Breaking the Cycle: Why Ending Violence Against Women Must Start Now

Violence against women is as backward as it is self-destructive. On last week’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we pledged to consign it to the past, where it belongs.

Working for the UN, I’ve spoken with too many survivors to count: courageous women willing to share their harrowing stories of rape during wartime. Refugees who, on top of losing homes and loved ones, had suffered through one of history’s greatest silences.

Violence against women — the most pervasive breach of human rights worldwide — comes in many forms. Child marriage, female genital mutilation, and, at its most brutal, femicide.

Globally, the statistics are harrowing: In 2023, a woman was killed by an intimate partner or family member every 10 minutes.

It isn’t just physical violence. Women are also subjected to online misogynistic hate — particularly those in the public eye. Whenever women enter politics, journalism, or become active for a cause, they now have to brace for an avalanche of abuse.

I’ve met many survivors in my professional life. Female friends, colleagues and partners bombarded with rape and death threats intended to intimidate them and push them out of the public sphere.

Hateful, violent and intimidating messages come at these women from every direction. From anonymous trolls, but also from sources, public figures, and even colleagues. Spoof accounts posting faked images, video, or audio clips.

Malicious lies that seek to sully reputations and undermine credibility. Deep fakes, showing mocked up scenes of sexual violence. Hacking, doxxing, surveillance, and interception. The list goes on. Too often, this violence spills over into the real world.

Our toxic information ecosystems are partly to blame. Social media platforms run by AI powered algorithms designed to boost engagement tend to elevate polarizing and extreme content — including violent and misogynistic abuse.

Launched this summer, the UN Global Principles on Information Integrity aim to counter online abuse, make the digital space safer and more humane, and limit the impact of gendered disinformation.

The Principles present a vision of a healthier information landscape. One in which damaging content is no longer promoted, and disinformation — including gendered disinformation — is no longer monetized.

We’re also urging platforms to consistently apply resources for trust and safety around the world, and for governments to boost digital literacy and push for user empowerment.

We’ve a long way to go. In recent years we’ve seen an intense global backlash against gender equality and women’s rights, and the normalization of violence against women in all spaces.

The good news is that, however harrowing the statistics, violence against women is preventable — and we have more evidence than ever before about what works.

The UN wants change. We’re urging governments to do more to protect women from online and offline violence. And we’ve seen significant progress, with 104 countries having adopted comprehensive laws to address domestic violence.

There’s still a mountain to climb. We need justice and policing to serve women better — and for the international community to effectively punish widespread and systemic rape in conflict — a recognized war crime.

Attitudes must change, too, if we are to address the root causes of violence against women and girls. We all have a role to play here, in empowering women, and in involving men in speaking out against sexual violence.

There are practical steps you can take. If someone discloses to you that they are experiencing abuse, you can help by:

Listening without judgment.

Letting them know you believe them.

Asking what more you can do to help.

Supporting their decisions.

In your wider network, you can help by raising your voice. Take a stand, advocate for survivors, and educate others about the importance of ending violence against women and girls.

Together, we can come together to challenge harmful norms and support survivors. Together, we can end violence against women.

See UN Women’s Unite to End Violence Against Women campaign for resources on how to spot and how to help in cases of violence, such as relationship abuse. UN partners Lila.help and No More Global Directory also offer lists of domestic and sexual violence helplines and services from across the world.