Domestic violence: World Bank report puts forth shocking revelations 

The first law on domestic violence was passed just 40 years back. Domestic violence is something that can also impact a country's economy.

A new World Bank report on domestic violence throws light on some startling facts.

The World Bank's group project 'Women, Business and the Law' has analysed five decades of data to track the global progress in the enactment of domestic violence legislation.

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What began with Ireland in 1981, 155 countries have now introduced domestic violence legislation.

Over the past two years, eight countries including the UAE, Armenia, Burkina Faso and Morocco have adopted laws on domestic violence for the first time.

While 80 per cent of countries provide legal protection to women, 35 per cent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime by an intimate partner.

137 women across the world are murdered by a member of their family every day.

According to the report titled 'Pointing the finger at domestic violence', women suffering domestic violence are at higher risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases.

Their daughters are more likely to be abused by their partners and their sons more likely to become abusers themselves.

Interestingly, women's safety is as crucial to the economy as it is to women themselves.

Taking into account costs borne by women and their countries due to expenditure on health care, legal, housing, and social services.

The economic cost of domestic violence has been estimated to correspond to about 4.4 trillion dollars or 5.2 per cent of global GDP.

Today, 35 countries in every region of the world still lack legislation aimed at protecting women from violence.