Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #111616

Larry Cohen, MSW, Prevention Institute, 265 29th Street, Oakland, CA 94611, 510-444-7738, larry@preventioninstitute.org

Violence against women (VAW) results in physical and emotional harm and is a threat to maternal and child health. Pregnancy itself is a risk factor for battering and witnessing violence in the home has long-term detrimental effects on children. People who have been victimized need appropriate services and responses. Equally important is ensuring that everything possible is done to prevent VAW from ever happening. To the extent that efforts can reduce the incidence of VAW, these must be promoted and expanded. This presentation will focus on primary prevention and its application to VAW.

It is critical for MCH practitioners to understand the overall environment and the impact that it may have on behavior in order to promote relevant strategies. While individual choice and elements such as family and constitutional factors play a role in behavior, changing behavior requires understanding what influences behavior in the first place, and here the environment plays a significant role. Environment is defined broadly and includes promotion and availability of alcohol, social/behavioral/gender norms, the portrayal of women in the media, and proliferation of violence in a community.

Primary prevention requires taking action before the onset of symptoms. Since VAW is complex, a multifaceted framework will be presented to address it. The three keys to violence prevention has been used in numerous violence prevention areas. The three keys are: 1) that violence is complex and requires a comprehensive approach. 2) risk and resiliency factors must be addressed, and 3) violence prevention requires an integrated strategy for action.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

(
• Understand the value of applying primary prevention strategies to reduce violence against women in order to improve maternal and child outcomes. (
• Understand the underlying risk and resiliency factors that can be addressed to reduce violence against women. (
• Describe a systematic framework and develop comprehensive strategies for action.

Keywords: Violence Prevention, Gender

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.