OSCE study uncovers widespread violence against women in eastern Europe
9901 Min Read
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has just published a large-scale survey on violence against women in eight different countries in eastern and southeastern Europe.
The report pointed out that many women do not report experiences of violence because they distrust authorities or do not feel informed about what to do. Nearly six in 10 women thought that violence against women was very or fairly common.
The report surveyed around 15,000 women aged 18-74 in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, Moldova, Ukraine and Kosovo, asking them about their experiences of violence and abuse since the age of 15. Key findings from the report:
70 % of women said they had experienced some form of violence since the age of 15.
23 % of women responded that they had experienced physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner.
18 % said they had experienced this from a non-partner.
Family members were responsible for 31 % of non-partner physical violence experienced by women.
60 % of women said experienced psychological violence from a partner. Psychological violence is the most common form of violence against women.
All women can experience violence, but women who are poorer, economically dependent or have children are more at risk.
Women with a tertiary education tend to experience higher rates of violence, particularly from non-partners.
