PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Assessment of Violence against Women in the Health Care Sector

PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Assessment of Violence against Women in the Health Care Sector

Toronto, December, 22^nd, 2010: With each consecutive generation society's most disturbing issues are not disappearing with time. One such issue is the prevalence of woman abuse which 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 free 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 right. The urgent need to address this matter has been the focus of the Woman Abuse Council of Toronto’s efforts. Opening dialogues on violence is an excellent starting point, especially when we understand that woman abuse is about power and control and can be manifested both physically and psychologically.

The Health Committee of the Woman Abuse Council of Toronto’s (WomanACT) ultimate goal is to act as a vehicle for integrated planning and policy development to create improved responses to woman abuse within the health care system providing for the protection and safety of women and their children.

WomanACT recognizes and applauds Health Care facilities who have adopted fundamental philosophical and procedural components that are essential for the delivery of a sensitive response and appropriate health care as well as social services for women who have been abused as Abuse is a determinant of health.

The guiding philosophical premise of this work is that all health care and social services be provided in ways which promote the safety of women and their children, while supporting a woman's right to self-determination. When in place, a health care organization's policies/procedures should maintain best practice and provide opportunities to improve the response of that organization to the needs of abused women and their children.

The Health Committee of the Woman Abuse Council of Toronto has been working for almost 20 year with the Health Care sector in Toronto in developing and implementing “Best Practices Guidelines for Health Care Providers Working with Women Who Have Been Abused”. Since the early 90’s the Health Committee of WomanACT has been diligent in supporting and providing guidelines for assessment of woman abuse to the Health Care sector in the City of Toronto.

Our HC committee is comprised of mainly social workers and nurses form Hospitals, Community Centres and the Toronto Public Health Department.

Type/Format of Resource: WomanACT publications

Category/Topic of interest:
    Woman Abuse
    Physical Abuse
    Sexual Abuse
    Psychological Abuse
    Financial Abuse
    Same Sex Abuse
    Family Violence

Population Group:
Friends & Family
Health Care Service Providers

Language of Resource:
English

Year of Publication: 2009

For More Information Contact:
    Harmy Mendoza
    Woman Abuse Council of Toronto
    ed@womanabuse.ca
    http://www.womanabuse.ca