MANILA, Philippines – An estimated 7.2 percent of Filipino women aged 15 to 49 were subjected to physical or sexual abuse from their husband or male intimate partner at least once in their lifetime, based on a recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Around 3.1 percent of Filipino women aged 15 to 49, meanwhile, experienced abuse from their partner within the past year, according to the study titled “Violence against women prevalence estimates.”
Released on Thursday ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls on Nov. 25, the report noted that one of the most common forms of violence against women globally was abuse committed by a former or current husband or partner.
Another common form of violence against women was “non-partner sexual violence,” or sexual violence committed by relatives, friends, acquaintances, authority figures, or strangers.
“Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation and public health problem that transcends economic, social, and national boundaries. It has both immediate and long-term effects on the physical and mental health of women, children, families, and societies,” the report said.
“The estimates presented in this report demonstrate unequivocally that violence against women remains pervasive globally, affecting women across all countries and regions. It is a global public health problem of enormous proportions, requiring urgent action,” it added.
The report, which was based on data collected from 2000 to 2023, found that globally, 25.8 percent of women, or 682 million, aged 15 to 49 suffered from physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence at least once in their lifetime.
Meanwhile, around 13.7 percent, or 316 million, of women in the same age group were subjected to abuse from their partner within the past year.
The study pointed out that about 23.3 percent of girls aged 15 to 19 globally have already experienced physical and/or sexual violence from their partner, showing how such violence can start early.
The report also found that 2.8 percent of Filipino women aged 15 to 49 had suffered from non-partner sexual violence at least once in their lifetime, while 0.2 percent experienced such abuse within the past year.
Globally, around 8.2 percent of women have been subjected to non-partner sexual violence at least once in their lifetime, while 2.7 percent experienced such violence within the past year.
“This prevalence figure may seem low, but this should not detract from the seriousness of this form of violence against women,” said the report.
It added that the actual frequency of violence against women “is likely to be much higher than the reported and estimated prevalence,” given how some might be afraid of sharing their experience due to stigma and possible harm. /jpv