Facts about violence against women and girls in Armenia and the world

Throughout the world 35% of women and girls have been subjected to physical and/or sexual violence once or more in their lifetime. In some countries, seven out of ten women are becoming victims of violence.
Over 140 million girls and women affected by female genital mutilation (mostly in 29 countries of Africa and the Middle East).
Mostly cases of violence against women are not known to law enforcement bodies. For example, the study conducted among 42000 women of 28 EU member-states showed that only 14% of women reported intimate partner violence to the police and only 13% – about the non- partner violence.
Around 120 million women worldwide (one out of ten) have been subjected to forced sexual act in a certain part of their life. More than 133 million girls were subjected to genital mutilation in 29 countries in Africa and the Middle East, where this harmful practice is common. In addition to the extreme psychological and physical pain girls face prolonged bleeding, infections (including HIV), infertility, pregnancy complications and death.
Millions of women and girls are subjected to trafficking – modern-day slavery. Worldwide, women make up 55% of victims of forced labor estimated 20, 9 million and 98% of those who were sexually exploited estimated 4, 5 million.
In EU countries, 40-50% of women face various forms of sexual harassment in the workplace.
In USA in 8-11 years of school 83% of girls are subjected to sexual harassment.
In the cities, women are two times more exposed to violence, especially in developing countries. Studies conducted in 2010 in New Delhi showed that 66% of women were subjected to sexual harassment during one year.
Research conducted in different countries showed existing link between HIV and physical/sexual abuse. The study has shown that in African countries – Tanzania, Rwanda, and South Africa and in India women are infected with various infections mainly as a result of partner violence.
Worldwide, more than 700 million women married when they were children (under age of 18). 250 million of them married under the age of 15.
Worldwide, every third child was forcibly married. Every day about 7 thousand underage girls are forcibly married.
Girls under the age of 18, as a rule, do not have a chance to complete their education; they have complications during childbirth and suffer from domestic violence.
Every year, more than 7 million girls under the age of 18 give birth to babies; 2 million of them are under the age of 14.
Child brides are often unable to maintain a healthy sex life and are more vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections, HIV and early pregnancy.

24.11.2015