Adolescent Girls Face Alarming Rates of Intimate Partner Violence

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by MedicalXpress.

Among adolescent girls who have been in a relationship, nearly a quarter (24%)—close to 19 million—will have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence by the time they turn 20 years old, as highlighted by a new analysis from the World Health Organization (WHO) published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. Almost one in six (16%) experienced such violence in the past year.

“Intimate partner violence is starting alarmingly early for millions of young women around the world,” said Dr. Pascale Allotey, Director of WHO’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research Department. “Given that violence during these critical formative years can cause profound and lasting harm, it needs to be taken more seriously as a public health issue—with a focus on prevention and targeted support.”

This study draws on existing data to provide, for the first time, a detailed analysis of the prevalence of physical and/or sexual partner violence experienced by 15–19 year-old girls who have been in intimate relationships. It also identifies broader social, economic and cultural factors that increase their risks.

While violence against adolescent girls occurs everywhere, the authors highlight significant differences in prevalence.

Based on WHO’s estimates, the worst affected regions are Oceania (47%) and central sub-Saharan Africa (40%), for instance, while the lowest rates are in central Europe (10%) and central Asia (11%). Between countries, there is also a substantive range: from an estimated 6% of adolescent girls subjected to such violence in the least affected countries, to 49% in those with the highest rates.

The study highlights the urgent need to strengthen support services and early prevention measures tailored for adolescents, alongside actions to advance women’s and girls’ agency and rights—from school-based programs that educate both boys and girls on healthy relationships and violence prevention, to legal protections, and economic empowerment.

Source: MedicalXpress
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-07-adolescent-girls-alarming-intimate-partner.html