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31/05/2012 | Document
Violence

Violence Against Women in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Comparative Analysis of Population-Based Data from 12 Countries

Violence against women is a human rights violation with important public health ramifications.
Portada Violencia contra las mujeres en América Latina y el Caribe: Análisis comparativo de datos poblacionales de 12 países

Evidence from across the globe documents that such violence is widespread and that women and girls bear the overwhelming burden of violence by intimate partners and sexual violence by any perpetrator.

The consequences of such violence can be long-lasting and extensive, making violence against women an important cause of morbidity and in some cases death. Studies suggest that violence against women has negative health consequences that include physical injury, unwanted pregnancy, abortion, sexually transmitted infections (including HIV/AIDS), maternal mortality, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and suicide, among others. When the cumulative impacts on morbidity and mortality are assessed, the health burden of violence against women is often higher than that of more frequently recognized public health priorities.

Author

  • Bott, Sarah
  • Guedes, Alessandra
  • Goodwin, Mary
  • Mendoza, Jennifer Adams
  • Organización Panamericana de la Salud (OPS)
  • Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS)

UN Symbol

NLM: WA 309 DA1