Abstract
This Summary Report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) outlines the initial results of the study based on evidence from over 24,000 women. It presents the findings from 15 sites in 10 countries: Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, Japan, Peru, Namibia, Samoa, Serbia and Montenegro, Thailand and the United Republic of Tanzania. It looks at the prevalence of violence by intimate partners and the associations with women’s physical, mental, sexual and reproductive health. It also looks at non-partner violence, sexual abuse during childhood and forced first sexual experience. Fifteen recommendations are made to strengthen national action on violence against women by promoting primary prevention, utilising education systems, strengthening health sector responses, supporting women living with violence, improving criminal justice systems, and conducting research and improving collaboration. There are 6 sections. The first section gives an overview, background and objectives. The second section defines violence against women by intimate partners and how physical and sexual violence are measured, as well as women’s attitudes towards violence and factors which protect women or put them at risk. The third section looks at violence against women by non-partners such as sexual abuse during childhood and forced first sexual experience. Section 4 presents the association between women’s health and partner violence including injuries from physical violence, and the impact on physical, mental and reproductive health. Section 5 outlines women’s coping responses to intimate partner violence including who women tell about the violence and the agencies they turn to. The last section presents the recommendations. This summary report is available in English, French and Spanish.