Eva Michálková

4/24/2024

New publication: Sexualized violence: prevalence, impact and health care costs

We have published a new book presenting outputs from our recent representative research mapping the prevalence of sexualized violence on women (18-65 years old) in Czechia, as well as impacts of this violence and health-care costs.

Sexualized violence is a complete violation of the intimate boundaries, self-determination, and freedom of choice of the person against whom it is directed. It can and usually has long-lasting or even lifelong effects on the lives of victims and survivors. 

Our latest research proves so, despite the common perceptions, which are also often reflected in court decisions or expert witness reports (as our analysis of court decisions shows). 93 % victims and survivors of rape experienced before the age of 15 years, state that it had some negative impacts on their life. When it comes to rape experienced any time during the life, 76 % of victims and survivors state it had some negative impacts on their life (physical or mental health, social impacts, etc.).

In the research we also mapped the prevalence: 58% of women reported having experienced some form of sexualized violence throughout their lives. 20% of women reported having experienced rape. If we look on how many women in research stated that they have had experienced rape during the year prior to the research, and recalculate it on whole population, we get the number of 62,431 women having experienced rape during last year.

You can download the publication for free: Sexualized violence: prevalence, impact and health care costs. The summary of research and main findings are available in English (pg. 53 - pg. 62).

 

The research and publication are part of the project Development of a Platform for Assistance to Victims of Sexual Violence, supported by the Norway Grants 2014 - 2021.