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Adolescent girls face alarming rates of intimate partner violence. Among adolescent girls who have been in a relationship, nearly a quarter (24%) – close to 19 million – will have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence by the time they turn 20 years old, as highlighted by a new analysis from the World Health Organization (WHO) published today in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. Almost 1 in 6 (16%) experienced such violence in the past year.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) launched this toolkit, developed in collaboration with multiple countries, experts and the support of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation. The kit, available in English and Spanish, includes key messages for health policymakers and managers interested in strengthening health administrative data on violence. Countries will be able to draw on a regional template for capturing data on intimate partner violence/sexual violence and care given to survivors, equipping health workers with practical tools to enhance the quality and consistency of the health system response.

Women and girls, who are often themselves victims of human trafficking and are sexually exploited by criminal gangs, are being prosecuted and convicted for human trafficking-related crimes, according to a new UNODC publication., Female victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation as defendants: A case law analysis

These victims often have no alternative but to obey an order. Some hope to limit their own exploitation or escape poverty by playing a role in the criminal process.

Yet at the same time, the traffickers use the women and girls as a shield to protect themselves from being punished for their crimes.

These are the findings of a new UNODC study which aims to shed light on this alarming trend. The publication highlights the complexities faced by victims of human trafficking, with a view to assist the authorities and victim support services that handle such cases.

Source: Textt by UNODC, 2020

América Latina y el Caribe enfrenta altos niveles de violencia contra niños, niñas y adolescentes. En los últimos años, ha habido un pico de violencia que afecta a los niños y niñas de manera diferenciada según su género. Muchos adolescentes son víctimas de homicidio, a menudo relacionado con actividades de pandillas y migración forzada no acompañada. Las niñas pueden ser víctimas de violencia y explotación sexual, usualmente en un contexto de trata de personas.

Las consecuencias físicas y psicológicas de dicha violencia son serias: afecta el bienestar de los niños, niñas y adolescentes, impide el cumplimiento de sus derechos y obstaculiza el desarrollo económico. Save the Children en América Latina y El Caribe trabaja para asegurar que todos los niños, niñas y adolescentes estén protegidos de todas las formas de violencia a través de la promoción y adopción de técnicas de disciplina positiva, prevención de la violencia sexual, el empoderamiento de niños y niñas para que sus voces sean escuchadas, y el fortalecimiento de los sistemas de protección.

One in three women worldwide experience physical or sexual violence mostly by an intimate partner. Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, emerging data and reports from those on the front lines, have shown that all types of violence against women and girls, particularly domestic violence, has intensified. This is the Shadow Pandemic growing amidst the COVID-19 crisis and we need a global collective effort to stop it. As COVID-19 cases continue to strain health services, essential services, such as domestic violence shelters and helplines, have reached capacity. More needs to be done to prioritize addressing violence against women in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. Everyone has a role to play.

**UN Women is providing up-to-date information and supporting vital programmes to fight the Shadow Pandemic of violence against women during COVID-19.