Family and sexual violence require comprehensive response

Family and sexual violence are humanitarian emergencies with serious consequences for survivors. Their effects go far beyond borders and affect public health at a national level. Survivors need access to free, quality, confidential, integrated medical care, as well as high quality social protection and law and justice services. These issues were discussed in Papua New Guinea (PNG), during a conference co-hosted by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25. Papua New Guinea © Kate Geraghty/FairfaxA nurse at the MSF Family Support Centre in Tari evaluates a new patient. Rates of family and sexual violence in PNG are among the world’s highest. A recent study by UN Partners for Prevention found that one in five women’s first experience of sex was rape, and that one third of men had been sexually abused as children. Child survivors of family and sexual violence are even more vulnerable and have greater needs, yet they have particular difficulty accessing services. Paul Brockmann, head of mission for MSF in PNG, said that rapid medical care can prevent life-threatening health consequences. But survivors also need a comprehensive response, he said, including access to high quality social protection and law and justice services. “Access to integrated medical care is critical and it needs to be scaled up: for example with one functioning Family Support Centre in each province,” he said. ...
Source: MSF News - Category: Global & Universal Tags: Papua New Guinea NEWS Frontpage Women's Health Violence Source Type: news