Gender Violence
Intimate partner violence is still widespread.
In 2018, 26% of ever-partnered women globally had experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime. Among girls aged 15–19 in relationships, 24% had already experienced IPV. Little progress has been made in two decades, and rates are higher among women with disabilities.
Insights
Political: Legal protections remain inconsistent across countries; many lack enforcement mechanisms or survivor-centered support systems.
Economic: Violence limits women’s participation in the workforce, imposes major societal costs, and traps families in cycles of poverty.
Social: Cultural norms, stigma, and power imbalances hinder reporting, protection, and long-term recovery—especially for adolescents and women with disabilities.
Technological: Digital tools offer new avenues for reporting and support.
Legal: Despite global commitments, many countries still lack comprehensive laws or fail to criminalize all forms of IPV and sexual violence.
Environmental: Displacement, conflict, and crises exacerbate risks of violence and reduce access to protective services for women and girls.
Reflective Questions
How might health systems strengthen early detection and support?
What approaches could prevent IPV among adolescents and marginalized women?
How can legal and digital infrastructures be transformed to ensure safety, accountability, and empowerment?
Related Insight Cards
References:
World Health Organization, 2021. Violence against women prevalence estimates, 2018: global, regional and national prevalence estimates for intimate partner violence against women and global and regional prevalence estimates for non-partner sexual violence against women. Geneva: World Health Organization. Available at: https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/341337
Sardinha, L., García-Moreno, C. and Guthold, R., 2022. Global estimated prevalence of physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence against ever-partnered women, by age, 2018. Journal of Adolescent Health, 70(6), pp.846–847. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.12.019
