Violence against women a worldwide epidemic

THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION says more than one-third of women around the world have been victims of violence, which has a profound impact on their health.

WHO Director-General Margaret Chan says that violence-related health problems are of "epidemic proportions." "This report is the first systematic review of global data on the extent of this violence. It is also the first time that the World Health Organization is issuing a set of guidelines and policy recommendations on how health systems can provide the services to treat both the physical and mental consequences of violence," writes WHO lead specialist Dr. Claudia Garcia Moreno Esteva in The Huffington Post

The report says more than one in three women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence. It says 38% of all women murdered were killed by their partners, and such violence is a major contributor to depression and other health problems.
The study also calls for toleration of such attacks worldwide to be halted.
And it says new guidelines must be adopted by health officials around the world to prevent the abuse and offer better protection to victims.
'Fear of stigma'
The report on partner and non-partner violence against women was released by the WHO, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC).
Its authors say it is the first systematic study of global data, detailing the impact of the abuse on both the physical and mental health of women and girls.
The key findings are:
• violence by an intimate partner is the most common type of abuse, affecting 30% of women across the globe
• 38% of all women murdered were killed by their partners
• 42% of women physically or sexually abused by partners had injuries as a result
• Victims were more likely to have alcohol problems, abortions and acquire sexually transmitted diseases and HIV
The document adds that "fear of stigma" prevents many women from reporting sexual violence.
It stresses that health officials around the world need to take the issue "more seriously", providing better training for health workers in recognizing when women may be at risk of violence and ensuring an appropriate response.