Best Practice Guidlines For Health Care Providers

Working With Women Who Have Been Abused

Executive Summary

"For every complex problem, there is an easy answer and it is wrong."

As each generation rapidly replaces the one before it, it is increasingly apparent that society's

most disturbing issues are not disappearing with time. One such issue is that of woman abuse.

The prevalence of woman abuse is rapidly expanding, and encompasses far more than the

physical abuse it has traditionally been associated with.

Woman abuse is a crime. As a society, we must not assume that every woman enjoys the luxury

of a life fiee of violence, despite every individual's right to such a life. A practice of zero

tolerance not only needs to be implemented, but enforced, in a vigilant effort to defend this basic

human principle. The urgent need to address this matter has been the focus of the Metro Woman

Abuse Council's efforts (formerly the Metro Woman Abuse Protocol Project) since 1992.
- H.L. Mencken
,
.
The Health Committee of the Metro Woman Abuse Council, along with representatives from the

education sector, law enforcement, the judicial system, and cultural committees, have joined

alliances, under a common mandate,

abuse which ensures the most eflective and eflcient provision of services in Metro Toronto for

assaulted women and their families.

establish strategic ways of holding men accountable for abusive behaviour, and providing for the

protection and safety of women and their children.

Details:
Suzanne Cameron, Special Projects Assistant, Ontario Hospital, Association Liz Caskey, Medical Student, University of Toronto . Heather Dawson, Consultant, Hospital Relations, Ontario Hospital Association Eva Dzilums, Manager, Production and Marketing, Ontario Hospital Association Lisa Fabbroni, Special Projects Assistant, Ontario Hospital Association Irene Gabinet, Co-Chair, MWAC Health Committee, St. Joseph's Women's Health Centre Vivien Green, Project Coordinator, Metro Woman Abuse Council Maureen Jackman, Department of Social Work, The Toronto Hospital Maureen Lynch, Public Affairs Specialist, Ontario Hospital Association Mary Neill, Co-Chair, Metro Woman Abuse Council & MWAC Health Committee, Woman's College Hospital Marsha Sfier, Executive Director, Education Wife Assault Deborah Sinclair, Consultant, Education Wife Assault Hilary Short, Vice President, Public Affairs and Education, Ontario Hospital Association Ken Wollens, Graphic Designer

Type/Format of Resource: WomanACT publications

Category/Topic of interest:
Woman Abuse

Population Group:
Health Care Service Providers

Language of Resource:
English

Year of Publication: pre 1995

Associated Document:
Best Practice Guidlines: For Health Care Providers (Acrobat PDF file)