Intimate partner violence among adolescents and young women: prevalence and associated factors in nine countries: a cross-sectional study

International audience; Background:Little is known about the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) and its associated factorsamong adolescents and younger women.Methods:This study analyzed data from nine countries of the WHO Multi-country Study on Women’s Health andDomestic Violence against Women, a population based survey conducted in ten countries between 2000 and 2004.Results:The lifetime prevalence of IPV ranged from 19 to 66 percent among women aged 15 to 24, with mostsites reporting prevalence above 50 percent. Factors significantly associated with IPV across most sites includedwitnessing violence against the mother, partner’s heavy drinking and involvement in fights, women’s experience ofunwanted first sex, frequent quarrels and partner’s controlling behavior. Adolescent and young women face asubstantially higher risk of experiencing IPV than older women.Conclusion:Adolescence and early adulthood is an important period in laying the foundation for healthy andstable relationships, and women’s health and well-being overall. Ensuring that adolescents and young women enjoyrelationships free of violence is an important investment in their future.