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Colombia

Population Size:

50,339,443.[1]

Number of People Experiencing Domestic Abuse Each Year:

The number of cases of interpersonal violence in Colombia has oscillated over time.

2018: Approximately 116,120 incidents of interpersonal violence were registered.[2]

2017: 115,550 cases of interpersonal violence were recorded.[3]

2013: 158,800 cases observed in 2013.[4]

No research on male victims or other gender identities.

Cost of Domestic Abuse to the Economy Each Year:

Although from 2003-2004, and, therefore, likely to somewhat out of date, the only research available estimates that domestic abuse costs the Colombian economy roughly COL $8.8 trillion, which amounts to 3.93% of Colombia’s GDP, the health costs amount to 0.062% of GDP and the lost earnings and unemployment amount to 2.431% of GDP.[5]

Estimated % Change due to COVID-19:

130% increase to the number of calls made to women's hotlines in the first 18 days of national lockdown, [6] with 19 women being murdered in the first 21 days. Between 25th March 2020 and 23rd April 2020, the 155 national women’s domestic violence hotline received an average of 132 calls per day.[7]

Reports of domestic violence during lockdown have increased by 175% compared to the same period last year.[8]


Current Law and Policy:

The Government of the Republic of Colombia has committed to implementing its own comprehensive national plan in order to end violence against women and girls in Colombia.

Public spending - Costs of service provision through accounting method: Medical costs, policing, legal costs, social services Employment and earnings through PSM: lost time, lost earnings.[9] It is estimated that, in 2003, the Colombian government spent approximately 0.6%of the total national budget on preventing and detecting incidences of intimate partner violence and offering services to survivors.[10]

 

Sources


[1] The World Bank, (1).

[2] Statista, “Number of Cases of Interpersonal Violence in Colombia from 2008-2019”, (statista.com).

[3] ibid.

[4] ibid.

[5] The World Bank, “The Costs of Violence”, (2009), Report of the Social Development Department.

[6] T. Sandoval, “Domestic Violence: The ‘Shadow Pandemic’”, (thebogotapost.com, 10 May 2020).

[7] Plan International, “Surge in Violence Against Girls and Women in Latin America and Caribbean”, (plan-international.org, 19 May 2020).

[8] ibid.

[9] The World Bank, (194).

[10] Sigal, Miranda, Martinez and Machicao, (71).


Further Reading


[1] UN Women, (10).

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