Survey data show a global decline in intimate partner violence against women associated with rising living standards

Abstract

Abstract Background: Intimate partner violence against women is a global public health problem. The objective of this study is to examine whether this problem is declining and whether the decline is associated with improving living standards. Methods: Data from the Demographic and Health Surveys in low- and middle-income countries serve as the basis for this analysis. We use all available data on intimate partner violence between the years 1999 and 2022, comprising responses from a total of 1,809,436 women in 69 countries and 509,494 men in 60 countries. We use linear regression on the year variable to estimate temporal trends in the prevalence and acceptance of intimate partner violence in each country. We similarly calculate temporal trends in living standards using the Human Development Index and examine whether they predict violence trends across countries. Results: Both the prevalence and acceptance of intimate partner violence show decreasing trends in about 90 % of countries. This trend is consistent throughout the data and is not confined to a specific time period. Furthermore, countries with higher Human Development Index (HDI) values exhibit lower acceptance levels, and an increase in HDI values over time is associated with a decrease in acceptance. Conclusion: The findings support the hypothesis that domestic environments worldwide are becoming progressively less violent and that rising living standards may be part of the explanation.