VDH is reaching out to health care providers and others to raise awareness of intimate partner violence, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says is more prevalent among U.S. women than breast cancer, cervical cancer or diabetes with 1 in 3 women reporting abuse by a partner at some point in their lives.
Because health care providers can play a critical role in mitigating and reducing the negative health consequences of intimate partner violence VDH’s Project RADAR provides free training and technical assistance to health care providers to enable them to recognize and respond to intimate partner violence.
Oct. 10 is “Health Cares About Domestic Violence Day,” in Virginia. VDH will distribute information to health professionals at events on the VCU Medical Campus in Richmond and at the Fairfax Government Center. The department also will air radio spots aimed at involving men in sexual violence prevention on stations in Winchester and Harrisonburg and erect billboards in other Shenandoah Valley localities. Supplies of pocket cards will be distributed to Virginia’s 717 EMS squads.
One in three homicides in Virginia is related to family and intimate partner violence according to a report from the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The report also provides information about risk factors in intimate partner homicide and offers insight into ways others may be able to intervene.
Listen to the Public Service Announcemnts (PSAs are in mp3 format):
Links:
The CLAS Act Virginia Initiative emphasizes the importance of cultural competence when working with people from diverse cultures. The CLASActVirginia.org website serves as a resource guide to service providers working with culturally diverse victims of domestic violence. To learn more, visit http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/CLAS_Act/index.htm.