Global Status Report on Violence Prevention 2014

Abstract

Introduction: Interpersonal violence affects millions of people worldwide, often has lifelong consequences, and is gaining recognition as an important global public health problem. There has been no assessment of measures countries are taking to address it. This report aims to assess such measures and provide a baseline against which to track future progress.

Methods: In each country, with help from a government-appointed National Data Coordinator, representatives from six to ten sectors completed a questionnaire before convening in a consensus meeting to decide on final country data; 133 of 194 (69%) WHO Member States participated. The questionnaire covered data, plans, prevention measures, and victim services. Data were collected between November 2012 and June 2014, and analyzed between June and October 2014. Global and country-level homicides for 2000-2012 were also calculated for all 194 Members.

Results: Worldwide, 475,000 people were homicide victims in 2012 and homicide rates declined by 16% from 2000 to 2012. Data on fatal and, in particular, non-fatal forms of violence are lacking in many countries. Each of the 18 types of surveyed prevention programs was reported to be implemented in a third of the 133 participating countries; each law was reported to exist in 80% of countries, but fully enforced in just 57%; and each victim service was reported to be in place in just more than half of the countries.

Conclusions: Although many countries have begun to tackle violence, serious gaps remain, and public health researchers have a critical role to play in addressing them.

Figure 1

Trends in estimated rates of homicide by country income status,* 2000–2012, world. *Low–income: $1,025 or less; lower middle–income: $1,026 to $4,035; upper middle–income: $4,036 to $12,475; high–income: $12,476 or more (World Bank).

Figure 2

Proportion of countries with national survey data and national action plans, by type of violence (n=133 countries).

Figure 3

Proportion of countries implementing violence prevention programs on a large scale by type of program (n=133 countries). Note: Although each program is shown as relevant to a particular type of violence, some of the programs listed in the figure have shown preventive effects on several types of violence. CM, child maltreatment; EA, elder abuse; IPV, intimate partner violence; SV, sexual violence; YV, youth violence.

Figure 4

Proportion of countries with laws to prevent violence and extent of full enforcement (n=133 countries). FGM, female genital mutilation.