And the organization believes it has gotten worse during the pandemic because lockdowns intensified certain risk factors, such as financial stress in having to live in confined spaces.

Claudia Garcia Moreno is the author of W.

H O study, said to be the largest ever report on the subject.

It's about an estimated 736 and up to 852 million women that are affected.

Um, and most of this violence is perpetrated by current or former husbands or partners.

This partner violence starts early, so we see that one in four, um of the young adolescent girls age 15 to 1924% of these young girls who have been in a relationship have experienced or been subjected to either physical or sexual violence.

The study analyzed national data in surveys from 2000 to 2000 and 18.

True figures of criminal violence aimed at women are likely far higher due to under reporting.

The U.

N agency urged governments to prevent violence, improve services for victims and tackle economic inequalities that often leave women and girls trapped in abusive relationships.

W H O officials also said boys should be taught in school about the need for mutual respect in relationships and mutual consent in sex.