Nearly 1 in 3 women worldwide still experience intimate partner or sexual violence – a statistic unchanged since 2000, per new WHO data released this week. In the Western Pacific, over 25% of women face these abuses, with Pacific island nations reporting alarming rates of 1 in 2 women affected. 📉
Health Systems Struggle to Respond
While 9% of women aged 15-49 in the region reported recent intimate partner violence, only a few countries provide comprehensive post-rape care nationwide. WHO's Saia Ma'u Piukala states: "This isn't just statistics – it's shattered lives limiting women's ability to thrive." 💔
Data Gaps Hamper Progress
🔍 Only 50% of countries conduct regular violence surveys
📊 Few track gender-related homicides effectively
🌐 Service access varies wildly between urban/rural areas
Activists urge governments to "fund prevention, not just crisis response" as cultural stigma continues silencing survivors. 💪
