Facts and Figures

Violence against women – Globally and the Asia-Pacific region

An estimated 30 per cent of women over the age of 15 have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence at least once in their lifetime. [1]
In the African, Eastern Mediterranean and South-East Asia regions, approximately 37% of ever-partnered women report experiencing physical and/or sexual partner violence in their lifetimes.[2]
The WHO Multi-country Study on Women’s Health and Domestic Violence against women found that 3-24% of women reported that their first sexual experience was forced and that for the majority of respondents this occurred in adolescence. [3]
The UN Multi-country Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific found that 25 percent to 67 percent of women reported experiencing physical and/or sexual partner violence across the region. [4]
Women exposed to intimate partner violence are almost twice as likely to have an alcohol use disorder, twice as likely to experience depression and have a 4.5 fold increased risk of suicide attempts compared to women who have not been exposed to partner violence. [5]

Men’s perpetration of violence against women

The UN Multi-country Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific found men’s use of violence was prevalent: [6]
- Almost half of men reporting having used physical and/or sexual violence against a female partner, ranging from 26 percent to 80 percent across the sites.
- Nearly a quarter of men having reported perpetrating rape against a woman or girl, ranging from 10 percent to 62 percent across the sites.
- Overall, half (49 percent) of men who had reported raping a women, did so for the first time when they were teenagers, varying from 25 percent to 64 percent across the sites.
There is no single factor that causes violence or leads to its perpetration, however underlying gender inequalities and power imbalances between women and men are the foundational causes of violence against women.[7]
Men’s perpetration of violence against women is intimately linked to their use of violence against other men and sometimes their personal experiences as victims.[8]
Recent studies found that men reported experiencing high rates of violence as children and there was a strong correlation between those childhood experiences and the perpetration of violence as adults. [9] One study found that the most common factor across all countries for men’s use of intimate partner violence was having witnessed violence during their childhood against their mother. [10]
There is strong evidence from multiple countries that the majority of men who will perpetrate sexual violence, will do so for the first time in their teenage years.[11]

Engaging men and boys in violence prevention

The UN Multi-country Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific found that although some men use violence against women, many men do not. Men and boys are necessary participants – along with women and girls – in prevention interventions to reduce perpetration of violence against women and girls.
In low-income and middle-income countries, there is increasing emphasis on prevention of different forms of violence against women and girls including, intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual assault, female genital mutilation and child marriage [12]
Recent interventions have sought to change the way men see themselves as men (their gender identities) and consequent gendered practices, including the use of violence, sexual practices and other behaviour towards women [13]
The evidence base for violence prevention interventions is continually expanding and being evaluated. Some effective interventions include: microfinance and gender transformative approaches (e.g. IMAGE); group based relationship-level interventions (e.g. Stepping Stones); group education with community outreach (men/boys) (e.g. Program H) and community mobilization – change social norms (e.g. SASA! and Soul City). [14]

Sources
[1] Devries, K. M., et al. (2013) The global prevalence of intimate partner violence against women. Science 340(6140): 1527-1528.

[2] World Health Organisation (2014) Global Status Report on Violence Prevention 2014 p. 14

[3] World Health Organisation (2005) WHO Multi-country Study on Women’s Health and Domestic Violence against Women p. 14

[4] Fulu E, Warner X, Miedema S, Jewkes R, Roselli T, Lang J (2013) Why Do Some Men Use Violence Against Women and How Can We Prevent It: Quantitative Findings from the United Nations Multi-Country Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific. Bangkok: United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Development Fund, United Nations Women and United Nations Volunteers.

[5] World Health Organisation (2014) Global Status Report on Violence Prevention 2014, p.17

[6] Fulu E et al. (2013) UN Multi-country Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific.

[7] Fulu et al. (2013) UN Multi-country Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific: 4; United Nations Economic and Social Council (2013). Prevention of Violence against Women and Girls: Report of the Secretary-General. Commission on the Status of Women, Fifty-seventh Session. New York: United Nations.

[8] Jewkes R, Flood M, Lang L (2014) From work with men and boys to changes of social norms and reduction of inequities in gender relations: a conceptual shift in prevention of violence against women and girls. The Lancet.

[9] Fulu E et al. (2013) UN Multi-country Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific; Jewkes R, Flood M, Lang L (2014) From work with men and boys to changes of social norms and reduction of inequities in gender relations: a conceptual shift in prevention of violence against women and girls. The Lancet.

[10] Fleming P, Barker G, McCleary-Sills J, Morton M (2013). Engaging Men and Boys in Advancing Women’s Agency. Washington, DC: World Bank.

[11] Peacock D and Barker G (2014). Working with Men and Boys to Prevent Gender-based Violence: Principles, Lessons, Learned and Ways Forward. Men and Masculinities vol. 17(5) 578-599; Heilman B, Hebert L and Paul-Gera N (2014) The Making of Sexual Violence: How Does a Boy Grow Up to Commit Rape? Evidence from Five IMAGES Countries. Washington, DC: International Centre for Research on Women.; Fulu E et al. (2013) UN Multi-country Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific.

[12] Ellsberg M, Arango D, Morton M, Gennari F, Kiplesund S, Conteras M and Watts C (2014). Prevention of violence against women and girls: what does the evidence say? The Lancet

[13] Jewkes R, Flood M, Lang L (2014) From work with men and boys to changes of social norms and reduction of inequities in gender relations: a conceptual shift in prevention of violence against women and girls. The Lancet.

[14] Fulu E, Kerr-Wilson A, Lang J (2014), Effectiveness of interventions to prevent violence against women and girls: A Summary of the Evidence. What works to prevent violence.