Citation

Caracci G. Int. J. Ment. Health 2003; 32(1): 36-53.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, M.E. Sharpe)

DOI

10.1080/00207411.2003.11449578

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Violence against women has emerged as a major public health and human rights issue at the international level. In addition to violence from an intimate partner, women can be victims of several forms of violence and coercion. The physical and mental health consequences as well as the costs to society are enormous. This article reviews the scope of the problem, the emotional consequences, the cultural context in which violence is perpetrated and condoned, the spread of HIV as a consequence of violence, and the barriers to our understanding that still exist in the field. Moreover, this review focuses on the work of the United Nations to raise awareness and promote action on this human rights violation at the international level. In particular, the work of the World Health Organization has brought significant advancements in our understanding of the phenomenon. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) play an important role in addressing the issue by bringing it the attention of international bodies and making sure that resolutions are complied with. NGOs also help to monitor the implementation of programs at the local level. While a great deal more remains to be done, the progress made over the past thirty years provides much hope that this pressing social and human rights issue will be appropriately addressed in the near future.

Language: en