Violence against women

Overview

The United Nations defines violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation
of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life” (1).

Intimate partner violence refers to behaviour by an intimate partner or ex-partner that causes physical, sexual or psychological harm, including physical aggression, sexual coercion, psychological abuse and controlling behaviours.

Sexual violence is “any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, or other act directed against a person’s sexuality using coercion, by any person regardless of their relationship to the victim, in any setting. It includes
rape, defined as the physically forced or otherwise coerced penetration of the vulva or anus with a penis, other body part or object, attempted rape, unwanted sexual touching and other non-contact forms.”

Scope of the problem

Population-level surveys based on reports from survivors provide the most accurate estimates of the prevalence of intimate partner violence and sexual violence. A 2018 analysis of prevalence data from 2000–2018 across 161 countries and areas, conducted
by WHO on behalf of the UN Interagency working group on violence against women, found that worldwide, nearly 1 in 3, or 30%, of women have been subjected to physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner or non-partner sexual violence or both (2).

Over a quarter of women aged 15–49 years who have been in a relationship have been subjected to physical and/or sexual violence by their intimate partner at least once in their lifetime (since age 15). The prevalence estimates of lifetime intimate partner
violence range from 20% in the Western Pacific, 22% in high-income countries and Europe and 25% in the WHO Regions of the Americas to 33% in the WHO African region, 31% in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, and 33% in the WHO South-East Asia
region.

Globally as many as 38% of all murders of women are committed by intimate partners. In addition to intimate partner violence, globally 6% of women report having been sexually assaulted by someone other than a partner, although data for non-partner sexual
violence are more limited. Intimate partner and sexual violence are mostly perpetrated by men against women.

Lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic and its social and economic impacts have increased the exposure of women to abusive partners and known risk factors, while limiting their access to services. Situations of humanitarian crises and displacement may
exacerbate existing violence, such as by intimate partners, as well as non-partner sexual violence, and may also lead to new forms of violence against women.

Factors associated with intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women

Intimate partner and sexual violence is the result of factors occurring at individual, family, community and wider society levels that interact with each other to increase or reduce risk (protective). Some are associated with being a perpetrator of violence,
some are associated with experiencing violence and some are associated with both.

Risk factors for both intimate partner and sexual violence include:

• lower levels of education (perpetration of sexual violence and experience of sexual violence);
• a history of exposure to child maltreatment (perpetration and experience);
• witnessing family violence (perpetration and experience);
• antisocial personality disorder (perpetration);
• harmful use of alcohol (perpetration and experience);
• harmful masculine behaviours, including having multiple partners or attitudes that condone violence (perpetration);
• community norms that privilege or ascribe higher status to men and lower status to women;
• low levels of women’s access to paid employment; and
• low level of gender equality (discriminatory laws, etc.).

Factors specifically associated with intimate partner violence include:

• past history of exposure to violence;
• marital discord and dissatisfaction;
• difficulties in communicating between partners; and
• male controlling behaviours towards their partners.

Factors specifically associated with sexual violence perpetration include:

• beliefs in family honour and sexual purity;
• ideologies of male sexual entitlement; and
• weak legal sanctions for sexual violence.

Gender inequality and norms on the acceptability of violence against women are a root cause of violence against women.

Health consequences

Intimate partner (physical, sexual and psychological) and sexual violence cause serious short- and long-term physical, mental, sexual and reproductive health problems for women. They also affect their children’s health and well-being. This violence
leads to high social and economic costs for women, their families and societies. Such violence can:

• Have fatal outcomes like homicide or suicide.
• Lead to injuries, with 42% of women who experience intimate partner violence reporting an injury as a consequence of this violence (3).
• Lead to unintended pregnancies, induced abortions, gynaecological problems, and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. WHO’s 2013 study on the health burden associated with violence against women found that women who had been physically or
  sexually abused were 1.5 times more likely to have a sexually transmitted infection and, in some regions, HIV, compared to women who had not experienced partner violence. They are also twice as likely to have an abortion (3).
• Intimate partner violence in pregnancy also increases the likelihood of miscarriage, stillbirth, pre-term delivery and low birth weight babies. The same 2013 study showed that women who experienced intimate partner violence were 16% more likely to
  suffer a miscarriage and 41% more likely to have a pre-term birth (3).
• These forms of violence can lead to depression, post-traumatic stress and other anxiety disorders, sleep difficulties, eating disorders, and suicide attempts. The 2013 analysis found that women who have experienced intimate partner violence were almost
  twice as likely to experience depression and problem drinking.
• Health effects can also include headaches, pain syndromes (back pain, abdominal pain, chronic
  

  SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

  SDGs	Targets	Indicators
  SDG 5: Gender Equality	Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres	Indicator 5.2.1: Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls aged 15 years and older subjected to physical, sexual, or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months
  SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions	Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere	Indicator 16.1.3: Proportion of population subjected to physical, psychological, or sexual violence in the previous 12 months
  SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being	Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being	Indicator 3.4.2: Suicide mortality rate	Indicator 3.4.3: Mortality rate attributed to intimate partner violence	Indicator 3.4.4: Mortality rate attributed to sexual violence

  1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

  SDG 5: Gender Equality, SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, and SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article.

  2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

  Based on the article’s content, the specific targets that can be identified are:

  • Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres
  • Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere
  • Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being

  3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

  Yes, there are indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. These indicators include:

  • Indicator 5.2.1: Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls aged 15 years and older subjected to physical, sexual, or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months
  • Indicator 16.1.3: Proportion of population subjected to physical, psychological, or sexual violence in the previous 12 months
  • Indicator 3.4.2: Suicide mortality rate
  • Indicator 3.4.3: Mortality rate attributed to intimate partner violence
  • Indicator 3.4.4: Mortality rate attributed to sexual violence

  SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

  SDGs	Targets	Indicators
  SDG 5: Gender Equality	Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres	Indicator 5.2.1: Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls aged 15 years and older subjected to physical, sexual, or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months
  SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions	Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere	Indicator 16.1.3: Proportion of population subjected to physical, psychological, or sexual violence in the previous 12 months
  SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being	Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being	Indicator 3.4.2: Suicide mortality rate	Indicator 3.4.3: Mortality rate attributed to intimate partner violence	Indicator 3.4.4: Mortality rate attributed to sexual violence

  Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

  Source: who.int

   

  

  Join us, as fellow seekers of change, on a transformative journey at https://sdgtalks.ai/welcome, where you can become a member and actively contribute to shaping a brighter future.