Violence against women and girls is a global pandemic.

• • At least one out of every three women has been beaten, forced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime.
• • Every year, millions of women are raped by partners, relatives, friends and strangers, by employers and colleagues, soldiers and members of armed groups.
• • The World Health Organization has reported that up to 70% of female murder victims are killed by their male partners.

Violence affects the lives of women everywhere, cutting across boundaries of wealth, race and culture. In the home and the community, in times of war and peace, women are beaten, raped, mutilated and killed with impunity.

The violence affects women in different ways depending on factors such as their income, who controls it, social status, occupation, ethnicity, religion and sexuality.

Reference: www.amnesty.ca