News
Lankan females twice more likely to have experienced physical violence by partners than by non-partners
Findings from Sri Lanka’s first dedicated National Survey on Violence against Women and Girls reveal that women in Sri Lanka are more than twice more likely to have experienced physical violence by a partner than by a non-partner.
According to the Women’s Wellbeing Survey conducted by the Census and Statistics Department of Sri Lanka, 7.4% of all women, since age 15, experienced physical violence by a partner in their lifetime and 7.2% experienced by a non-partner.
Partner sexual violence is also more prevalent than non-partner sexual violence although the gap is not as large as for physical violence (6.2% compared to 4.1% in a lifetime).
The survey revealed that 24.9% of women have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence and 18.8% of women who have been in a relationship have experienced some form of physical and/or sexual violence by their intimate partner in their lifetime.
In 2019, the Department of Census and Statistics conducted the first dedicated national prevalence survey on violence against women and the first using the WHO methodology.
Known as the Women’s Wellbeing Survey (WWS) it covered all 25 districts in Sri Lanka and interviewed more than 2,200 women aged 15 and above. Fieldwork took place between March and September 2019, collecting data through computer assisted personal interviews.
According to the report, women’s wellbeing could be measured by many aspects such as the access to decent employment, economic security, equal access to resources, political participation, decision making, and health and personal safety.
Violence against Women is one of the most pervasive human rights violations that impacts the progression and wellbeing of women and girls. This report focused on that aspect.
The survey findings suggest that domestic violence against women has a considerable negative impact on children. Risk factor analysis found that if the woman or her partner lived in a violent household as a child, she had a significantly higher risk of partner violence. The strongest risk for violence was for women with partners that used alcohol, fought with other men, and had extramarital relationships.
The Sri Lankan government on a proposal by former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in 2018 decided to conduct a Women’s Wellbeing Survey as the need for official statistics has arisen in order to address the gender based violence and domestic violence against women.
The Women’s Wellbeing Survey report presents the main findings on violence by partners, violence by non-partners, and the risk factors and impacts that violence by partners has on women in Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lanka Navy rescued a fisherman from a local fishing trawler that encountered distress due to adverse weather conditions off the eastern coast of Sri Lanka.
The rescue operation took place on 17 July 2026, approximately 15 nautical miles off Pothuvil. The operation was launched following information received by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo.
In response, the Sri Lanka Navy deployed the Offshore Patrol Vessel SLNS Vijayabahu along with additional craft to conduct a search operation in the designated sea area, where they successfully located the distressed fisherman.
Following the rescue, the individual was brought aboard SLNS Vijayabahu, where naval personnel administered preliminary first aid. He was subsequently brought to the mainland and rushed for further medical attention.
Meanwhile, the Navy, along with the coordination of MRCC Colombo, remains constantly prepared to swiftly respond to the eventualities faced by maritime and fishing communities operating within the island’s Search and Rescue Region (SRR).
The countrywide dengue outbreak has intensified, with the death toll rising to 50, by July 16, as the number of reported infections surpassed 73,000, according to the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU).
The country has recorded 73,455 dengue cases so far this year, with the case fatality rate standing at 0.07 percent, highlighting the severity of the ongoing outbreak.
The Western Province continues to remain the worst affected region, accounting for more than half of the total cases, with 38,700 infections. The Gampaha District has recorded the highest number of cases in the province with 15,341, followed closely by Colombo with 14,625.
The Southern Province has reported 11,382 cases, while the Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces have each recorded more than 6,000 infections.
Dengue cases have shown a sharp increase in recent months, with June recording the highest monthly total of 21,538 cases, while July has already reported 18,076 infections. In comparison, 8,590 cases were reported in May, and 5,651 in April.
Health authorities have identified 175 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas as high-risk locations during the 27th epidemiological week. An average of 2,677 new dengue cases are being reported daily, prompting authorities to intensify prevention and mosquito control measures.
The Colombo High Court yesterday (17) resumed hearing the money laundering case filed against Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The proceedings were held before High Court Judge Udesh Ranatunga, where evidence was recorded from prosecution witnesses, under the direction of Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara.
President’s Counsel Sampath Mendis, appearing for Yoshitha Rajapaksa, cross-examined the witnesses during the hearing.
After recording evidence, the court ordered that further examination of evidence be postponed until July 24.
The Attorney General has filed indictments, alleging that Yoshitha Rajapaksa committed an offence, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, by purchasing five plots of land in Dehiwala and Ratmalana, valued at more than Rs. 73 million.
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