Global Estimates Reveal Alarming Reality
A new report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 19 November 2025 reveals a deeply troubling reality: an estimated 840 million women around the world have experienced violence, either from an intimate partner or through sexual violence by a non-partner. This finding confirms that violence against women remains one of the most widespread and persistent human rights violations globally, affecting women across age groups, regions, and social backgrounds.
The report shows that nearly one in three women has faced physical or sexual violence in her lifetime, and despite decades of advocacy, awareness campaigns, and policy work, global progress remains painfully slow. Over the past twenty years, the rate of intimate partner violence has decreased by only 0.2% per year far too little to create meaningful change. In the last 12 months alone, 316 million women aged 15 and above were subjected to partner violence, a number that reflects the continuing scale of the problem and the urgent need for stronger action worldwide.
New Data on Sexual Violence by Non-Partners
For the first time, the WHO has also included detailed estimates of non-partner sexual violence, revealing that 263 million women have been affected since the age of 15. However, this figure is almost certainly an underestimation. Most forms of sexual violence remain hidden due to fear, social stigma, shame, and a lack of accessible support systems. Many survivors never report their experiences because they fear retaliation or believe that justice systems will not protect them. The report also highlights that adolescent girls face alarming levels of violence. More than 12 million girls aged 15 to 19 were subjected to partner violence in just the past year, demonstrating how early these abuses can begin and how deeply they can shape a young person’s future.
The impact of violence varies significantly across regions and communities. In some parts of the world, including areas of Oceania, the levels of intimate partner violence are more than three times the global average. Marginalized groups such as indigenous women, women with disabilities, migrants, and those living in conflict or crisis settings experience even higher rates of violence and often have the least access to support services. Violence also has serious long-term consequences for women’s health, including higher risks of unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, depression, anxiety, and severe psychological trauma.
Resonance With Local Realities
The global situation strongly resonates with the context in Sri Lanka. According to national statistics, one in five ever-partnered women in Sri Lanka has experienced physical or sexual violence by a partner. Many cases remain unreported, especially among women in plantation communities, rural areas, migrant households, and women with disabilities. While Sri Lanka has laws and policies intended to protect women, gaps in implementation, lack of awareness, limited resources, and social stigma continue to hinder progress. Survivor services remain uneven, and many women do not receive the support they need from health, legal, or social systems.
The WHO stresses that ending violence against women requires urgent and sustained investment, stronger legal protections, reliable data, and effective survivor-centered services. The updated RESPECT Women framework provides evidence-based guidance that countries, including Sri Lanka, can use to strengthen prevention and response systems.
As the Right to Life Human Rights Centre, we recognize that the scale of this crisis demands collective action. Every statistic represents a woman or girl whose fundamental rights and dignity have been violated. It is essential for Sri Lanka to prioritize prevention, expand support services, and commit to building a society where all women can live free from violence, fear, and discrimination.