Over 1 billion women faced childhood sexual violence in 2023: Lancet

A study published in The Lancet journal has revealed that over a billion women worldwide aged 15 and above had experienced sexual violence during childhood, while around 608 million were exposed to intimate partner violence in 2023. The study also noted the long-lasting anxiety, mental health issues the survivors have faced after the assaults.

According to the estimates, the highest prevalence of both intimate partner and sexual violence was found to be concentrated in the sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia regions. In these regions, the health impacts of violence are compounded by high rates of HIV and other chronic conditions, the researchers noted.

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The researchers analysed data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2023, the "largest, most comprehensive effort to quantify health loss across places and over time". The University of Washington has coordinated the GBD study.

In India, the prevalence of intimate partner violence was estimated at 23 per cent among women aged 15 and above. Over 30 per cent of women and 13 per cent of men aged 15 and above are estimated to have experienced sexual violence during childhood.

Intimate partner violence

An author of the study said, "Globally, in 2023, we estimated that 608 million females aged 15 years and older had ever been exposed to IPV (Intimate Partner Violence), and 1·01 billion individuals aged 15 years and older had experienced sexual violence during childhood".

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Anxiety and major depressive disorders were among the eight leading causes of disability developed as a result of IPV, while experiencing sexual violence as a child was associated with 14 health outcomes, including mental health and substance use disorders and chronic illnesses.

Self-harm and schizophrenia were found to be the leading causes of disability resulting from sexual violence during childhood.

Public health priority

Addressing violence against women and children is not only a matter of human rights but also a crucial public health priority that can save millions of lives, improve mental health outcomes, and build resilient communities, the researchers said.

The findings underscore an urgent need for preventive measures such as strengthening legal frameworks, promoting gender equality, and expanding support services for survivors to reduce the health toll caused due to violence, they added.

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The World Health Organisation (WHO), in a global report published in November, estimated that over a fifth of females in India aged 15-49 were subjected to intimate partner violence in 2023, while nearly 30 per cent have been affected during their lifetime.

Worldwide, nearly one in three, or 840 million, have suffered partner or sexual violence during their lifetime -- a figure that has barely changed since 2000, the study noted.