Around 50 million women aged 18-74 in the European Union, or 31%, have experienced physical (including threats) or sexual violence in adulthood, based on the EU gender-based violence survey. It should be noted that data was collected over the period from September 2020 until March 2024.
When comparing the prevalence of gender-based violence by age group, 35% of women in the youngest age group (aged 18 to 29) reported experiencing gender-based violence, compared with 24% in the oldest age group (aged 65-74).
Data also show that home is not always a safe place for women. In 2021, 18% of women who had ever had a partner experienced physical or sexual violence by their partner, and if psychological violence is also taken into account, 32% have or have had a violent partner in their lifetime.
Based on the EU gender-based violence survey 20% of women experienced physical (including threats) or sexual violence by a non-partner, with 9% experiencing degrading or humiliating acts other than rape, another 7% pointing to physical and not sexual violence and 4% having experienced rape.
The percentage of women who said that they had experienced non-partner violence was higher in Finland (47%), Sweden (42%), Denmark (38%), the Netherlands (36%) and Luxembourg (34%). In contrast, Bulgaria (6%), Poland (8%) and Czechia (10%) registered the lowest percentages.
The analysis of non-partner violence by type shows that the greatest differences between EU countries concerning non-partner violence are seen in the prevalence of degrading or humiliating sexual acts other than rape. Values ranged between 24% in Finland and 22% in Sweden and below 2% in Bulgaria, Czechia, and Poland.
Homing in on Latvia, 8% of women have experienced physical violence (including threats but not sexual), 5.9% have experienced sexual violence and 2.4% have been raped. 13.9% have experienced physical violence including threats and a sexual element.
However, Latvia ranks relatively low for the incidence of gender-based violence compared with other European Union states, though as Eurostat points out, differing reporting standards and social attitudes to the reporting of gender-based violence likely have a significant effect on the figures.
"The extent to which violence is tolerated in the wider community might influence the number of women who are ready to share their experience of violence in the survey. For example, the greatest differences between EU countries concerning non-partner violence are seen in the prevalence of degrading or humiliating sexual acts other than rape. Women who do not consider as acceptable degrading or humiliating sexual acts carried out by a partner or non-partner might be more ready to disclose violent experiences," said Eurostat in its accompanyin notes.
The full survey data can be accessed here. Eurostat has also produced an interesting podcast examining how the data was gathered and how it can be interpreted, which you can listen to below.
According to the United Nations, globally an estimated 736 million women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence.
If you have experienced abuse, feel threatened, unsafe or need assistance you can call Latvia's dedicated hotline for help on +371 67222922 or visit the 'Skalbes' website for further contact details.
