Gender-based violence is a global issue that affects people of different ages, gender, ethnicity, and status. The most impacted are women and girls, especially those who are forcibly displaced and stateless who currently number over 60 million.
Defining gender-based violence
Any violent act committed against a person because of their gender is considered to be gender-based violence (GBV). In most cases, it involves violence that is directed at women and girls but men and boys can also be victims. The term gender-based violence also includes forced marriages and forced pregnancies, female genital mutilation, and human trafficking.
The leading causes of GBV in crisis-affected regions
Numerous factors increase the likelihood of GBV in regions affected by crises and some of the major reasons are:
- Poverty which can lead to child marriages or intimate partner violence when families face financial challenges.
- A weak rule of law that prevents people from feeling secure and unable to protect themselves from violence.
- Armed conflicts that provoke conflict-related sexual violence, often committed by military forces acting with impunity.
- Displacement whereby some refugee camps may lack locks on bathroom doors, adequate lighting, and overall adequate safety measures which can often trigger violence.
Types of gender-based violence and latest statistical data
🔸 Intimate partner violence
Intimate partner violence (IPV) refers to the physical, psychological, or sexual mistreatment of an intimate partner including a current or previous spouse.
- One in three women and one in four girls aged 15 to 19 have encountered IPV at some point in their lives, whether from a spouse or someone else, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Women.
- According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, one in three children who are exposed to IPV becomes violent in adulthood.
Table 1. IPV violence against women aged 15-49 in 2021-2022
Source: World Bank
🔸 Sexual violence
Sexual violence is any type of sexual act or attempt at such that involves physical or psychological coercion to target a person’s sexuality.
- Globally, over 370 million women and girls have been raped or have been victims of sexual assault before the age of 18, according to a United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) data-set for the 2010-2020 period.
- If victims of ‘non-contact’ forms of sexual violence against women, such as verbal or online harassment, are added to the total, the overall number of victims of sexual assault jumps to 650 million.
- 736 million women experienced physical or sexual abuse at the hands of either their intimate relationship or a non-partner, according to a WHO report released in 2021.
- Out of around 15 million adolescent girls worldwide aged 15–19 years who have experienced forced sex, only 1% considered seeking professional help, UN Women reports.
🔸 Female genital mutilation
Female genital mutilation (FGM), also known as genital cutting (a human rights violation), is a form of violence against women involving any surgical operation with the intent of either partially or completely eliminating the external female genitalia which, for the most part, is performed on girls under the age of 15, often during their infancy.
Data published by the WHO shows that around 230 million girls and women have undergone FGM in one form or another across 30 countries where the procedure continues to be performed.
🔸 Femicide
The hate crime known as femicide or feminicide refers to the intentional murder of females for the reason of their gender.
In 2023, an estimated average of 51,050 women and girls around the world died as a result of the violent actions of either their spouse or a family member, according to UN Women. Most victims were in Africa, but the actual numbers are vague due to ongoing data availability constraints.
Table 2. Overall (average) number of intimate partner/family member femicide, according to UN Women
Source: Femicides in 2023, UN Women
While most male homicides occur outside the home, for women, home remains the most unsafe place.
Share of male and female homicide victims who suffered at the hands of their intimate partner/family member
Source: Femicides in 2023, UN Women
🔸 Child marriage
Child marriage, which is often considered to be a violation of human rights, is defined as any official marriage or informal partnership between two underage people, or a minor and an adult. The most affected category are girls who are forced to marry men and every three seconds a girl is forced into marriage.
According to United Nations Fund for Population estimates, each year 12 million girls are forced to marry before the age of 18, meaning one in five young women were married before that age with the highest levels being registered in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the Child Marriage Data Portal.
🔸 Trafficking
The U.S. Department of State estimates that over 27 million individuals are trafficked globally at any given time.
Based on data from the UN Women, in 2022, of all those who became victims of human trafficking, 60% were women and girls, with sexual exploitation being the most prevalent type of human trafficking.
See also: Illegal Adoption vs. Child Trafficking: Where Do We Draw the Line? | DevelopmentAid Dialogues
At the same time, the UN report points out that the numbers available are those of the “detected victims,” but the real extent of this activity could be of much more concern.
Final thoughts
Gender-based violence is a serious issue that impacts adults, children, and communities, leaving physical and psychological marks on the victims for the rest of their lives. To improve the situation, a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including ordinary people, governments, non-governmental organizations, and private companies, should all become actively involved in the constant monitoring and eventual eradication of GBV.
