EBSI doctoral graduate Heidi Stockl has a new review publish with the Lancet on the global prevalence of intimate partner violence. Her findings, gathered form 66 countries, suggest that 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). Put in context, this means that “at least one in seven homicides globally and more than a third of female homicides are perpetrated by an intimate partner.”
This review is a timely publication that coincides the World Health Organization’s report on intimate partner violence that has recently garnered much attention in the news. (Dr. Stockl and her co-authors also worked on that report). The WHO report gives further breadth and detail to the topic of intimate partner violence, while also providing a much needed document on the current best practices for responding to intimate partnern violence.