Study: Quantitative Assessment of Intimate Partner Violence and its Associated Economic Costs in Mauritius

Brief Description

In 2016, the Government of Mauritius with support from UNFPA, conducted a study entitled “Quantitative Assessment of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and its Associated Economic Costs in Mauritius” so as to better understand the magnitude of the problem, its dynamics, prevalence, causes, consequences and cost. The objective was to gather additional information and data for the development of appropriate intervention strategies. The findings were released in 2017. The study revealed that prevalence rates for physical violence, sexual violence and emotional violence stand at 18.4% (53000) for women and 7.5% (22000) for men. The incidence for women who experience IPV in the extreme case is 43 times on average, approximating one episode every 7 to 8 days for the year. For the occasional group, the incidence for women stands at 13 times, that is, averaging one episode every month. The incidence for men stands at one episode every three months. The study also revealed that the expenses which are incurred by victims of IPV for seeking support from parents stands at Rs20.3M. The economic costs to victims due to help seeking strategies such as friends, colleagues, police, SOS Femmes and the Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare stand at Rs. 38 M. The cost of IPV on household is estimated at Rs. 642 M. The loss productivity at work because of IPV is estimated at Rs. 546 M for the year.