1 in 3 women worldwide are subjected to physical or sexual violence: WHO

LONDON – The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that one in three women globally are subjected to physical or sexual violence.

“Across their lifetime, 1 in 3 women, around 736 million, are subjected to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner or sexual violence from a non-partner – a number that has remained largely unchanged over the past decade,” WHO announced. 

The report from the WHO represents data from a study conducted over the course of eighteen years from 2000 to 2018.

However, the data does not report the violence during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We know that the multiple impacts of COVID-19 have triggered a “shadow pandemic” of increased reported violence of all kinds against women and girls,” UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said.

The risks and occurrence of gender-based violence have increased since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.