Population Size:
2019: 96,462,106 [1]
Number of People Experiencing Domestic Abuse Each Year:
Research carried out by the United Nations in Vietnam shows that over the 10 years from 2009 to 2019, 33% of married women have been the victims of domestic violence. [2]
Two major nationwide surveys on violence against women and girls were conducted by the General Statistics Office (GSO) of Vietnam and the World Health Organisation in 2010 and again in 2019 [3]. The surveys revealed that:
In 2019, 63% of women experienced experienced at least one or more types of domestic violence in their lifetimes by a husband, 31.6% in the last 12 months. This includes physical, sexual, psychological (emotional abuse and controlling behaviour) and economic violence.
In 2010, 34% reported experiencing physical and/or sexual violence by a partner. In 2019, this number remained relatively unchanged at 32%.
In 2010, 9.9% of women experienced sexual violence by a partner in their lifetimes. This number rose to 13.3% in 2019. However, this rise could be attributed to changing social attitudes that mean women, particularly young women, are better equipped and more open to talking about sex and sexual violence.
In 2019, one in five women had experienced economic violence.
In 2019, 90.4% of women who experienced physical and/or sexual abuse had not sought any form of help - just 4.8% went to the police. One in two women who experienced violence from husbands had never told anyone before the survey.
No research on male victims or other gender identities.
Cost of Domestic Abuse to the Economy Each Year:
Domestic violence survivors earn roughly 35% less than women who have not abused.
The total direct/ indirect costs of domestic violence on a woman’s monthly income amounts to close to 21% of their income.
2019: The direct cost of domestic violence in Vietnam amounted to around 1.8% of GDP [4], while total productivity losses and potential opportunity costs caused by domestic violence in 2010 amounted to around 3% of GDP.[5] The total loss in earnings due to violence against women amounted to roughly 1.41% of GDP. [6]
Estimated % Change due to COVID-19:
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, the difficulties faced by domestic abuse survivors has been exposed. The United Nations Population Fund found that there would be an additional 15 million domestic abuse cases for every twelve weeks of lockdown.
The Peace House Hotline (shelter run by Vietnam Women's Union) and the "Anh Duong" (Sunshine) Hotline both reported receiving twice as many calls for help in months following lockdown.
In response, the governments of Vietnam and Australia, the UNFPA, UNICEF and UN Women joined together in a project to address violence against women and children in Vietnam in 2020 as a priority response to Covid-19.
Current law and policy:<