Mª Pilar Matud Aznar

Around 840 million women worldwide — nearly one in three — have been victims of physical, psychological or sexual violence by their partner or have suffered sexual violence outside of their relationship, a figure that has barely changed since 2000. This is one of the conclusions of a report led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that analyses data from 168 countries between 2000 and 2023. For the first time, the study includes estimates of sexual violence outside of intimate relationships: 263 million women have suffered this type of assault since the age of 15, a figure that, according to experts, is well below the actual number.

Research published in The Lancet estimates that 18.9% of women and 14.8% of men worldwide experienced sexual violence before the age of 18. The study, conducted in 204 countries from 1990 to 2023, identified significant differences between countries and regions. The authors highlight the difficulty of distinguishing whether these variations are due to real differences or to unequal levels of reporting. In Spain, the figures obtained in this systematic review are 10.8% for girls and 12.2% for boys. 

24% of girls aged 15 to 19 who have been in a relationship have experienced physical or sexual violence by a male partner at some point in their lives, according to a global study with data from 161 countries between 2000 and 2018. Spain is in the group with the lowest prevalence (12% over their lifetime; 4% in the previous year), according to 2015 data. There is less violence against girls in countries with higher incomes, higher rates of girls in secondary education, and greater gender equality in inheritance laws, says the study published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. 

Intimate partner violence is associated with an increased risk of depression and miscarriage, according to a systematic review of the scientific literature published since 1970. Sexual abuse in childhood is associated with an increased risk of alcohol use disorder and self-harm, says the study published in Nature Medicine. According to its authors, this analysis of 229 previous studies reveals that intimate partner violence and childhood sexual abuse have a more extensive impact on health than previously described.