The United Nations Children Fund in its new compilation of data revealing the magnitude of violence against adolescent girls has said about 250 million girls are forced into marriage before the age of 15.
The compilation incorporates a selection of global data released throughout the year, detailing the impact violence has on adolescent girls, their future, and that of their communities and countries.
According to the statistics, almost one quarter of girls aged 15 to 19 worldwide (about 70 million) report that they have been victims of physical violence since they were 15 years old.
“Around 120 million girls under the age of 20 worldwide (about 1 in 10) have experienced forced intercourse or other forced sexual acts, and one in three ever-married adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 (84 million) have been victims of emotional, physical or sexual violence committed by their husbands or partners,” UNICEF said.
Based on the data provided by the organisation, in some countries, as many as seven in 10 girls aged 15 to 19 who had been victims of “physical and/or sexual abuse had never sought help,” with many of them saying they did not think it was abuse or did not see it as a problem.
UNICEF added that worldwide, more than 700 million women alive today were married before their 18th birthday.
The data also showed damaging perceptions on the acceptability of violence, particularly among girls.
The report stated that globally, nearly half of girls aged 15 to 19 believe a man is justified in beating his wife or partner under certain circumstances such as refusing to have sex, leaving the house without permission, arguing, neglecting the children or burning the dinner.
“These numbers speak to a mindset that tolerates, perpetuates, and even justifies violence – and should sound an alarm to everyone, everywhere,” the UNICEF Deputy Executive Director, Geeta Rao Gupta, said.
To prevent violence against girls, the UN agency urged countries around the world to make education accessible for them, providing “critical life skills and supporting their parents with “cash transfers to mitigate risks to girls.”
It also called for “changing attitudes and norms through community conversations and strengthening judicial, criminal and social systems and services.”
Speaking further, Rao Gupta noted that local solution should be provided to the global menace against girls. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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