Violence against women is currently one of the major problems in El Salvador. However, the country lacks existing data to address this issue. The recent coming into effect of the Ley Especial Integral para una Vida Libre de Violencia para las Mujeres (LEIV) [Comprehensive Law for a Life Free of Violence Against Women] urgently calls for the dimensions of the problem to be understood. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of physical, sexual, emotional, and controlling violence, which Salvadoran women aged 15 to 64 years suffer at the hands of their current partners or ex-partners, and the association of such violence with sociodemographic factors. The target population of the study is composed of Salvadoran women aged 15 to 64, from which a representative sample of 1,274 women was obtained. The results reveal that 54.4% of Salvadoran women reported having suffered some type of physical, sexual, or psychological violence during their lives. Psychological control (41.2%) was the most frequent form of violence, followed by emotional violence (39%), physical violence (22.5%), and sexual violence (13.3%). Women's number of children, marital status, and age were the main factors associated with violence. This study provides information needed to develop victim care measures and training programs for professionals. The study also provides evidence of the impact of public policies and prevention programs already in place.

Violence against women (VAW) is currently one of the main problems in El Salvador, which leads the ranking of femicides in the world. We conducted the first national survey on VAW in El Salvador following the World Health Organization (WHO) methodology, to determine the impact of violence on women’s mental health ( N = 1,274). Women who had experienced intimate partner violence showed significantly poorer mental health and more suicidal ideations. Common mental disorders were significantly associated with the experience of all forms of violence, after adjusting for sociodemographic variables and stressful life experiences. The results are discussed in connection with the primary care protocols and the design of public policies.