The State of Violence Against Women in Asia and the Pacific

November 25, 2024 marks the 25th anniversary of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. According to the UN, one in three women and girls worldwide will experience physical or sexual violence during their lifetime, while one woman is estimated to be killed by an intimate partner or family member every ten minutes. 

According to a new report by UN Women and ESCAP, the prevalence of reported physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence taking place in Asia and the Pacific mirrors the global trend, at 12.8 percent of women aged 15-49 years having been subjected to it in 12 months prior to the study. But as the following chart shows, significant disparities exist between countries. 

Afghanistan stands out for having the highest rate of ever-partnered women and girls who had experienced either physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner, at 34.7 percent. This data is from 2018, and while it is the latest available, the delay in reporting means this chart falls short of reflecting the worsening situation for women in Afghanistan today. At the other end of the spectrum are Hong Kong with 2.5 percent of 15-49 year old girls and women having reported violence and 2.4 percent in Singapore.

According to the UN, intimate partner violence is one of the most common forms of violence against women and girls. This term includes behaviors by a current or former intimate partner, within the context of marriage, cohabitation and any other formal or informal union, that inflict physical, sexual or psychological harm.