UN Women (April 2020)
Women and girls are more likely to experience distinct challenges and risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. UN Women estimates that 243 million women and girls aged 15–49 have been subjected to sexual and/or physical violence perpetrated by an intimate partner in the last 12 months. The number is likely to increase as security, health and money worries heighten tensions due to confined living conditions. As “Stay At Home” recommendations and lockdown orders expand to contain the spread of the virus, women with violent partners increasingly find themselves isolated from the people and resources that can help them. The cost implication of gender based violence against women is estimated at US$1.5 trillion globally.
