Intimate partner violence: How should health systems respond?

Intimate partner violence among HIV infected and uninfected pregnant women delivering at a National Hospital in Tanzania: using a modified screening tool

“…As demonstrated previously (Zink et al, 2007), we found more than half of the studied group withholding the identity of physical and sexual offenders; fear was one of the main reasons for concealing the perpetrators. Failure to disclose the perpetrators has been associated with cultural differences, economic dependence on the offender, and feelings of failure and promises of change by the perpetrator (Rees et al, 2014;Wagman et al, 2015).…”

“…Insufficient statistical evidence to advocate scale-up of IPV interventions and their integration into health systems, has been highlighted as a barrier in screening of IPV (Rees et al, 2014;Wagman et al, 2015;Peterman et al, 2015); However, in order to overcome the intersecting challenges of violence and motherhood, introducing IPV screening among pregnant women during antenatal and post-natal period will cease the unique opportunity of identifying women experiencing IPV within the existing prevention of maternal to child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV program. Furthermore, using the same opportunity a wider and deeper analysis, either qualitatively or quantitatively can be performed to identify appropriate model and protocols in IPV management and referrals for further appropriate care and support within the health systems.…”

The Age of the Acquisitors – girls and women beware

“…[19] This is confirmed by research on IPV for the Alan J Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, compiled by gender-based violence nursing expert Dr Kate Joyner of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University and Simone Honikman from the University of Cape Town, in an effort to raise awareness about femicide. [20] This journal has regularly published research on such 'rule of the fist' violence against women and children [21][22][23] (search 'gender violence' , 'violence, children' and 'intimate partner violence'), is doing so in the current issue [24] and will do so again. [25] Notably, a letter to the Editor by Mankazana [26] in 2012 pleaded for 'more focus on children as victims of domestic violence, on the risk factors for such abuse, and the knowledge and skills to recognise signs and symptoms of child abuse …' .…”