One out of every three women experience sexual or physical violence, and the abuser is usually an intimate partner.
A "first of its kind" report by the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated the global statistics of violence towards women. The report found 35 percent of women experience such abuse globally, 30 percent of the incidents were at the hands of an intimate partner.
In the statement, Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the WHO called the findings a "global health problem of epidemic proportions,"
An intimate partner killed 38 percent of all murdered women, 42 percent of women who had experienced partner violence sustained injuries. The abuse came with a great number of long-lasting effects, such as depression, alcoholism, and sexually transmitted infections. Women who had been sexually abused were twice as likely to experience depression or turn to alcohol, and were 1.5 times more likely to get a sexually transmitted infection than somebody who had not been abused.
Sexual and physical violence from a partner can often lead to unwanted pregnancies, women who had been abused were found to be twice as likely to have an abortion. Babies of abused women have a low birth-weight 16 percent of the time. About 70 percent of women reported non-partner violence, they were slightly more likely to experience depression or alcoholism than those who had been abused by a partner.
"This new data shows that violence against women is extremely common," said Professor Charlotte Watts, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, who participated in the study. "We urgently need to invest in prevention to address the underlying causes of this global women's health problem."
It's difficult to measure the actual scope of the issue because some countries don't collect as much data on violence against women. Many cases of abuse go unreported if the women is afraid of her abuser, among other reasons.
"The review brings to light the lack of data on sexual violence by perpetrators other than partners, including in conflict-affected settings," said Dr. Naeemah Abrahams of the South African Medical Research Council. "We need more countries to measure sexual violence and to use the best survey instruments available."
WHO released a set of guidelines with the study, they stressed the need to make sure health care workers of all levels are able to identify the warning signs of abuse, and act accordingly. WHO plans to implement these guidelines in Southeast Asia at the end of June.
