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WHO: Over 840 Million Women Have Experienced Violence Worldwide

The 2023 estimates signal stagnation over two decades with figures likely below the true toll.

Overview

  • Most cases are attributed to assaults by current or former intimate partners, with non‑partner sexual violence estimated separately.
  • Partner‑violence prevalence is highest in Pacific island states, followed by sub‑Saharan Africa and South Asia, and lowest in Southern Europe, Southeast Asia and Western Europe.
  • Non‑partner sexual violence is estimated to be most common in Central America, followed by Oceania and Western Europe.
  • In Germany, the study estimates that about 16% of women aged 15 to 45 have experienced partner violence, with nearly 5% affected in the past year and non‑partner sexual violence at roughly 12% lifetime and 0.4% past year.
  • The analysis covers females aged 15 and older and draws on data from 168 countries spanning 2000 to 2023.