Sexual Violence and Women's Health in Nepal

• Sexual violence within or outside marriage has been increasingly recognized as a major public health problem.
• Coerced sex is associated with a range of gynecological and reproductive health problems, including transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unwanted pregnancy, vaginal bleeding or infection, fibroids, decreased sexual desire, genital irritation, pain during intercourse, chronic pelvic pain, and urinary tract infections.
• Sexual violence can also lead indirectly to a variety of health problems, such as stress-induced psychological changes, substance abuse, and lack of fertility control and personal autonomy.
• Despite this myriad of adverse outcomes, few studies on intimate partner violence and its consequences have been conducted in developing countries, particularly in South Asia.
• The experiences of young married women in particular remain largely unexplored.

The key findings from this study are that sexual violence is common within marriages in Nepal, and that it has a range of negative consequences for women's health. Women often find themselves unable to cope with the abuse, and often suffer in silence. Institutional support is necessary to help these women recover from their experiences.

This quiz focuses on the prevalence of sexual violence within marriages in Nepal and its negative impact on women's health. It explores the association between coerced sex and gynecological, reproductive, and mental health problems, highlighting the need for institutional support for affected women.