AI campaign against violence against women:
VIOLENCE IN THE FAMILY
Violence within the family takes different forms - from physical aggression, such as slapping, hitting, kicking and beating to psychological abuse, such as intimidation, constant belittling and humiliation, including various controlling behaviours, such as isolating a person from their family and friends, monitoring and restricting their movements, access to information or assistance.
Around the world
At least one in every three women, or up to one billion women, have been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in their lifetimes. Usually, the abuser is a member of her own family or someone known to her (L Heise, M Ellsberg, M Gottemoeller, 1999).
Up to 70% of female murder victims are killed by their male partners (WHO 2002).
In Kenya more than one woman a week was reportedly killed by her male partner (Joni Seager, 2003).
In Zambia five women a week were murdered by a male partner or family member (Joni Seager 2003).
In Egypt 35% of women reported being beaten by their husband at some point in their marriage (UNICEF 2000).
In Bolivia 17% of all women aged 20 years and over have experienced physical violence in the previous 12 months (WHO 2002).
In Canada the costs of violence against the family amount to $1.6 billion per year, including medical care and lost productivity (UNICEF 2000).
In the USA a woman is battered, usually by her husband/partner, every 15 seconds (UN Study on the World's Women, 2000).
In Bangladesh 50% of all murders are of women by their partners (Joni Seager, 2003).
In New Zealand 20% of women reported being hit or physically abused by a male partner (UNICEF 2000).
In Pakistan 42% of women accept violence as part of their fate; 33% feel too helpless to stand up to it; 19% protested and 4% took action against it (Government study in Punjab 2001).
In the Russian Federation 36,000 women are beaten on a daily basis by their husband or partner, according to Russian non-governmental organizations (OMCT 2003).
In Spain one woman every five days was killed by her male partner in 2000 (Joni Seager, The Atlas of Women).
About two women per week are killed by their partners in the United Kingdom (Joni Seager, 2003).
See data.