Violence against women creates measurable health damage and major economic loss across regions. Globally, it accounts for about 2 million cases of health conditions each year, and the burden rises with household wealth, with intimate partner violence reported 2.7 times more often among women in the poorest households than in the richest. The next figures show how severe impacts can exist alongside unequal access to support and protection.
Key Takeaways
- As a global estimate, violence against women leads to 2 million cases of health conditions each year (WHO global estimate reported in WHO violence against women fact sheet)
- Violence against women is estimated to cost the global economy at least US$1.5 trillion per year (UN Women estimate)
- In the EU, 7% of women reported experiencing physical and/or sexual violence within the last 12 months (FRA survey summary)
- 2.7 times higher prevalence of intimate partner violence among women who are in the poorest households compared with those in the richest households (global analysis of WHO multi-country studies)
- In the year ending March 2023, 1.0% of women experienced domestic abuse involving 'very high impact' (ONS measure)
- In 2021, women accounted for 73% of victims of intimate partner homicide in Canada (Statistics Canada)
- 22% of women in the EU reported staying with an abusive partner because they believed they had no choice (Eurobarometer 2016)
- In UNODC reporting, women constitute 70% of trafficking victims overall (UNODC global trafficking report—sex composition)
- In the UNODC Global Study on Homicide (2019/2020 editions), 80% of victims of intimate partner homicide are women (UNODC figure)
- 54% of U.S. women survivors of rape or sexual assault reported the incident to police (NCVS analysis in NIJ report)
- 34% of women globally who experience intimate partner violence do not seek help because they fear consequences (UN Women programming overview figure)
- In 2023, UNODC reported 16,000+ victims of trafficking reached through victim assistance in EU Member States (UNODC global trafficking report—victim assistance reach)
- In 2022, 4,800+ organizations provided support services to victims of violence against women under the EU Daphne/rights funding legacy (European Commission report compilation)
- In 2021, 1,470 women were supported by a crisis helpline in Sweden for violence in close relationships (Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare annual report)
Violence against women harms health, fuels lasting trauma and costs economies billions each year, with help still often out of reach.
Related reading
01 · Category
Health And Economic Impact9 stats
01
As a global estimate, violence against women leads to 2 million cases of health conditions each year (WHO global estimate reported in WHO violence against women fact sheet)
02
Violence against women is estimated to cost the global economy at least US$1.5 trillion per year (UN Women estimate)
03
In the EU, 7% of women reported experiencing physical and/or sexual violence within the last 12 months (FRA survey summary)
04
In the United States, intimate partner violence has estimated annual economic costs of about US$8.3 billion in direct medical and indirect costs (NIJ/CDC synthesis)
05
In Australia, 2% of total health system expenditure is attributed to domestic violence and sexual assault (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimate)
06
Women who have experienced intimate partner violence are 1.5 times more likely to have depression than women without such experience (peer-reviewed meta-analysis)
07
Women who have experienced intimate partner violence are 2.0 times more likely to have PTSD than women without such experience (peer-reviewed meta-analysis)
08
Women exposed to intimate partner violence are 1.4 times more likely to report adverse birth outcomes than those not exposed (systematic review)
09
In the U.S., intimate partner violence contributes to 12.7% of women's health care costs associated with violence-related injuries (study estimate)
Interpretation
Health And Economic Impact Interpretation
Across Health And Economic Impact, violence against women is not only driving about 2 million health conditions worldwide each year but also imposing at least US$1.5 trillion in annual global economic costs, showing how deeply these harms strain both wellbeing and economies.
02 · Category
Risk & Correlates4 stats
01
22% of women in the EU reported staying with an abusive partner because they believed they had no choice (Eurobarometer 2016)
02
In UNODC reporting, women constitute 70% of trafficking victims overall (UNODC global trafficking report—sex composition)
03
In the UNODC Global Study on Homicide (2019/2020 editions), 80% of victims of intimate partner homicide are women (UNODC figure)
04
In 2022, 40% of women in India experiencing domestic violence reported that the violence was justified (NFHS-5 summary statistic compiled by UNICEF)
Interpretation
Risk & Correlates Interpretation
Across these risk and correlates indicators, women are reported as facing heightened vulnerability and social barriers, with 22% of EU women staying with an abusive partner due to feeling they had no choice and women making up 70% of trafficking victims and 80% of intimate partner homicide victims.
03 · Category
Services & Systems3 stats
01
In 2023, UNODC reported 16,000+ victims of trafficking reached through victim assistance in EU Member States (UNODC global trafficking report—victim assistance reach)
02
In 2022, 4,800+ organizations provided support services to victims of violence against women under the EU Daphne/rights funding legacy (European Commission report compilation)
03
In 2021, 1,470 women were supported by a crisis helpline in Sweden for violence in close relationships (Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare annual report)
Interpretation
Services & Systems Interpretation
Across EU services and systems, support for survivors is reaching thousands, with 16,000-plus trafficking victims assisted in 2023, over 4,800 organizations delivering violence against women support in 2022, and 1,470 women receiving help through Sweden’s crisis helpline in 2021, showing a sustained, multi-channel response over time.
More related reading
04 · Category
Global Prevalence1 stats
01
2.7 times higher prevalence of intimate partner violence among women who are in the poorest households compared with those in the richest households (global analysis of WHO multi-country studies)
Interpretation
Global Prevalence Interpretation
Under the Global Prevalence lens, intimate partner violence affects women in the poorest households at 2.7 times the rate of those in the richest households, underscoring how strongly economic status shapes the worldwide burden.
05 · Category
Domestic Abuse1 stats
01
In the year ending March 2023, 1.0% of women experienced domestic abuse involving 'very high impact' (ONS measure)
Interpretation
Domestic Abuse Interpretation
In the year ending March 2023, 1.0% of women experienced domestic abuse with a very high impact, underscoring that even within the Domestic Abuse category the most severe experiences affect a measurable share of women.
06 · Category
Industry Overview3 stats
01
In 2021, women accounted for 73% of victims of intimate partner homicide in Canada (Statistics Canada)
02
54% of U.S. women survivors of rape or sexual assault reported the incident to police (NCVS analysis in NIJ report)
03
34% of women globally who experience intimate partner violence do not seek help because they fear consequences (UN Women programming overview figure)
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
Industry overview trends show that violence against women is heavily concentrated in intimate partner contexts and underreported, with women making up 73% of intimate partner homicide victims in Canada in 2021, only 54% of U.S. women reporting rape or sexual assault to police, and 34% globally avoiding help for fear of consequences.
report visual · Key figures
Women affected by violence: prevalence and impacts
Across regions and outcomes, violence against women is linked to substantial health and economic burdens, and the likelihood of mental health impacts is higher among those exposed.
7%
In the EU, 7% of women reported experiencing physical and/or sexual violence within the last 12 months (FRA survey summa
2
As a global estimate, violence against women leads to 2 million cases of health conditions each year (WHO global estimat
$1.5
Violence against women is estimated to cost the global economy at least US$1.5 trillion per year (UN Women estimate)
1.5
Women who have experienced intimate partner violence are 1.5 times more likely to have depression than women without suc
2.0
Women who have experienced intimate partner violence are 2.0 times more likely to have PTSD than women without such expe
12.7%
In the U.S., intimate partner violence contributes to 12.7% of women's health care costs associated with violence-relate
source-verifiedfra.europa.eu · who.int · unwomen.org · pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · jamanetwork.com
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Marcus Afolabi. (2026, February 13). Women Violence Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/women-violence-statistics
MLA
Marcus Afolabi. "Women Violence Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/women-violence-statistics.
Chicago
Marcus Afolabi. 2026. "Women Violence Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/women-violence-statistics.
Sources & references
21 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+5 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)