In the United States and around the world, violence against women remains a profound and persistent challenge. You might assume the landscape has changed dramatically, but the numbers show the opposite: this is still very much a present-day crisis.
In this article you will learn the latest statistics on types of abuse, how often it happens, who it happens to, and what steps you can take or support to demand change.
Understanding the Scope of the Problem
When you hear about violence against women, you may picture physical assault. While physical violence is devastating and real, it’s only one piece of the picture. Psychological coercion, sexual abuse, stalking, and intimate-partner violence are all in scope.
Globally, nearly one in three women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence at least once in her life. This estimate covers intimate partners and non-partner perpetrators alike.
In the U.S., the scale remains large. For example, more than 40 % of women report experiencing contact sexual violence, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetimes. Psychological aggression is even more widespread, affecting tens of millions of women. These numbers reflect your immediate community, friends, colleagues and family. Violence isn’t something “over there” — it touches your daily world.
Key Global Statistics You Should Know
- Worldwide, about 27 % of ever-partnered women aged 15-49 have experienced physical or sexual violence or both by an intimate partner during their lifetime. Around 13 % experienced such violence in the past year.
- Globally, approximately 736 million women aged 15 and older—nearly one in three—have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence at least once in their life.
- Non-partner sexual violence (for example, assault by someone who is not an intimate partner) affects about 6 % of women aged 15-49 globally, though the figure varies substantially by region.
- Among adolescent girls aged 15-19 in many settings, about one in four have experienced intimate partner violence since age 15.
Top U.S. Data Points to Understand
- In the United States, over 1 in 3 women (about 35.6 %) and almost 1 in 4 men (28.5 %) have experienced rape, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime.
- Nearly 15 % of women and approximately 4 % of men in the U.S. have been injured as a result of intimate-partner violence that included rape, physical violence, and/or stalking.
- Psychological aggression by an intimate partner affects more than 60 million women in the U.S. at some point in their lifetime.
- Among women in the U.S., about one in five (20 %) report completed or attempted rape during their lifetime; 81 % of women and 43 % of men report experiencing some form of sexual harassment or assault.
Breaking Down Types of Violence
Intimate-Partner Violence (IPV)
This is violence committed by a current or former partner or spouse and includes physical violence, sexual violence, stalking and psychological aggression. In your community, if a woman reports being hit, forced into unwanted sex, threatened, isolated or stalked by someone she used to date, she is likely a victim of IPV.
In the U.S., 31.5 % of women have experienced physical violence by an intimate partner at some point in their lives.
Non-Partner Sexual Violence
This refers to sexual violence committed by someone other than an intimate partner—such as a friend, acquaintance, stranger or family member who is not a partner. Globally, about 6 % of women aged 15-49 report having experienced non-partner sexual violence since age 15.
Stalking and Harassment
While harder to quantify globally, stalking and technology-facilitated harassment increasingly appear in statistics. These forms of violence often overlap with intimate-partner abuse and sexual violence and carry severe mental health consequences.
Regional Variations and Inequalities
Your odds of experiencing violence vary by region and socio-economic context—but no region is immune. For example, in high-income regions such as North America, lifetime intimate-partner violence prevalence is estimated at 25 % for women aged 15-49 years. In lower-income settings such as central sub-Saharan Africa, the lifetime prevalence reaches higher levels—around 44 % in some countries.
Even in wealthier nations, the past-year rates vary significantly: in many high-income countries, the prevalence of intimate partner violence in the past year among women aged 15-49 was under 10 %, while in some lower-income settings it reached 20 % or more.
Consequences for Health and Society
When you look beyond the raw numbers, the impact on victims, families and society is enormous. Violence against women undermines mental health, physical well-being, economic participation and social stability. Women who experience violence face higher risks of depression, anxiety, chronic pain, sexually transmitted infections, unintended pregnancies and economic disruption.
In workplaces across the U.S., women affected by intimate partner violence lose nearly eight million days of paid work annually. This disruption harms your team’s productivity, strains employer resources and hinders economic advancement.
Children who witness violence in their homes may carry trauma into adulthood. Communities experience higher health-care costs, greater demand for social services and diminished civic participation when violence is widespread.
Spotlight on Femicide and Lethal Violence
It’s hard to ignore the most extreme outcome: the killing of women because they are women. Globally, in 2023 an average of 140 women and girls per day were killed by an intimate partner or family member. In the U.S., nearly half of all women report experiencing abuse from a partner in their lifetime. The presence of firearms compounds the lethal risk of intimate-partner violence in this country.
Femicide—the gender-based intentional killing of women—serves as the most horrific indicator of long-term failure to protect women. You should know that these deaths are preventable, yet occur because of structural gaps, impunity and social norms that permit violence.
Trends and What’s Changing
While it may feel hopeless, there are signs of progress. Data from the U.S. show a roughly 70 % decline in the rate of rape or sexual assault against females from 1993 to 2008 based on one dataset. Globally, many countries have adopted stronger laws: at least 158 countries now have laws addressing domestic violence, and 141 countries have laws on sexual harassment in employment.
Still, progress is uneven. Under-reporting persists due to stigma, fear of retaliation, lack of resources and poor data collection. Even in advanced economies, estimates of past-year violence may underestimate actual rates because many survivors never report their experience.
What You Can Do and How You Can Help
You don’t have to feel helpless. If you’re a reader in the U.S., you can:
- Educate yourself and your social circle about what constitutes violence against women—recognizing that it takes many forms beyond physical assault.
- Support your local advocacy groups, crisis hotlines and women’s shelters—volunteer time, donate or share their resources.
- Advocate for policy and legislative change by contacting your local representatives to prioritize funding for prevention, support services, and data collection.
- Encourage healthy relationship behaviors among younger generations—promote respect, communication and non-violent conflict resolution.
- Intervene safely when you witness signs of abuse—if you have concerns for someone’s safety, encourage them to contact a trusted service or call 911 if needed.
Key Takeaways You Can Remember
- Nearly one in three women globally experience violence in their lifetime.
- In the U.S., over one in three women suffer intimate-partner violence or stalking ever.
- The youngest cohorts (adolescents and young adults) face higher risk of recent violence.
- Legal protections exist in many countries, but implementation and enforcement remain inconsistent.
- You can be part of the solution—through awareness, support and advocacy.
As someone informed about the latest data, you’re better placed to have conversations that matter, support those who need it and help shift norms. This isn’t just a statistic exercise—it’s about safeguarding lives and promoting dignity.