By Ayomide Otitoju
A new analysis from the World Health Organization (WHO), published today in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, reveals that nearly a quarter (24%) of adolescent girls who have been in a relationship almost 19 million will have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence by the time they turn 20. Furthermore, almost 1 in 6 (16%) reported such violence in the past year.
“Intimate partner violence is starting alarmingly early for millions of young women around the world,” said Dr. Pascale Allotey, Director of WHO’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research department. “Given that violence during these critical formative years can cause profound and lasting harms, it needs to be taken more seriously as a public health issue – with a focus on prevention and targeted support.”
The report highlights the devastating impacts of partner violence on young people’s health, educational achievement, future relationships, and lifelong prospects. Health consequences include an increased likelihood of injuries, depression, anxiety disorders, unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and many other physical and psychological conditions.
High rates of violence against adolescent girls reflect deeply entrenched inequalities. The study provides a detailed analysis of the prevalence of physical and/or sexual partner violence experienced by 15–19-year-old girls in intimate relationships, drawing on existing data to identify broader social, economic, and cultural factors that increase their risks.
While violence against adolescent girls occurs globally, significant regional differences exist. According to WHO estimates, the worst affected regions are Oceania (47%) and central sub-Saharan Africa (40%), while the lowest rates are found in central Europe (10%) and central Asia (11%). Nationally, the prevalence ranges from 6% in the least affected countries to 49% in those with the highest rates.
The analysis found that intimate partner violence against adolescent girls is most common in lower-income countries and regions, particularly where fewer girls attend secondary school and where girls have weaker legal property ownership and inheritance rights compared to men. Child marriage significantly escalates risks, as spousal age differences create power imbalances, economic dependency, and social isolation, all of which increase the likelihood of enduring abuse.
The study underscores the urgent need to strengthen support services and early prevention measures tailored for adolescents. It calls for advancing women’s and girls’ agency and rights through school-based programs educating both boys and girls on healthy relationships and violence prevention, legal protections, and economic empowerment. Many adolescents face particular challenges in leaving abusive relationships due to a lack of financial resources.
“To end gender-based violence, countries need policies and programs that increase equality for women and girls,” said study author Dr. Lynnmarie Sardinha, Technical Officer for Violence against Women Data and Measurement at WHO. “This means ensuring secondary education for all girls, securing gender-equal property rights, and ending harmful practices such as child marriage, which are often underpinned by the same inequitable gender norms that perpetuate violence against women and girls.”
Currently, no country is on track to eliminate violence against women and girls by the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal target date. Ending child marriage, which affects 1 in 5 girls globally, and expanding girls’ access to secondary education are critical factors for reducing partner violence against adolescent girls.
WHO supports countries in measuring and addressing violence against women, including efforts to strengthen prevention and response within the healthcare sector. New WHO guidelines on preventing child marriage are planned for release by the end of 2024.
