Six Issues that Impact Women Globally - ABUSE

Health Consequences of Violence against Women and Girls

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), violence against women (VAW) worldwide has serious public health implications. Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is the most common form of violence against women, and sexual vio­lence, whether by partners, acquaintances or strangers, affects primarily women and girls. Other forms of violence against women include sexual harassment and abuse by authority figures, trafficking for forced labor or sex, and traditional practices such as forced or child marriages and dowry-related violence.

Violence Against Women remains a hidden problem, with great human and health-care costs due to underreporting. For each victim, Violence Against Women leads not only to bodily injury but also can lead to life-long disability or even death.

¹ World Health Organization (2009). Women and Health Report. Geneva, Switzerland. http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2009/9789241563857_eng.pdf.

 
Vulnerability to disease

Compared with non-abused women, women who have suffered any kind of violence are more likely to experience serious health problems.

•  Research in Norway revealed that chronic pelvic pain is significantly associated with a history of domestic violence.
• A major study in the United States found that having been the victim of childhood abuse or violent crime doubled a woman’s likelihood of suffering from severe menstrual problems, a sexually transmitted disease, or a urinary tract infection; domestic violence tripled her likelihood.
• Other research from the United States has shown that patients with irritable bowel syndrome, compared with those with the less serious inflammatory bowel disease, were more likely to have suffered severe sexual trauma, severe childhood sexual abuse or some form of sexual victimization.

Source: http://who.int/gender/violence/v8.pdf

2012 Abuse Prevention Day Packet at women.adventist.org

CALENDAR

• August 9  International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
• August 25  Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day. To download a free packet, visit adventistwomensministries.org   [this info is given twice. See above Calendar. Do you want it in twice?]

PRAYER CORNER

• Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day
• Oppressed women and children
• Refugee women
• “Revived by the Word” globally
• Revival and Reformation
• “Great Controversy Project”
• Heather-Dawn Small Travel to IAD, SPD and ESD
• Raquel Arrais Travel to WAD, SPD and ECD