Violence against women remains serious in the Americas, says PAHO

Washington, November 25 – One in three women aged 15 and older in the Americas has experienced physical or sexual violence at some point in their lives, according to estimates from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

According to this UN office, violence against women and adolescent girls continues to be a serious and persistent problem in the Americas region.

The new estimates on the issue were presented this month by the World Health Organization (WHO), on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, commemorated on November 25.

The data (collected from 2000 to 2023) indicate that progress in reducing violence against women has been slow, despite increased awareness and the existence of national multisectoral policies and interventions from health services.

Intimate partner violence remains the most common form of abuse, and over the past two decades, the prevalence rates of intimate partner violence have barely changed.

As noted by Britta Baer, a PAHO advisor, "The shame and stigma associated with sexual violence make reporting difficult, suggesting that the actual figures are likely much higher."

The figures indicate that one in four women aged 15 to 49 has suffered physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner, while one in eight has experienced sexual violence from someone other than a partner.

Young women face early risks, as 21 percent of adolescent girls between 15 and 19 have experienced violence from a partner before turning 20.

Older women are not exempt either: 23 percent of women aged 65 or older report having suffered this type of violence.

PAHO/WHO emphasize that violence against women has serious and lasting consequences, including physical injuries, sexually transmitted infections, unintended pregnancies, depression, and, in the most extreme cases, femicide.

Children exposed to this scourge at home are more likely to suffer or commit abuse when they become adults, thus perpetuating the cycle of violence. (Source: Prensa Latina)