Holly Johnson, PhD, Senior Research Associate Institute for the Prevention of Crime, University of Ottawa

The past 15 years has seen an expansion in the number of countries that have undertaken surveys to estimate the prevalence of various forms of violence against women. The results have contributed to public awareness of the magnitude and impacts of violence against women, and have been used to support policy formation and the development of services for women. More recently, it is recognized that internationally comparative data are needed for monitoring progress among countries, identifying common risk factors, and developing appropriate responses at the national and international levels. The International Violence Against Women Survey (IVAWS) provides a methodology for obtaining cross-national comparable data. The IVAWS has been conducted in eleven countries to date. This presentation will focus on the results of the IVAWS for nine of these countries including the prevalence of violence against women, correlates of violence, reporting to police and other services, and implications of the results for policy development.