Living in an abusive relationship can have deep, lasting effects on a person's health. New data suggests that the physical and emotional toll of intimate partner violence (IPV) may be linked to a much higher risk of developing cervical cancer.
Researchers looked at existing data and found that women who experienced IPV had three times the odds of being diagnosed with cervical cancer compared to those who did not. Additionally, about 32% of women already diagnosed with cancer reported a history of intimate partner violence during their lives.
While these numbers show a strong connection, it is important to note that the evidence is still limited and varied. Because there are very few high-quality long-term studies available right now, we cannot say for certain that one causes the other. The findings highlight how critical it is to support survivors of violence with comprehensive care.
