Globally, one in 14 women aged 15 or older report being sexually assaulted by someone other than an intimate partner, according to new research following high-profile rape cases in India.
Countries in central and southern sub-Saharan Africa have the highest rates of sexual violence, while south Asian countries have the lowest rates, and the problem is probably underestimated because of under-reporting stemming from stigma, according to scientists led by Naeemah Abrahams from the South African Medical Research Council. Their research was published today in the Lancet medical journal.
The authors made estimates of prevalence of sexual violence in 56 countries through a search of previous research published between 1998 and 2011. Other systematic reviews have shown that non-partner sexual violence can lead to long-term health consequences, particularly mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety and alcohol abuse, the authors said.
See full Article: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-11/one-in-14-women-globally-sexually-assaulted-study-shows.html
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