One in five women in Sri Lanka experienced physical, sexual violence: survey

A survey has found that one in five (20.4%) women in Sri Lanka have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner, the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) Sri Lanka says.

The revelation was made in Sri Lanka’s first national survey on women and girls, the Women’s Wellbeing Survey (WWS).

However, close to half (49.3%) of the women who experienced sexual violence by a partner have not sought formal help anywhere, according to the said survey.

It also found that one-third (35.7%) of women who experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner had contemplated suicide; highlighting the serious repercussions violence has on the lives of women and girls.

Encouraging more victims to seek help and ensuring support systems are available and accessible is essential for the recovery and prevention of violence against women and girls in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, the Colombo Municipal Council building has been illuminated in orange with messaging on the national women’s helpline and ‘Mithuru Piyasa’ hotline to place a spotlight on intimate partner violence and encourage more women to seek help.

The illumination organised by UNFPA in collaboration with the Colombo Municipal Council and the High Commission of Canada, launched the 16 days of global activism against gender-based violence in Sri Lanka with a focus on intimate partner violence.

The intervention is the culmination of a trilingual national media campaign on intimate partner violence highlighting evidence from the Women’s Wellbeing Survey (WWS).

Emphasizing the importance of quality support services, the event also featured a special live performance of the ‘Nidahase’ song by Ashanthi de Alwis which was launched earlier this year to raise funds for women’s shelters while empowering more women to seek help.

Speaking on the importance of collective action to end intimate partner violence, Mayor of Colombo Rosy Senananyake stated: “Violence against women can happen to anyone, anywhere so it is vital that we talk about this issue widely. To both encourage more women to seek help and ensure women and girls are aware of the support services available to them within the Colombo Municipality and across Sri Lanka. I am pleased to be collaborating yet again with UNFPA to raise awareness on this very pertinent issue.”

Highlighting the importance of policies that take the evidence of the WWS into account Daniel Joly, Counsellor and Head of Development Cooperation, High Commission of Canada in Sri Lanka said: “The Government of Canada is committed to supporting Sri Lanka and several other countries to end all forms of violence. It has been a long journey but I am pleased to see the results of the WWS we supported come to light today in the form of crucial evidence. Surveys like this are an essential building block in working towards ending all forms of violence against women and girls.”

Sharika Cooray, Officer in Charge and National Programme and Policy Analyst for Women’s Rights & Gender, who addressed the event, commented: “Intimate partner violence doesn’t just affect women but also has an effect on children, families and communities at large. We all have a responsibility to end violence against women and challenge the norms that perpetuate gender-based violence. This is why 16 Days is important for UNFPA, not just to raise awareness but to collectively call to action for an end to all forms of violence against women and girls.” 

UNFPA says it will continue advocating with its partners beyond the 16 days to encourage collective action to take the message of 16 days of advocacy forward to different audiences in Sri Lanka for a world free of gender-based violence and harmful practices towards women and girls ahead of the 2030 Agenda.