Existing data, while they show the severity of violence against women, cannot provide an in-depth understanding of gender-based violence. Specifically, more information is needed on the various forms of gender violence, on the physical and mental consequences, and on the effectiveness of support services provided to victims of violence. The public health sector needs to review its health information database in order to incorporate the consequences of.19 gender-based violence for women’s health.

In developing countries in particular, large-scale data must be collected on the prevalence of sexual assault, child sexual abuse, and harmful traditional practices. Qualitative data on women’s experiences of violence, their definitions of "violence", and their coping strategies would provide useful insights for designing effective programme responses. The experiences of women’s NGOs and women’s networks working with abused women can provide important insights on how best to manage the information-gathering process.

To build a knowledge base, one must establish a research agenda to decide the most critical areas for research and, ultimately, policy action. Researchers and those providing support services to victims of abuse can work together to produce relevant, policy-oriented information.