Is it safe at home?

It’s interesting if one of the most dangerous and insecure places for you is your own home, for many women it is so.

Intimate partner violence constitutes a major threat to the health and rights of women globally. According to a 2013 multi-country study by the World Health Organization (WHO), almost one third of all women have experienced violence by a partner. According to the World Health Organization nearly 40 percent of all murders of women worldwide are carried out by a partner.

Domestic violence against women has an impact on other members of family and on the children growth and nutrition, thus domestic violence against women indirectly affects the child development.

Domestic violence affects on other aspects like social and economic aspects. The social and economic costs of domestic violence are enormous and consequences have effects throughout society. Women may suffer isolation, depression, inability to work, loss of wages, absence of participation in regular and social activities and events, limited ability oռ care for themselves and their children and other psychological and health problems.

Women who have been abused by their partners are more than twice as likely to have an abortion, to experience depression, and in some regions, 1.5 times more likely to acquire HIV, as compared to women who have not experienced domestic violence.

43 per cent of women in the 28 European Union Member States have experienced some form of violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

Worldwide more than 700 million women were married as children /below 18 years old/.  Child brides haven’t appropriate education and information about sexual health and often unable to talk effectively about safe sex which can lead to early pregnancy as well as sexually transmitted infections including HIV.

The best way to prevent domestic violence is primary prevention, because the prevention is always more cheap and beneficiary than elimination of the problem effects. Regarding to primary prevention, there is some evidence from high-income countries that school-based programmes to prevent violence have shown effectiveness.

To achieve lasting change, it is important to enact legislation and develop policies that address discrimination against women, promote gender equality, support women and help more adaptation cultural norms.

Anet Shamirian

Used sources: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs239/en/
http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/facts-and-figures