This year, we are placing a
spotlight on gender violence and public health with a series of programmes
and conversations that make the case for getting gender and sexual
violence onto the public health agenda as an urgent and legitimate
issue.
There is uniform consensus that
when a woman experiences violence of any kind, whether once or repeatedly,
it has a definitive impact on her physical and mental health. There
is considerable research that highlights the association between sexual
violence and a long list of health outcomes including HIV infection,
sexually transmitted infections (STIs), induced abortions, low birth
weight, alcohol use, depression and suicide and physical injuries.
Gender and sexual violence deny an individual the right to lead a
healthy life, free of injury, illness and disease. There is therefore
a real and urgent need to view violence against women as a public
health issue, and not merely a criminal or law and order problem.
Health care professionals have
a crucial role to play in recognising, recording and documenting instances
of gender violence. Nurses, for instance, are often the first point
of contact for someone who has experienced violence. Despite this,
gender violence is rarely recognised as a public health issue, and
there are few integrated, sustained responses or outreach programmes
for health care professionals. There is little or no mention of the
issue in medical curricula and training (for both doctors and nurses).
As a result, health care professionals often do not have the necessary
skills or the right attitudes in dealing with instances of gender
violence.
Programmes in this Spotlight
section of the 2014 Campaign will focus on the following key questions: