Violence against women (VAW) is a significant cause of physical and psychological harm or suffering among women, as well as a violation of their right to health. It takes various forms (physical, emotional, sexual, and financial) and the perpetrators range from strangers and state agencies to intimate partners and other members of the family. The National Family Health Survey – III, has found 33% women facing some form of physical violence, 10% reporting sexual violence and 16% reporting parental abuse. Research shows that several such survivors reach health facilities due to the health consequences of violence. They have the right to treatment, psychosocial support, compensation and long term rehabilitation.

Various Human Rights Conventions like the CEDAW and ICESCR that India has ratified, require the state to not just implement laws for the protection of survivors of violence but also provide for appropriate physical and mental health services. To realize this, health-care workers have to be trained to identify and manage the health consequences of violence against women. Health Systems have a crucial and well-established role in responding to all forms of violence against women. They have the responsibility to provide both medical and psychosocial care to survivors of violence. They also have the responsibility to document the consequences of violence, which may be useful for the survivor, should she pursue a legal course of action. As per the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, medical facilities have been recognized as key players in implementation of the Act. In cases of sexual assault too, the role of health professionals is described in section 164(A) CrPC. Yet, the issue of VAW remains unaddressed in health policy and programmes.

This seminar is aimed at presenting the role of health systems in responding to VAW specifically Domestic violence and Sexual Assault. In India, there have been efforts to address the issue of VAW through the health system. A policy brief will be released at the seminar that draws on the ‘Dilaasa’ model, of a hospital-based crisis counselling centre, and makes a case for initiating health-system based interventions to respond to domestic violence. The model was externally evaluated by two senior academic experts Dr. Sundari Ravindran and Dr. U. Vindhya.

Another issue that health facilities are often confronted with is responding to patients reporting sexual assault. Health professionals have a crucial role in both medico-legal evidence collection and treatment of survivors of sexual assault. However, a recent study conducted in a tertiary care hospital in India, found several gaps in both the legal as well as therapeutic roles of the health system, with grave implications for the health of the survivor. In this context, how can health systems be made accountable to the issue of VAW? How can we build evidence-based health sector models? What role can NGOs/CSOs play in setting up such models? What needs to be done to integrate these services within the NRHM and the NUHM? What kinds of health interventions have been effective in reducing trauma and preventing violence against women?

At this seminar, we aim to generate a discussion around some of these questions and the role of health systems in responding to VAW.

• Seminar highlights
• Press coverage
• Invite
• Poster

Photo Gallery

What Women Want : International Women’s Day celebrated in Public Hospitals in Mumbai, 2011

CEHAT (Centre for Enquiry into Health and Allied Themes), working with health care professionals in highlighting their role to respond effectively to violence against women celebrated International Women’s day across five public hospitals in Mumbai on 8th March 2011.

The core group in each of the five public hospitals, called the Training Cell, consists of health care professionals, engaging in creating awareness and responding to violence against women, organized the activities for women accessing public health systems. There are about 10-12 core group members in each of the five hospitals while Dilaasa, a joint collaboration between CEHAT and MCGM is an initiative of a one stop crisis counseling centre for women facing domestic violence in the department of two public hospitals. The activities for International Women’s Day ranged from film screening by ICRW called Bol, poster exhibition based on the work done in Dilaasa, slogan competition and a talk on child sexual abuse, highlighting aspects of awareness and prevention. Along with this, there was a short write up competition on ‘What women want’ which was judged and awarded by Dr. Shimpi, Medical Officer.

The events met with a huge audience of women as well as men. A special appearance by Ms. Vatsala Umap, wife of the legendary folk singer Vithal Umap in Rajawadi, graced the occasion with her presence in the celebration. The responses of the women and their written expressions, discussions and activities highlighted the manner, in which women have had to face the adverse consequences of patriarchy, for instance women and children face more sexual violence, are not given equal rights, not treated with respect or trust. Thus, the day was seen as a means of expressing women’s voices.