I. Introduction 1
Scope of the study = 3
Methodology = 5
II. Overview 7
Introduction = 7
International attention: the women’s movement and the United Nations = 7
Violence against women: a form of discrimination and human rights violation = 9
Consequences of addressing violence against women as a human rights concern = 13
Integrating violence against women and expanding the scope of action = 13
Challenges and obstacles = 21
III. The context and causes of violence against women = 27
Introduction = 27
The broad context and structural causes of violence against women = 28
Causal and risk factors for violence against women = 35
Implications for State and intergovernmental action = 38
IV. Forms, consequences and costs of violence against women = 41
Introduction = 41
Forms and manifestations of violence against women in various settings = 42
Consequences of violence against women = 57
Economic costs of violence against women = 61
V. Collecting data on violence against women = 65
Introduction = 65
Population-based surveys = 66
Other sources of data and information on violence against women = 72
Forms of violence against women that are under-documented = 78
Indicators on violence against women = 82
Improving data collection on violence against women = 84
VI. The responsibility of the State to address violence against women = 85
Introduction = 85
State responsibility = 89
Addressing violence against women = 91
Gaps in implementation of international standards at the national level = 96
Actions to be taken by States to meet their international obligations = 98
VII. Promising practices and challenges for implementation = 101
Introduction = 101
Promising practices in law = 103
Promising practices in the provision of services = 114
Promising practices in prevention = 121
Challenges for implementation = 127
VIII. Conclusion and recommendations = 131
Conclusion = 131
End impunity and take action to address violence against women = 134
Annex 1 = 171
Prevalence of physical assaults on women by a male partner
Annex 2 = 179
Costs of violence against women: selected studies generating a monetary estimate of costs
Scope of the study = 3
Methodology = 5
II. Overview 7
Introduction = 7
International attention: the women’s movement and the United Nations = 7
Violence against women: a form of discrimination and human rights violation = 9
Consequences of addressing violence against women as a human rights concern = 13
Integrating violence against women and expanding the scope of action = 13
Challenges and obstacles = 21
III. The context and causes of violence against women = 27
Introduction = 27
The broad context and structural causes of violence against women = 28
Causal and risk factors for violence against women = 35
Implications for State and intergovernmental action = 38
IV. Forms, consequences and costs of violence against women = 41
Introduction = 41
Forms and manifestations of violence against women in various settings = 42
Consequences of violence against women = 57
Economic costs of violence against women = 61
V. Collecting data on violence against women = 65
Introduction = 65
Population-based surveys = 66
Other sources of data and information on violence against women = 72
Forms of violence against women that are under-documented = 78
Indicators on violence against women = 82
Improving data collection on violence against women = 84
VI. The responsibility of the State to address violence against women = 85
Introduction = 85
State responsibility = 89
Addressing violence against women = 91
Gaps in implementation of international standards at the national level = 96
Actions to be taken by States to meet their international obligations = 98
VII. Promising practices and challenges for implementation = 101
Introduction = 101
Promising practices in law = 103
Promising practices in the provision of services = 114
Promising practices in prevention = 121
Challenges for implementation = 127
VIII. Conclusion and recommendations = 131
Conclusion = 131
End impunity and take action to address violence against women = 134
Annex 1 = 171
Prevalence of physical assaults on women by a male partner
Annex 2 = 179
Costs of violence against women: selected studies generating a monetary estimate of costs