percent of women worldwide.

“These findings send a powerful message that violence against women is a global health problem of epidemic proportions,” said WHO Director-General Margaret Chan. “We also see that the world’s health systems can and must do more for women who experience violence.”

The report also details the impact of violence on the physical and mental health of women and girls, ranging from broken bones to pregnancy-related complications, mental problems and impaired social functioning.

Among its key findings on partner violence is that globally, 38 percent of all women who were murdered were killed by their intimate partners. Also, women who experienced partner violence are almost twice as likely to experience depression or abuse of alcohol.

“This new data shows that violence against women is extremely common. We urgently need to invest in prevention to address the underlying causes of this global women’s health problem,” said Charlotte Watts from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

The study also said that fear of stigma prevents many women from reporting non-partner sexual violence.

Other barriers to data collection include the fact that fewer countries collect this data than information about intimate partner violence, and that many surveys of this type of violence employ less sophisticated measurement approaches than those used in monitoring intimate partner violence. –Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star)