WHO Multi-country
Study on Women’s Health
and Domestic Violence
against Women

How was physical and sexual
violence measured?
Prevalence estimates of physical and sexual
violence were obtained by asking direct,
clearly worded questions about the
respondent’s experience of specific acts.
For physical violence, women were asked
whether a current or former partner
had ever:
• slapped her, or thrown something at her that
could hurt her;
• pushed or shoved her;
• hit her with a fist or something else that
could hurt;
• kicked, dragged or beaten her up;
• choked or burnt her on purpose;
• threatened her with, or actually used a gun,
knife or other weapon against her.
Sexual violence was defined by the following
three behaviours:
• being physically forced to have sexual
intercourse against her will;
• having sexual intercourse because she was
afraid of what her partner might do;
• being forced to do something sexual she
found degrading or humiliating.
Information was also collected about the
frequency and the timing of the violence,
allowing analysis of the extent to which
different forms of violence occurred in
the 12 months prior to the interview
versus in the woman’s lifetime. In combination
with information on the timing of the
relationship, it is possible to assess the extent
to which different forms of violence occurred
prior to marriage or cohabitation, during
marriage or cohabitation, or after separation.
It can also shed light on how women’s risk
of violence changed over the duration of
their relationship.