New Delhi, Dec 10 (IANS) An estimated 23 per cent of women aged 15 and above faced intimate partner violence (IPV), which includes physical and sexual abuse by current or former partners, in India in 2023, according to a new report published in the journal The Lancet on Wednesday.

More than 30 per cent of women and 13 per cent of men aged 15 and above are also estimated to have experienced sexual violence as a child in the country.

Globally, the number of women aged 15 and older exposed to sexual violence during childhood surged to more than a million. An estimated 608 million females aged 15 and older also experienced IPV, revealed the report.

These experiences are strongly associated with a range of long-term health conditions, including depression and anxiety, chronic illnesses, and increased risk of premature death, revealed the global report including authors from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Gorakhpur and Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, ICMR-National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, Chennai.

“These startling figures underscore an urgent need for preventive measures, including strengthening legal frameworks, promoting gender equality, and expanding support services for survivors to reduce the health toll caused by exposure to violence,” the researchers said.

“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,” they added.

The research noted that the highest prevalence rates of IPV and sexual violence are concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where high rates of HIV and other chronic conditions compound the health impacts of violence.

“Regions with weaker healthcare systems and limited legal protections for women and children exposed to violence face even greater challenges in addressing and preventing these harms,” the researchers said.

While high-income countries (HICs) tend to have lower overall prevalence rates, they still face substantial challenges, with IPV and sexual violence ranking among the top risk factors for disease burden, especially among young adults aged 15-49.

Factors such as substance use disorders and noncommunicable diseases in wealthier nations contribute to the significant health impacts of violence, said the report.

–IANS

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