Violence against women: A global public health crisis

Violence against women and girls, once seen as a relatively rare occurrence, has now gained international recognition, not only as serious violation of human rights, but as a significant public health concern, as well as a barrier to social and economic development. Globally, at least one woman in every three is beaten, raped or otherwise abused during her lifetime [1]. Most often the violence is committed by someone close to her, usually an intimate partner, although violence for the purpose of commercial exploitation or as a weapon of war has increased at an alarming rate over the last decade. Although the specific forms of violence against women vary among countries, they share common roots in unequal power relations between men and women. Therefore, efforts to reduce violence must be framed in the context of promoting gender equity and women’s empowerment.