Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is widespread in Bangladesh, with 70 percent of women experiencing some form of it—physical, sexual, emotional, or economic violence—at some point in their lives, according to 2024 Violence Against Women (VAW) Survey.

The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and UNFPA Bangladesh shared key findings of the 2024 Survey on February 27 at the BBS auditorium in the capital.

Sharmeen S. Murshid, adviser to the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, attended the event as the Chief Guest.

Addressing the function, Sharmeen S. Murshid hoped that this survey would help the government address violence against women and develop its plans, strategies, and priorities on the issue, the state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) reported.

According to a UNFPA press release, 41 percent of women experienced violence in the past 12 months.

These figures use UN standard measures, which are internationally recognized criteria for defining and measuring violence against women, commonly employed for global monitoring of Violence Against Women prevalence, UNFP added.

The press release stated that the figures for violence in Bangladesh are even higher when we include other related acts. The lifetime prevalence is 76%, and the prevalence in the last 12 months is 49%.

This national survey, the third since 2011 and 2015, offers valuable insights into the nature and impact of violence against women in Bangladesh, keeping stakeholders well informed.

The BSS report indicates a decline in sexual violence against women over the past decade, but around 30 percent of women still experience such violence in their lifetime.

Recent experiences of violence have decreased, but it is still an issue for many. About one in ten women face such violence, according to the state-run news agency.