A married Muslim woman in her late 20s ran away from her husband’s house, covered in bruises and blood. Salemon Niser was physically abused in various ways, tied up, beaten with wires and strangled. She couldn’t seek medical attention or connect with her family because she was locked up in her house, even without a mobile device. Later, she finally escaped and managed to connect with her family. The parents were devastated, but since her family didn’t have enough resources to take legal actions, she decided to stand up for herself. She came forward and shared her tragic experience online to bring justice and to get back with her 10 months old daughter who was taken away by her mother-in-law.

This case took place in Myanmar in October 2024, and the whole nation is hoping for mercy and justice for Salemon. The case is solely based on her social media posts and the information is limited. But it is understood that Salemon is pursuing a legal action to win her daughter back. Another global case that shocked the world is Giselle, a French woman who was drugged and mass-raped. She is still fighting for justice as we speak.

According to the reports from UN WOMEN 2024, 1 out of 3 women and girls at the age of 15 and older, have faced physical and/or sexual violence from their partner or non-partner or both at least once in their lifetime. Hence, intimate partner violence (IPV) remains a silent killer for women and girls, hence the society needs to take immediate actions on prevention.

What is intimate partner violence?

IPV is abusive behaviors and actions by an intimate partner which eventually harm the person physically, psychologically, or sexually. IPV can take place in any romantic or marital relationship, including partners that have separated. Although IPV can happen to anyone, most cases involve women. Types of IPV, the prevalence and impact of IPV can be observed in the graphics below.

Prevention responses to IPV

Although IPV is prevalent, it is preventable. Many local and global initiatives have been implemented to raise awareness and take actions against IPV. One notable example is the online movement of UN women: 16 days of activism against Gender-Based Violence.

Latin America, despite having some of the highest rates of femicides together with Myanmar and South Africa, has taken proactive steps through grassroots activisms and international advocacy. In 2016, Mexico initiated Vivas Nos Queremos (“We want to Stay Alive”) to expose failures in the legal system and law enforcement. Communities can also educate men to become allies in preventing IPV. Campaigns like South Africa’s Brother for Life and the USA’s Safe Dates Program promote healthy relationship and the importance of avoiding violence.

Moreover, the Government must strengthen legal systems to support change. Currently, only 14 out of 190 countries provide robust legal protection for women. Laws such as Canada’s Ontario’s Domestic Violence Protection Act, and Spain’s the Organic Act on Integrated Protection Measures Against Gender Violence enforce accountability for offenders. Technology can be used to support victims. In Argentina, 144 hotline, provides guidance and assistance and Bright Sky in the UK provides survivors with accessible help seeking tools.

IPV has a significant economic cost, with an estimated USD 4.4 trillion annually in expenditures on service provision, healthcare, decreased productivity, and legal expenses. IPV prevention strategies that are supported by multinational approaches can be effective to thwart domestic violence cases and support survivors more effectively. Less than 40 percent of victims seek help and only 10 percent of those seeking help appeal to the police. Hence, if you sense signs of abuse in your relationship or even as a bystander, do not hesitate to report and seek help.

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About the authors: Daniel Lindgren is the founder of Rapid Asia Co., Ltd., a management consultancy firm based in Bangkok that specializes in evaluations for programs, projects, social marketing campaigns, and other social development initiatives. Thet Khine Maw, a co-author, works at Rapid Asia as a project assistant intern.