A WHO report reveals that violence devastates lives and also imposes major economic costs on societies around the world, some of which spend more than 4% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on dealing with violence-related injuries.
The economic dimensions of interpersonal violence, compiles currently available information on the costs of violence against children, women and the elderly and among young people, including information on the cost-effectiveness of preventing violence.
1.6 million people die from violence around the world every year, and millions more are injured and suffer from physical, sexual, reproductive and mental health problems as a result. Violence is among the leading causes of death for people aged 15-44 years, accounting for 14% of deaths among males and 7% of deaths among females. While most male victims of homicide are killed by strangers, almost half the women victims are killed by their current or former husbands or partners, while in some countries the figure is as high as 70%. With regard to child abuse, studies from selected countries suggest that about 20% of women and 5-10% of men suffered sexual abuse as children.
WHO report on The economic dimensions of interpersonal violence.
