- One in four young women experiences violence in relationships
Every fourth young woman worldwide who has had a relationship before the age of 20 has experienced violence in it. This is the finding of a study by the World Health Organization (WHO). Around 19 million teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19 are affected, according to the report in the journal "The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health".
There are significant regional differences: While the global average is 24 percent of young women experiencing violence, it is 10 percent in Central Europe, 47 percent in the Oceania region, and 40 percent in Africa south of the Sahara. The Oceania region includes Australia, New Zealand, and the smaller Pacific island states.
Violence common in relationships with large age gaps
Violence from a partner has devastating consequences for health, school and work performance, and future relationships, the WHO emphasizes. Young women are at increased risk of depression, anxiety disorders, unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, and mental health problems.
The problem tends to be worse in poorer countries and regions, and where fewer girls go to secondary school. Where girls are married before the age of 18, the risks are also high, as men are often much older. This creates a power imbalance, and the girls are isolated. One in five girls worldwide is married before the age of 18.
The WHO calls for education of boys and girls in school about healthy relationships and stronger girls' and women's rights. It had analyzed data on violence against women from 161 countries between 2000 and 2018 and considered the experiences of young women aged 15 to 19 for the report.
Women globally are disproportionately affected by violence in relationships, with every fourth young woman experiencing it before the age of 20. Moreover, the risk of such violence is higher in poorer countries and regions, where fewer girls have access to secondary education and early marriage is prevalent, often resulting in a power imbalance with older male partners.
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