The Problem
Violence against women takes many forms – physical, sexual, psychological and economic. These forms of violence are interrelated and affect women from before birth to old age. Women who experience violence suffer a range of health problems and their ability to participate in public life is reduced. Violence against women harms families and communities across generations and reinforces other violence prevailing in society. Violence against women also deprives women, their families, communities and nations. Violence against women is not confined to a specific culture, region or country, or to particular groups of women within a society. The roots of violence against women lie in persistent discrimination against women. Rates of women experiencing physical violence at least once in their lifetime vary from several percent to over 59 per cent depending on where they live.