Domestic violence

CHANGE is a research and advocacy organisation that seeks to integrate concern for gender equity and social justice into international health policy and practice. Initiatives supported include: International Research Network on Violence Against Women; Multi-country study on domestic violence and health; and Men's roles in reproductive health and rights

Sexual violence profoundly limits women’s ability to negotiate safer sex, being able to exercise their sexual and reproductive health and rights. This is an enormous challenge as sexual violence is so prevalent. It also is devastating for women’s being able to experience sexual desire and pleasure.

Geneva/London - One in six women worldwide suffers domestic violence - some battered during pregnancy - yet many remain silent about the assaults, according to the World Health Organisation.

25 November: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Violence against women is the most pervasive violation of human rights, occurring every day, in every country and every region, regardless of income or level of development.

The South African Gender Based Violence and Health Initiative (SAGBVHI), will be hosting this conference in Gauteng, South Africa. Conference objectives are: to share research findings and methodologies on gender based violence and health, and to debate key challenges of gender based violence facing health sector. International experts on gender based violence, health and other related issues, who will be in attendance are: Charlotte Watts (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine), Janice Du'Mont (Violence and Health Research Initiative, Canada) and Claudia Garcia-Moreno (World Health Organization). The conference will address some critical issues such as child sexual abuse, HIV/AIDS and violence against women, Domestic Violence and health issues, and gender based violence against vulnerable groups. For more information contact Mandy Salomo mandy.salomo@mrc.ac.za

Violence against women is the world s most pervasive form of human rights violation. Gender based violence represents a substantial health burden for women in terms of morbidity and mortality rates and makes a significant negative impact on their physical and mental health (WHO 1997).