One in four women in Jamaica experience intimate partner violence, reveals the first national survey

The results of the first national survey on gender-based violence in Jamaica shows a high prevalence rate of 27.8 per cent, with more than 1 in every 4 women in Jamaica experiencing intimate partner violence in their lifetime.

At the launch of the report, UN Women Regional Director for the Americas and the Caribbean, Luiza Carvalho drew attention to the significance of closing the data gap on violence against women: “In the absence of reliable data, it is not possible to adequately treat, reduce and prevent violence against women and girls. UN Women has invested significantly in supporting Member States in strengthening capacities to fill the data gaps on violence against women and girls.”

The survey was conducted by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica under the technical and financial support of the UN Women and the Inter-American Development Bank through the Phase III of the Government of Jamaica’s Citizen Security and Justice Programme. The report examines women’s most recent and lifetime experiences with intimate partner violence and abuse, as well as abuse and violence in a non-intimate context.

The survey revealed important trends, such as, higher prevalence of physical and sexual violence experienced by women in urban areas than rural areas (6.2 per cent vs 5.4 per cent); and women who were 18 years or younger when they entered their first union (living together or married to a man), were twice as likely to experience severe violence as women who were older when they entered into a residential union with a man.

Read the full press release and access the full report on UN Women’s regional website for the Americas and the Caribbean.