Based on the preliminary findings of the 2017 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), one in four (26%) ever-married women aged 15-49 has ever experienced physical, sexual or emotional violence by their husband or partner. One in five (20%) women has ever experienced emotional violence, 14 percent has ever experienced physical violence, and 5 percent has ever experienced sexual violence by their current or most recent husband or partner.

 

Table 1 shows the prevalence of different forms of violence experienced by ever-married women 15-49 of age according to background characteristics of women. As observed, the percentage of women who have experienced violence in physical, sexual, and/or emotional form, from their husband declines slightly with women’s age. Women who are divorced, separated, or widowed are more likely to have experienced all forms of violence by their most recent partner compared with women who are married or living together: 53 percent of divorced, separated, or widowed women have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional violence compared with 24 percent of women who are married or living together.

 

Women’s experience with violence by a partner varies widely by region: only 7 percent of ever-married women in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao report experiencing physical, sexual, or emotional violence by their last partner compared with 52 percent of ever-married women in Caraga. All forms of violence generally decline with increasing household wealth.

 

Spousal violence refers to violence perpetrated by partners in a marital union. Since spousal or intimate partner violence is the most common form of violence for women aged 15-49, the 2017 National Demographic and Health Survey collected detailed information on the different types of violence experienced. Currently married women were asked about violence perpetrated by their current husband or partner, and formerly married women were asked about violence perpetrated by their most recent husband or partner.

 

The Republic Act No. 9262 or the “Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004” is one of the Philippine government’s initiative in addressing the issue on violence against women.Under this Act, violence against women is classified as a public crime and penalizes all forms of abuse and violence within the family and intimate relationships.

 

The NDHS 2017 is a nationally representative survey of almost 31,000 households and 25,000 women aged 15-49. The survey was conducted from 14 August to 27 October 2017. The NDHS 2017 is the eleventh in a series of demographic surveys undertaken in the Philippine since 1968. Funding for the NDHS 2017 was provided by the Government of the Philippines.  The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided technical assistance and equipment through ICF under the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) program. A comprehensive final report will be disseminated by third quarter of this year.

 

 

 

 

 

Undersecretary 

National Statistician and Civil Registrar General