A pandemic of silence 

November 21, 2025

A new global assessment by the World Health Organization and UN agencies shows that violence against women remains one of the most persistent and under-addressed crises of the century. The report estimates that 840 million women have experienced intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence or both, a figure that has barely shifted in more than twenty years despite repeated commitments to end gender-based abuse.

The study reviewed data from 168 countries between 2000 and 2023. It found that 316 million women aged 15 and above experienced physical or sexual violence from a partner in the past year. WHO said progress has moved at an almost static pace, with global rates declining only 0.2 per cent annually.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the findings underline a stark reality that no society can claim safety or fairness while half its population lives under the shadow of harm.

The release of the report comes as funding for prevention continues to shrink. Only 0.2 per cent of development aid went to programmes countering violence against women in 2022, with further cuts recorded in 2025. This decline is unfolding against a backdrop of rising pressures from conflict, climate emergencies and rapid technological changes, all of which heighten risks for women and girls.

Health consequences remain widespread. Survivors face higher rates of unintended pregnancies, infections and mental health disorders. Violence begins early, with 12.5 million girls aged 15-19 reporting abuse by a partner in the past year. The study notes that older women also experience significant levels of violence, although data for those above 49 remain limited.

The burden of abuse varies sharply across regions. Oceania, excluding Australia and New Zealand, recorded a past-year prevalence of 38 per cent. Countries such as Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Sierra Leone show lifetime rates above 60 per cent among partnered women. In contrast, several high-income and upper-middle-income countries reported rates of 4 per cent or lower. The authors stressed that all figures represent an undercount, as many survivors do not disclose violence.

For the first time, WHO produced global estimates of non-partner sexual violence. It found that 263 million women have faced such abuse since age 15, although stigma and fear suggest the true number is far higher. Lifetime prevalence in some countries reaches more than 40 per cent.

UN leaders called the findings a warning about the cost of global inaction. They urged governments to expand evidence-based prevention, strengthen survivor-centred services and invest in regular, high-quality data collection. WHO cautioned that without decisive measures, the world remains far from meeting the 2030 goal of ending all forms of violence against women.