The global picture
These are the figures the World Health Organization and the United Nations use when they measure violence against women. They are drawn from national surveys in more than 160 countries and published with confidence intervals, which is why they are quoted here rather than rounder numbers that circulate online.
31.6%
of women worldwide, around 840 million women and girls, have experienced physical or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both, in their lifetime
WHO, Violence against women prevalence estimates, 202325.8%
of ever-partnered women aged 15 to 49 have been subjected to physical or sexual violence by a husband or male intimate partner at least once
WHO, Violence against women prevalence estimates, 2023More than 1 in 5
ever-married or ever-partnered girls aged 15 to 19 have already experienced physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner
WHO, Violence against women prevalence estimates, 20231 billion+
children aged 2 to 17 are estimated to have experienced physical, sexual or emotional violence or neglect in the past year
WHO, Violence against children