the united nations defines violence against women as any act of genderbased violence that results in or is likely to result in physical sexual or mental harm or suffering to women including threats of such acts coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty whether occurring in public or in private life united nations general assembly women who are victims of violence are more likely to have poor mental and physical health including reproductive health than women who are not they are also more likely to have negative health behaviours including substance abuse such as alcohol and drug abuse health problems stemming from such abuse include chronic pain headaches back pain fibromyalgia neurological problems and symptoms including fainting and seizures gastrointestinal disorders and cardiac problems