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Homicide is an important cause of premature mortality globally, but evidence for the magnitude of homicides by intimate partners is scarce and hampered by the large amount of missing information about the victim–offender relationship. The objective of the study was to estimate global and regional prevalence of intimate partner homicide. A systematic search of five databases (Medline, Global Health, Embase, Social Policy, and Web of Science) yielded 2167 abstracts, and resulted in the inclusion of 118 full-text articles with 1122 estimates of the prevalence of intimate partner homicide after double-blind screening. All studies were included that reported the number or proportion of women or men who were murdered by an intimate partner in a country, province, or town, using an inclusive definition of an intimate partner. Additionally, a survey of official sources of 169 countries provided a further 53 estimates. We selected one estimate per country-year using a quality assessment decision algorithm. The median prevalence of intimate partner homicide was calculated by country and region overall, and for women and men separately. Data were obtained for 66 countries. Overall 13·5% (IQR 9·2–18·2) of homicides were committed by an intimate partner, and this proportion was six times higher for female homicides than for male homicides (38·6%, 30·8–45·3, vs 6·3%, 3·1–6·3). Median percentages for all (male and female) and female intimate partner homicide were highest in high-income countries (all, 14·9%, 9·2–18·2; female homicide, 41·2%, 30·8–44·5) and in southeast Asia (18·8%, 11·3–18·8; 58·8%, 58·8–58·8). Adjustments to account for unknown victim–offender relationships generally increased the prevalence, suggesting that results presented are conservative. At least one in seven homicides globally and more than a third of female homicides are perpetrated by an intimate partner. Such violence commonly represents the culmination of a long history of abuse. Strategies to reduce homicide risk include increased investment in intimate partner violence prevention, risk assessments at different points of care, support for women experiencing intimate partner violence, and control of gun ownership for people with a history of violence. Improvements in country-level data collection and monitoring systems are also essential, because data availability and quality varied strongly across regions. WHO, Sigrid Rausing Trust, and the UK Economic and Social Research Council.

Existing evidence indicates that prevalence of violence against women with disability is elevated compared to women without disability. We conducted a scoping review with a focus on measurement to assess the forms of measurement and study design utilized to explore the intersection of violence against women with disabilities, and to identify strengths and limitations in current approaches to measuring violence against women with disabilities. This scoping review is designed to inform current debates and discussions regarding how to generate evidence concerning violence against women with disabilities. We conducted systematic searches of the following databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL, PILOTS, ERIC, Social Work Abstracts, International Bibliography of the Social Sciences, Social Services Abstracts, ProQuest Criminal Justice, and Dissertations & Theses Global, and conducted structured searches of national statistics and surveys and grey literature available on-line. We identified 174 manuscripts or reports for inclusion. n = 113 manuscripts or reports utilized acts-specific measurement of violence. In terms of measurement of disability, we found that amongst the included manuscripts and reports, n = 75 utilized measures of functioning limitations (n = 20 of these were Washington Group questions), n = 15 utilized a single question approach and n = 67 defined participants in the research as having a disability based on a diagnosis or self-report of a health condition or impairment. This scoping review provides a comprehensive overview of measurement of violence against women with disabilities and measurement of violence within disability-focused research. We identified several important gaps in the evidence, including lack of sex and disability disaggregation, limited evidence concerning adaptation of data collection methods to ensure accessibility of research activities for women with disabilities, and limited evidence concerning differential relationships between types of disability and violence exposure. This scoping review provides directions for sub-analyses of the included studies and further research to address gaps in evidence.

Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been recognized as a defining human rights, development and public health issue of our time. Economic empowerment is one of the most promising interventions to reduce IPV in sub-Saharan Africa, yet the evidence around economic factors that are key to ensure a reduction in IPV are still mixed. Furthermore, there is a lack of clarity on what kinds of economic empowerment works for which population group. This paper seeks a more nuanced understanding, by investigating whether the associations between indicators of economic empowerment and physical and/or sexual IPV are similar between the general population of women and among urban versus rural and young, or middle aged women versus older women. Methods Using couples data from 25 DHS surveys across 15 countries (n = 70,993 women and men aged 15 and above at time of survey), we analyse how household wealth, men’s and women’s education and employment status, decision making on women’s income, differences in education and employment of women and their partners and women’s cash income are associated with physical and/or sexual IPV. We also provide sub-analyses for both urban and rural areas and for women aged, 15 to 24 25 to 34 and 35 to 49. Results Across all surveys, 20% of women reported physical and/or sexual IPV in the last 12 months. On the one hand, our findings reinforced certain well-established patterns between women’s economic empowerment and IPV, with women’s and men’s higher levels of education and increased household wealth  associated with a decrease in IPV, and women’s employment, especially if only the woman worked, and women earning more than her partner associated with an increase in IPV. Most patterns did not differ across urban and rural settings and age groups, but notable differences emerged regarding household wealth, women’s and men’s employment in the last 12 months and relative employment and education. Conclusions Factors relating to women’s economic empowerment are  vital in understanding and addressing IPV. Our analysis indicate however that future interventions need to consider the differing needs of urban and rural areas as well as be targeted to different age groups.

Background The reduction of maternal mortality has stagnated globally. Estimates project a rise to 140.9 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030, which is double the Sustainable Development Goal target. Male involvement in pregnancy care has been proposed as an intervention to improve maternal and child health outcomes. However, there is limited understanding of how communities view the role of men beyond the instrumentalist approach that only targets men as accompanying partners without altering the underlying gender and socio-cultural determinants that shape their involvement in pregnancy care. This study broadens existing research by exploring and and contextualising the role of male partners during pregnancy in Bamenda, Cameroon. Methods This study employed a qualitative design underpinned by symbolic interactionism. We conducted 68 semi-structured interviews (SSIs) and three focus group discussions (FGDs) with purposively selected pregnant women (n = 38 SSIs; n = 2, FGD) and male partners (n = 30 SSIs; n = 1, FGD) in an urban hospital in the North West Regional capital—Bamenda. Nvivo was used for data management and subsequently, we performed thematic analysis using a critical discourse lens to generate manifest and latent interpretations of study findings. Results The role of male partners reflected hegemonic masculinity and was broadly conceptualised in three categories: breadwinner, protector/comforter, and ‘sender’ for antenatal care. Perceptions of men’s role differed between male and female participants. While women sought male involvement for pragmatic reasons like joint attendance of antenatal care, psychosocial support (affirmation) and assistance with domestic chores, men limited their involvement to roles that matched gendered preconceptions of masculinity like financial support for antenatal fees, maternal nutrition and birth supplies. Nonetheless, the perceived benefits for antenatal attendance was expressed by some men in terms of the direct access it gives them to pregnancy-related education from experts, paternal bonding and the appeal of fast-track services for couples. Conclusion Male involvement in maternal and child health in Bamenda Health District is an extension and reflection of how patriarchal norms on masculinity are constructed and adapted in this setting. To address gaps in male involvement, intervention designers and implementers will need to take into account prevailing culture-specific norms while deconstructing and leveraging masculine ideals to situate male involvement in the prenatal context.

Abstract We aimed to describe the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy across 19 countries, and examine trends across age groups and UN regions. We conducted a secondary analysis of data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (20 surveys from 15 countries) and the International Violence Against Women Surveys (4 surveys from 4 countries) carried out between 1998 and 2007. Our data suggest that intimate partner violence during a pregnancy is a common experience. The prevalence of IPV during pregnancy ranged from approximately 2.0% in Australia, Cambodia, Denmark and the Philippines to 13.5% in Uganda among ever-pregnant, ever-partnered women; half of the surveys estimated prevalence to be between 3.9 and 8.7%. Prevalence appeared to be higher in African and Latin American countries relative to the European and Asian countries surveyed. In most settings, prevalence was relatively constant in the younger age groups (age 15–35), and then appeared to decline very slightly after age 35. Intimate partner violence during pregnancy is more common than some maternal health conditions routinely screened for in antenatal care. Global initiatives to reduce maternal mortality and improve maternal health must devote increased attention to violence against women, particularly violence during pregnancy.

Background The World Health Organisation estimates that worldwide six percent of women aged 15–49 have experienced non-partner sexual violence (NPSV) in their lifetimes. A similar prevalence is found in sub-Saharan Africa. This form of violence is comparatively under-researched, leading to a dearth of knowledge around potential risk factors for male perpetration of NPSV. Methods We sought to explore key risk factors for perpetration of non-partner rape, verbal and physical sexual harassment in young Tanzanian men by conducting a cross-sectional survey of 1002 young men aged 18 to 24 living in Mwanza, Tanzania between June 2021 and March 2022. We conducted unadjusted logistic regression for bivariate associations between all three forms of NPSV and risk factors at the sociodemographic, behavioural, and mental health and substance misuse level. The risk factors independently associated with the outcomes were included in three separate multivariable logistic regression models. We then used dominance analysis to determine which factors had the strongest association with all three forms of NPSV perpetration. Results Among the young men in our sample, 9% reported having perpetrated non-partner rape ( n  = 86), 19% having physically harassed a woman ( n  = 188) and 33% having verbally harassed a woman ( n  = 330). After adjustment for the other risk factors in the model, pornography consumption, having multiple sexual partners, gambling, and depressive symptoms remained significantly associated with more than one form of NPSV. Conclusions The widespread nature of sexual harassment and rape perpetration among young men in our study and the associated risk factors, which are all tied to notions of masculinity encouraging domination, promiscuity, and risky health behaviours, call for harmful gender norms to be addressed to reduce the incidence of NPSV.

Introduction Male engagement in HIV testing during pregnancy significantly contributes towards the prevention of maternal seroconversion and paediatric HIV acquisition. Despite this, men especially the male partners of pregnant women have been consistently missing in the HIV prevention cascade. The factors accounting for sub-optimal levels in male engagement intersect but reasons for this are poorly understood. Using the combined perspectives of pregnant women and their partners, this study aims to expand the evidence on the forces that influence prenatal HIV testing behaviours among couples in Bamenda, Cameroon. Methods This qualitative study purposively selected pregnant women receiving prenatal care for semi-structured interviews ( n  = 38); focus group discussion ( n  = 6) and their male partners ( n  = 30 for semi-structured interviews and n  = 6 for focus group discussion) in Nkwen Baptist Hospital—an urban hospital in Bamenda, Cameroon. Nvivo was used for data management and subsequently we performed a grounded theory analysis through memoing and constant comparisons. Results Maternal HIV risk perception was the prominent theme intersecting with couple communication, perceptions on HIV testing outcome, and engagement of male partners by facility staff to influence couple prenatal HIV testing behaviours. Although participants recognised the need for couple HIV testing, individual, interspousal, structural and socio-cultural factors determined uptake of male partner testing. Perceptions on HIV risk were largely inaccurate and strongly gendered. For example, normative expectations on female fidelity were perceived as a buffer against HIV acquisition but this was not the norm regarding male partner behaviour. Also, couple communication was rare or subtle—mostly initiated by women who suspected spousal infidelity. For some men, HIV testing was a conscious decision to confirm fidelity, for others this was challenged by the fear of sero-discordant results and assumptions that maternal test results were a representation of their sero-status. Conclusion Male partner involvement in prenatal HIV testing is largely influenced by gendered perceptions on HIV risk and couple testing outcomes. Given that these perceptions are moderated by spousal communication and the engagement of male partners by health facility staff, we call for gender-transformative interventions and policies that offer education on prenatal HIV risk, support couple communication and spousal disclosure.

The metabolic syndrome is a major public health challenge and identifies persons at risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to examine the association between age at menarche and the metabolic syndrome (IDF and NCEP ATP III classification) and its components. 1536 women aged 32 to 81 years of the German population based KORA F4 study were investigated. Data was collected by standardized interviews, physical examinations, and whole blood and serum measurements. Young age at menarche was significantly associated with elevated body mass index (BMI), greater waist circumference, higher fasting glucose levels, and 2 hour glucose (oral glucose tolerance test), even after adjusting for the difference between current BMI and BMI at age 25. The significant effect on elevated triglycerides and systolic blood pressure was attenuated after adjustment for the BMI change. Age at menarche was inversely associated with the metabolic syndrome adjusting for age (p-values: <0.001 IDF, 0.003 NCEP classification) and additional potential confounders including lifestyle and reproductive history factors (p-values: 0.001, 0.005). Associations remain significant when additionally controlling for recollected BMI at age 25 (p-values: 0.008, 0.033) or the BMI change since age 25 (p-values: 0.005, 0.022). Young age at menarche might play a role in the development of the metabolic syndrome. This association is only partially mediated by weight gain and increased BMI. A history of early menarche may help to identify women at risk for the metabolic syndrome.

Intimate partner violence against women is a global public health problem with many short-term and long-term effects on the physical and mental health of women and their children. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for its elimination in target 5.2. To monitor governments' progress towards SDG target 5.2, this study aimed to provide global, regional, and country baseline estimates of physical or sexual, or both, violence against women by male intimate partners. This study developed global, regional, and country estimates, based on data from the WHO Global Database on Prevalence of Violence Against Women. These data were identified through a systematic literature review searching MEDLINE, Global Health, Embase, Social Policy, and Web of Science, and comprehensive searches of national statistics and other websites. A country consultation process identified additional studies. Included studies were conducted between 2000 and 2018, representative at the national or sub-national level, included women aged 15 years or older, and used act-based measures of physical or sexual, or both, intimate partner violence. Non-population-based data, including administrative data, studies not generalisable to the whole population, studies with outcomes that only provided the combined prevalence of physical or sexual, or both, intimate partner violence with other forms of violence, and studies with insufficient data to allow extrapolation or imputation were excluded. We developed a Bayesian multilevel model to jointly estimate lifetime and past year intimate partner violence by age, year, and country. This framework adjusted for heterogeneous age groups and differences in outcome definition, and weighted surveys depending on whether they were nationally or sub-nationally representative. This study is registered with PROSPERO (number CRD42017054100). The database comprises 366 eligible studies, capturing the responses of 2 million women. Data were obtained from 161 countries and areas, covering 90% of the global population of women and girls (15 years or older). Globally, 27% (uncertainty interval [UI] 23–31%) of ever-partnered women aged 15–49 years are estimated to have experienced physical or sexual, or both, intimate partner violence in their lifetime, with 13% (10–16%) experiencing it in the past year before they were surveyed. This violence starts early, affecting adolescent girls and young women, with 24% (UI 21–28%) of women aged 15–19 years and 26% (23–30%) of women aged 19–24 years having already experienced this violence at least once since the age of 15 years. Regional variations exist, with low-income countries reporting higher lifetime and, even more pronouncedly, higher past year prevalence compared with high-income countries. These findings show that intimate partner violence against women was already highly prevalent across the globe before the COVID-19 pandemic. Governments are not on track to meet the SDG targets on the elimination of violence against women and girls, despite robust evidence that intimate partner violence can be prevented. There is an urgent need to invest in effective multisectoral interventions, strengthen the public health response to intimate partner violence, and ensure it is addressed in post-COVID-19 reconstruction efforts. UK Department for International Development through the UN Women–WHO Joint Programme on Strengthening Violence against Women Data, and UNDP-UN Population Fund-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development, and Research Training in Human Reproduction, a cosponsored programme executed by WHO.