Physical and sexual violence destroys or shatters the lives of countless women, like a global pandemic of the worst kind; however, containment is barely progressing, and the outlook remains uncertain.
"It is one of the oldest and most widespread injustices in human history, and yet it continues to be one of the least addressed," lamented the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Putting an end to it is not simply a matter of implementing public policies; it is a question of dignity, equality, and human rights, the expert asserted.
Nearly one in three people—around 840 million women—"have suffered intimate partner violence or sexual violence at some point in their lives, a figure that has barely changed since 2000," revealed a study by the WHO and other United Nations institutions.
In the last 12 months alone, 316 million women—11% of those over 15 years of age—were victims of this type of aggression, the organization noted when presenting the research on November 19.
Over the past two decades, there has been little progress in efforts to eradicate this scourge, the report showed, which experts consider the most comprehensive of its kind to date.
Despite the magnitude of the problem, resources for addressing it are dwindling. For example, in 2022, only 0.2% of official development assistance was allocated to programs for preventing gender-based violence, and funding continued to decline in 2025, the research revealed.
According to experts, these cuts have "serious negative repercussions" on organizations, services, and research related to women's rights.
Many victims, the WHO pointed out, become unintentionally pregnant and are at greater risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections and suffering from depression. Therefore, it emphasized, sexual and reproductive health services are a crucial access point for them to receive quality care.
Furthermore, they suffer discrimination "because they are poor, have a disability, or due to other factors, which exposes them to even greater risk. This devastating cycle extends to families, communities, and subsequent generations," said Diene Keita, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund.
Quite often, physical and sexual abuse begins at a young age. In the last 12 months, 12.5 million girls aged 15 to 19 experienced one or both forms of abuse at the hands of a partner, the research revealed.
The investigation also explored the landscape beyond the marital sphere and estimated that at least 263 million women were affected by sexual violence from a family member, friend, authority figure, or stranger during the past year.
Even so, the statistics do not adequately reflect the true prevalence of the phenomenon because, in many places, women do not dare to reveal their traumatic experiences. Factors such as stigma, fear of retaliation, and lack of institutional support hinder reporting and foster silence.
Physical abuse is rooted in cultural patterns and social norms that assign inferior roles to women, normalize male control, and justify physical punishment as a means of discipline from childhood.
In many cases, breaking the cycle of violence is hampered by the victims' lack of economic autonomy and weak legal action against the perpetrators.
It should also be acknowledged that "some surveys are poorly designed or conducted, leaving many cases hidden," the WHO stated.
According to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, no society can be considered just, safe, or healthy while half its population lives in fear.
"Empowering women is essential for achieving peace, development, and health. A safer world for women is a better world for everyone," he summarized.
This requires "courage, commitment, and a collective effort," said Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, at the presentation of the study.
