Women are more likely to suffer physical and sexual violence from their husbands or partners than other people and the violence is more severe in rural areas, according to research published today.
The World Health Organisation report analysed the extent of violence against 24,000 women in countries in Asia, Africa, South America and Europe.
More than a quarter of the women questioned in 13 of the 15 sites included in the study had experienced physical or sexual violence by their partner at least once in their lives.
"The findings show that, across a wide range of settings, women are more at risk of violence by an intimate partner than from any other type of perpetrator," said Dr Claudia Garcia-Morena of the World Health Organisation.
The prevalence ranged from four percent in cities in Japan and Serbia to more than 30 percent in rural areas in Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Peru. The violence was most severe in rural rather than urban settings, the report said.
Men described as controlling were the most likely to be violent against their partner.
Sexual violence usually consisted of forced intercourse. Physical violence ranged from pushing and slapping to being kicked, beaten, choked, burned and threatened with a weapon.
"The findings confirm that physical and sexual partner violence is widespread," Garcia-Moreno said in the study published in The Lancet medical journal.
But she added that violence against women is not inevitable and must be addressed.
Women in Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, Japan, Namibia, Peru, Samoa, Serbia and Montenegro, Thailand and the United Republic of Tanzania were questioned for the study.
The researchers said the results provide the countries with information to initiate changes and to assess what interventions are needed to reduce violence against women.
