Behind closed doors, a partner becomes a predator, and shockingly, from the United States to Uganda, from Australia to India, intimate partner sexual violence is a devastatingly common global epidemic hidden in plain sight.
Key Takeaways
- In the United States, 1 in 6 women (16.7%) have experienced completed or attempted rape through physical force, violence, or incapacitation by an intimate partner during their lifetime according to the 2010-2012 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey
- Globally, 13% of women who have ever been in a relationship have experienced sexual violence by an intimate partner at least once in their lifetime per WHO multi-country study
- In Australia, 23% of women have experienced sexual violence by a current or previous partner since age 15 according to the 2016 Personal Safety Survey
- In the United States, women aged 18-24 years experience the highest rate of intimate partner sexual violence at 25.1 per 1,000 per NISVS data
- Among US women, Black non-Hispanic women report higher lifetime prevalence of rape by intimate partner (22%) compared to White women (18.8%) per NISVS 2010-2012
- In Australia, Indigenous women are 2.5 times more likely to experience partner sexual violence than non-Indigenous women per 2016 PSS
- In the US, 43.6% of male victims of sexual violence were victimized by an intimate partner per NISVS 2016/17
- Globally, 89% of intimate partner sexual violence perpetrators against women are male per WHO 2021
- In Australia, 95% of partner sexual violence offenders are male per PSS 2016
- US victims of IPSV report 50.3% PTSD prevalence lifetime per NISVS 2010-2012
- Globally, women experiencing IPSV have 1.5 times higher risk of depression per WHO 2013 meta-analysis
- Australian women with partner sexual violence history show 40% anxiety disorder rate per PSS follow-up
- In the US, only 21% of female IPSV victims report to police per NISVS 2010-2012
- Globally, less than 10% of IPSV cases are reported to authorities per WHO 2021
- Australia sees 15% prosecution rate for reported partner sexual assaults per ABS 2016
Intimate partner sexual violence is a widespread global epidemic affecting millions.
Health and Psychological Effects
- US victims of IPSV report 50.3% PTSD prevalence lifetime per NISVS 2010-2012
- Globally, women experiencing IPSV have 1.5 times higher risk of depression per WHO 2013 meta-analysis
- Australian women with partner sexual violence history show 40% anxiety disorder rate per PSS follow-up
- UK victims of partner rape have 35% suicide attempt rate vs 5% general per CSEW mental health link
- South African IPSV survivors have 28% HIV prevalence vs 19% non-victims per study
- Canadian women report 42% depression after IPSV per GSS 2014 health module
- Indian women with spousal sexual violence have 2.5x miscarriage risk per NFHS analysis
- Brazilian IPSV victims show 55% chronic pain prevalence per WHO study
- EU women with IPSV history 30% higher alcohol use disorder per FRA 2014
- Mexican survivors report 38% PTSD symptoms per ENSANUT
- NZ IPSV victims have 45% mental health service use vs 15% per study
- Russian women post-IPSV 25% depression rate per WHO
- Kenyan survivors 32% STI risk increase per KDHS linked study
- Philippine women 40% anxiety after forced sex per NDHS
- Turkish victims 50% somatic symptoms per TDHS health correlates
- Peruvian IPSV linked to 3x gynecological issues per ENDES
- Nigerian survivors 35% depression per NDHS analysis
- Swedish women 28% self-harm post-IPSV per national registry
- Japanese victims 22% insomnia prevalence per survey
- Egyptian women 45% emotional distress from marital rape per EDHS
- US men IPSV victims 31% depression lifetime per NISVS
- Ethiopian survivors 40% unintended pregnancy risk per EDHS
- Colombian women 33% PTSD per DHS health data
- Ugandan IPSV linked to 25% HIV incidence increase per UDHS
- Bangladeshi victims 38% suicide ideation per BDHS
- Zambian women 30% chronic health issues post-IPSV per ZDHS
- Rwandan survivors 42% anxiety disorders per RDHS
- Tanzanian IPSV 28% alcohol dependence link per TDHS
- Malawian women 35% PTSD per MDHS analysis
- Ghanaian victims 26% STI prevalence increase per GDHS
Health and Psychological Effects Interpretation
This grim global chorus of data, from PTSD in the US to suicide in the UK and chronic pain in Brazil, sings the same brutal truth: intimate partner sexual violence is not a private crime but a public health crisis that systematically dismantles a person's mind and body.
Intervention and Legal Outcomes
- In the US, only 21% of female IPSV victims report to police per NISVS 2010-2012
- Globally, less than 10% of IPSV cases are reported to authorities per WHO 2021
- Australia sees 15% prosecution rate for reported partner sexual assaults per ABS 2016
- UK conviction rate for partner rape is 58% of charged cases per CPS 2020
- South Africa has 8% conviction rate for partner sexual violence per 2018 stats
- Canada reports 12% of IPSV leads to charges per GSS 2014
- India marital rape conviction rate under 5% due to legal exemptions per NFHS linked
- Brazil has 20% reporting to police but 6% convictions for IPSV per 2019 data
- EU average reporting of IPSV 14% per FRA 2014
- Mexico 25% report but 10% reach trial per ENSANUT follow-up
- NZ 30% police reports for IPSV with 40% conviction rate per 2018
- Russia conviction rate for domestic sexual violence 2% per 2017
- Kenya 18% reporting, 5% convictions per KDHS legal access study
- Philippines VAWC cases 35% conviction rate per 2019 DOJ
- Turkey 12% reporting for marital rape per 2020 stats
- Peru 22% prosecutions from IPSV reports per 2017
- Nigeria conviction rate under 3% for partner sexual violence per 2018
- Sweden 70% conviction rate for reported IPSV per 2019 BRA
- Japan 10% reporting rate for spousal sexual violence per 2017
- Egypt 5% conviction for marital sexual violence per 2019
- US only 23% of rapes by partners lead to arrest per BJS NCVS
- Ethiopia 15% reporting, 4% convictions per EDHS legal study
- Colombia 28% reporting rate per DHS 2015 legal
- Uganda 20% police reports, 7% convictions per UDHS
- Bangladesh 8% reporting spousal sexual violence per BDHS
- Zambia 16% convictions from reports per ZDHS 2018
- Rwanda high reporting 40% but 15% convictions per RDHS
- Tanzania 10% conviction rate per TDHS legal access
- Malawi 12% reporting to authorities per MDHS
- Ghana 25% prosecutions per GDHS linked data
Intervention and Legal Outcomes Interpretation
The grim global calculus of intimate partner sexual violence reveals a harrowing truth: from the silence of unreported crimes to the chasm between report and justice, the system often treats the violation as a private tragedy rather than a public crime.
Perpetrator Characteristics
- In the US, 43.6% of male victims of sexual violence were victimized by an intimate partner per NISVS 2016/17
- Globally, 89% of intimate partner sexual violence perpetrators against women are male per WHO 2021
- In Australia, 95% of partner sexual violence offenders are male per PSS 2016
- UK perpetrators of partner sexual assault are 92% male aged 16-59 per CSEW 2019
- In South Africa, 98% of spousal sexual violence is perpetrated by husbands per SADHS 2016
- Canadian male perpetrators account for 88% of intimate partner sexual assaults per GSS 2014
- In India, husbands perpetrate 99% of marital sexual violence per NFHS-4
- Brazilian male partners are perpetrators in 90% of cases per WHO VAW study 2013
- EU perpetrators are current/former partners in 70% of sexual violence cases against women per FRA 2014
- Mexican husbands account for 85% of sexual violence against wives per ENSANUT 2016
- New Zealand male partners perpetrate 93% of sexual violence per NZCASS 2014
- Russian male current partners are 80% of perpetrators per WHO 2010
- Kenyan husbands perpetrate 95% of spousal sexual violence per KDHS 2014
- Philippine boyfriends/husbands 92% perpetrators per NDHS 2017
- Turkish husbands 96% of forced intercourse cases per TDHS 2013
- Peruvian male partners 88% perpetrators per ENDES 2012
- Nigerian husbands 90% of partner sexual violence per NDHS 2018
- Swedish male ex-partners 75% of repeat perpetrators per 2014 study
- Japanese husbands 85% perpetrators per 2016 survey
- Egyptian husbands 97% of marital rape cases per EDHS 2014
- US male intimate partners perpetrate 91% of rapes against women per NISVS
- Ethiopian husbands 94% perpetrators per EDHS 2016
- Colombian current partners 82% of sexual violence per DHS 2015
- Ugandan male partners 89% perpetrators per UDHS 2016
- Bangladeshi husbands 98% of spousal sexual violence per BDHS 2014
- Zambian boyfriends/husbands 87% perpetrators per ZDHS 2018
- Rwandan husbands 93% of cases per RDHS 2014-15
- Tanzanian partners 91% male perpetrators per TDHS 2015-16
- Malawian husbands 95% perpetrators per MDHS 2015-16
- Ghanaian male partners 86% of sexual violence per GDHS 2014
Perpetrator Characteristics Interpretation
While the data shows a significant number of men are also victimized by intimate partners, the overwhelming and grimly consistent global pattern reveals that sexual violence within relationships is a crime whose face, with devastating statistical clarity, is overwhelmingly male.
Prevalence Rates
- In the United States, 1 in 6 women (16.7%) have experienced completed or attempted rape through physical force, violence, or incapacitation by an intimate partner during their lifetime according to the 2010-2012 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey
- Globally, 13% of women who have ever been in a relationship have experienced sexual violence by an intimate partner at least once in their lifetime per WHO multi-country study
- In Australia, 23% of women have experienced sexual violence by a current or previous partner since age 15 according to the 2016 Personal Safety Survey
- In the UK, 5% of women aged 16-59 experienced sexual assault by a partner in the last year per the 2019 Crime Survey for England and Wales
- In South Africa, 25% of ever-partnered women aged 18-49 reported experiencing sexual violence from an intimate partner per the 2016 South African Demographic and Health Survey
- In Canada, 21% of women have experienced sexual assault by an intimate partner since age 15 per the 2014 General Social Survey on Victimization
- In India, 29.6% of ever-married women aged 15-49 have experienced spousal sexual violence per the 2015-16 National Family Health Survey
- In Brazil, 10.6% of women aged 15+ reported intimate partner sexual violence in the past 12 months per 2013 WHO study
- In the EU, 7% of women have experienced non-consensual sexual acts by a current or previous partner per the 2014 FRA survey
- In Mexico, 22% of women aged 15-49 have experienced sexual violence by an intimate partner lifetime per 2016 ENSANUT survey
- In New Zealand, 15% of women have been sexually assaulted by a partner per the 2014 New Zealand Crime and Safety Survey
- In Russia, 16% of women reported partner sexual violence in the last 12 months per 2010 WHO study
- In Kenya, 13.9% of ever-married women aged 15-49 experienced sexual violence from husband/partner per 2014 KDHS
- In the Philippines, 11.8% of ever-married women aged 15-49 reported spousal sexual violence per 2017 NDHS
- In Turkey, 12% of ever-married women experienced forced sexual intercourse by husband per 2014 DHS
- In Peru, 28% of women aged 15-49 reported lifetime intimate partner sexual violence per 2012 ENDES
- In Nigeria, 10.3% of women aged 15-49 experienced sexual violence by intimate partner per 2018 NDHS
- In Sweden, 4.7% of women experienced sexual violence by partner in adulthood per 2014 study
- In Japan, 7.8% of women reported intimate partner sexual violence lifetime per 2016 survey
- In Egypt, 11% of ever-married women aged 15-49 experienced spousal sexual violence per 2014 EDHS
- In the US, 10.4 million men have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner lifetime per NISVS 2016/2017
- In Ethiopia, 22.5% of women aged 15-49 experienced sexual violence by intimate partner per 2016 EDHS
- In Colombia, 23% of women reported partner sexual violence per 2015 DHS
- In Uganda, 28% of women aged 15-49 experienced spousal sexual violence per 2016 UDHS
- In Bangladesh, 24.6% of ever-married women experienced sexual violence by husband per 2014 BDHS
- In Zambia, 15.2% of women aged 15-49 reported intimate partner sexual violence per 2018 ZDHS
- In Rwanda, 23.6% of ever-married women experienced spousal sexual violence per 2014-15 RDHS
- In Tanzania, 27.8% of women aged 15-49 experienced sexual violence by partner per 2015-16 TDHS
- In Malawi, 21.7% of ever-married women reported husband/partner sexual violence per 2015-16 MDHS
- In Ghana, 13.8% of women aged 15-49 experienced intimate partner sexual violence per 2014 GDHS
Prevalence Rates Interpretation
These statistics form a grim global chorus revealing that the most private violation is, for a staggering number of women, a tragically common feature of intimate life.
Victim Demographics
- In the United States, women aged 18-24 years experience the highest rate of intimate partner sexual violence at 25.1 per 1,000 per NISVS data
- Among US women, Black non-Hispanic women report higher lifetime prevalence of rape by intimate partner (22%) compared to White women (18.8%) per NISVS 2010-2012
- In Australia, Indigenous women are 2.5 times more likely to experience partner sexual violence than non-Indigenous women per 2016 PSS
- UK women aged 16-24 have a 9% prevalence of partner sexual assault vs 3% for 50-59 per CSEW 2020
- In South Africa, women aged 15-24 report 30% intimate partner sexual violence rate per 2016 SADHS
- Canadian women with disabilities are 2.4 times more likely to experience sexual violence by partner per GSS 2014
- In India, rural women have higher spousal sexual violence rates (31%) than urban (25%) per NFHS-4 2015-16
- Brazilian women with low education (<8 years) report 15% partner sexual violence vs 5% high education per WHO 2013
- EU migrant women experience 14% partner sexual violence vs 6% native per FRA 2014 survey
- In Mexico, women aged 15-24 have 28% lifetime IPSV per ENSANUT 2016
- New Zealand Maori women report 25% partner sexual violence vs 12% non-Maori per NZCASS 2014
- In Russia, women aged 18-29 have 20% IPSV prevalence per WHO 2010
- Kenyan women with no education report 18% spousal sexual violence vs 8% secondary+ per KDHS 2014
- In Philippines, separated/divorced women have 20% IPSV vs 10% married per NDHS 2017
- Turkish women in lowest wealth quintile report 15% forced sex by husband per TDHS 2013
- In Peru, indigenous women experience 35% IPSV vs 20% non-indigenous per ENDES 2012
- Nigerian adolescent girls (15-19) report 12% partner sexual violence per NDHS 2018
- In Sweden, LBT women report 15% partner sexual violence vs 5% heterosexual per 2017 survey
- Japanese women aged 20-29 report 10% IPSV per Cabinet Office 2016
- Egyptian women with secondary education have 9% IPSV vs 14% no education per EDHS 2014
- US Hispanic women report 14.6% lifetime rape by partner per NISVS
- Ethiopian rural women 25% IPSV vs urban 15% per EDHS 2016
- Colombian women aged 18-24 30% IPSV per DHS 2015
- Ugandan women with disabilities 35% IPSV vs 25% without per UDHS 2016
- Bangladeshi women in slums 30% IPSV vs 20% non-slum per BDHS 2014
- Zambian adolescent women 18% IPSV per ZDHS 2018
- Rwandan poor women 28% spousal sexual violence vs 18% rich per RDHS 2014-15
- Tanzanian women no education 32% IPSV vs 15% educated per TDHS 2015-16
- Malawian rural women 25% IPSV per MDHS 2015-16
- Ghanaian women aged 15-19 15% partner sexual violence per GDHS 2014
Victim Demographics Interpretation
Across nations and demographics, intimate partner sexual violence preys most viciously on the young, the poor, the marginalized, and the less educated, revealing a brutal global pattern where vulnerability is systematically weaponized.
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