Women are more likely to suffer physical
and sexual violence from their husbands or
partners than other people and the violence
is more severe in rural areas, according to
research published.
The
World Health Organization report analyzed
the extent of violence against 24,000 women
in countries in Asia, Africa, South America
and Europe.
More than a quarter of the women questioned
in 13 of the 15 sites included in the study
had experienced physical or sexual violence
by their partner at least once in their lives.
"The findings show that, across a wide range
of settings, women are more at risk of violence
by an intimate partner than from any other
type of perpetrator," said Dr Claudia Garcia-Morena
of the World Health Organization.
The prevalence ranged from four percent in
cities in Japan and Serbia to more than 30
percent in rural areas in Bangladesh, Ethiopia
and Peru. The violence was most severe in
rural rather than urban settings, the report
said.
Men described as controlling were the most
likely to be violent against their partner.
Sexual violence usually consisted of forced
intercourse. Physical violence ranged from
pushing and slapping to being kicked, beaten,
choked, burned and threatened with a weapon.
"The findings confirm that physical and sexual
partner violence is widespread," Garcia-Moreno
said in the study published in The Lancet
medical journal.
But she added that violence against women
is not inevitable and must be addressed.
Women in Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, Japan,
Namibia, Peru, Samoa, Serbia and Montenegro,
Thailand and the United Republic of Tanzania
were questioned for the study.
The researchers said the results provide
the countries with information to initiate
changes and to assess what interventions are
needed to reduce violence against women.
