Around 19 million adolescent women have experienced physical or sexual violence by their male partner before turning 20, representing 24% of young women who have had a relationship, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO), in which the prevalence of physical or sexual violence suffered by adolescent girls between 15 and 19 years old who have had intimate relationships has been analyzed.
The results of the study have been published in the medical journal The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health and reveal that almost 1 in 6 (16%) have suffered this type of violence in the last year. “Intimate partner violence begins at an alarmingly early age for millions of young women around the world,” said Pascale Allotey, Director of WHO’s Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research.
The expert has highlighted that the impact of intimate partner violence during these formative years can cause deep and lasting damage and affect the health, school performance and future relationships of these adolescents, which is why it is necessary to address it as a public health problem. , “focusing on prevention and targeted support.”
Intimate partner violence is more common in low-income countries
This study also identifies social, economic and cultural factors that increase the risks for these young women. From a health perspective, the WHO indicates that violence increases the likelihood of injury, depression, anxiety disorders, unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections and many other physical and psychological conditions.
Although violence against adolescent girls is a global phenomenon, there are significant differences in its prevalence. The WHO estimates that the most affected regions are Oceania (47%) and central sub-Saharan Africa (40%), while the lowest rates are in central Europe (10%) and central Asia (11%). Between countries, there is also considerable variability: from 6% of adolescents affected in the least impacted countries (such as Georgia), to 49% in those with the highest rates (such as Papua New Guinea). Spain is among the countries with the lowest prevalence, presenting an overall incidence of between 6% and 14% in young people aged 15 to 19 and an incidence of between 0% and 4% in sexist attacks during the last anus.
“Intimate partner violence begins at an alarmingly young age for millions of young women around the world”
Countries with higher rates of female secondary school enrollment and those with more gender-egalitarian inheritance laws had a lower prevalence of intimate partner violence against adolescent girls. The analysis reveals that intimate partner violence against adolescent girls is more common in lower-income countries and regions, where there are fewer girls in secondary school and where women have fewer legal property and inheritance rights compared to men.
In addition, it focuses on child marriage (before the age of 18), which significantly increases the risks, since age differences between spouses create power imbalances, economic dependence and social isolation, factors that increase the probability of suffering. abuses.
Measures to prevent gender violence and support for adolescent girls
The study highlights the urgent need to strengthen support services and early prevention measures tailored to adolescent girls, along with actions that promote the agency and rights of women and girls. This includes school programs that educate youth about healthy relationships and violence prevention, as well as legal protection and economic empowerment. Because many teens lack financial resources of their own, they may have special difficulty leaving abusive relationships.
“The study shows that, to end gender violence, countries must establish policies and programs that promote equality for women and girls,” said Lynnmarie Sardinha, author of the study and Technical Officer of Data and Measurement of WHO Violence against Women. And currently, no country is on track to eliminate violence against women and girls by the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals deadline.
“The high variation between countries and regions in the presence of intimate partner violence against adolescent girls, as well as its association with the country’s contextual factors, indicate that such violence can be prevented and eradicated and point out the most relevant factors to take into account. “, explained Mª Pilar Matud Aznar, professor of Personality, Evaluation and Psychological Treatments at the University of La Laguna, in statements to SMC Spain.
“The results of the study emphasize the need to promote and guarantee policies and programs that increase and ensure gender equality. It highlights that countries should provide secondary education to all girls, ensure equal property rights for women, eliminate discriminatory gender norms and eradicate harmful practices such as child marriage. These recommendations are also relevant for our country. Violence against women is a global problem and with the immigration rate we have in Spain, we cannot limit ourselves [a considerar solo lo que pasa dentro de nuestras fronteras]”, he adds.
Eradicating child marriage, which affects one in five girls in the world, and expanding girls’ access to secondary education will be key factors in reducing intimate partner violence against adolescent girls, as well as ensuring gender equality in the world. property rights. WHO supports countries in measurement and efforts to strengthen prevention and response in the health sector. New WHO guidelines on preventing child marriage are expected to be published by the end of 2024.
