Why an Article on Violence?

Monique Eid, WHO

Violence is a major public health problem world-wide. Each year, more than a million of people die as the result of injuries due to violence. Many more survive their injuries, but live with a permanent disability. In 1998, among persons 15-44 years of age, interpersonal violence was is the third leading cause of death, suicide the fourth and war the sixth.

In addition to death and disability, violence contributes to a variety of other health consequences. These include depression, alcohol and substance abuse, smoking, eating and sleeping disorders, and HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Violence, however, is preventable – it is not an intractable social problem or an inevitable part of the human condi-

The wide variation in violence among and within nations over time suggests that violence is the product of complex, yet modifiable social and environmental factors.

Violence results from an interplay of individual, relationship, community, and structural factors. Some of the factors associated with violence include a history of early aggression, impulsiveness, harsh punitive discipline, poor monitoring and supervision of children, associating with delinquent peers, witnessing violence, drug trafficking, access to firearms, gender and income inequality, and norms that support violence as a way to resolve conflict.

Creating safe and healthy communities around the globe requires commitment on the part of multiple sectors at the international, national, and community levels to document the problem, build the knowledge base, promote the design and testing of prevention programs, and promote the dissemination of lessons learned.

Public health officials have a very important role to play in this process. Through their vision and leadership, much can be done to establish national plans and policies for violence prevention.

WHO and Violence

Recognising the magnitude of the problem, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recently taken important steps to increase its injury prevention activities. In March 2000, a Department for Injuries and Violence Prevention (VIP) was created. For the first time, in 50 years, injuries and violence prevention now has a place on the WHO organisational chart.

In 2002 WHO will release the first World Report on Violence and Health. The Report aims to raise awareness about the public health aspects of violence and highlights the contributions that public health can make to understanding and preventing the problem. For the first time all available knowledge on violence and health will be assembled in one document. The Report contains chapters and data on a wide variety of issues, including child abuse and neglect; intimate partner violence; sexual violence; youth violence; elder abuse; organized violence and self-inflicted violence. Nearly 100 experts from around the world contributed, and it was reviewed by an additional 60 experts from all regions. The final Report will be accompanied by a summary document for policy makers. We hope that the Report will be used as a platform to facilitate discussion and policymaking, focusing especially on prevention.

One of the key’s to address violence is to foster collaboration and partnership. In the UN family there is a wealth of work and expertise on violence prevention, that needs to be brought together. Therefore, on 15-16 November 2001, the WHO is hosting the Meeting on UN Collaboration for the Prevention of Interpersonal Violence. The objectives of the Meeting are to document the ongoing work of UN agencies in the area of interpersonal violence prevention and identify areas and activities for future UN collaboration on this topic. More than fifteen UN agencies will participate in this first interagency meeting of its kind on the topic. The following products will result from the meeting: a Guide to UN Resources on the Prevention of Interpersonal Violenceand a document describing areas and activities for future UN collaboration in this area.

What value does WHO add to the research and practice of injury prevention?

As the lead co-ordinating agency for international public health, WHO is in a unique position to guide a sciencebased programme of activities in injury and violence prevention, particularly with reference to:

• Data collection and research;
• Planning of health services which can be used for victims of violence and injuries;
• Implementation and evaluation of prevention programmes.

But what is regarded as violence?

Defining violence is complex, and many different definitions exist. WHO uses the following definition: “the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against another person or against oneself or against a group of people, that results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment or deprivation.”

• Child Maltreatment
• Youth Violence
• Violence Against Women by Intimate Partners
• Sexual Violence
• Elderly Abuse
• Self-directed Violence
• Collective Violence

And what is regarded as unintentional injuries?

most

• Traffic collisions
• Falls
• Drowning
• Burns are among the leading causes of these injuries

Facts about Injuries and Violence

Around the world, nearly 16,000 people die from injuries every day, 5 million a year. For every person who dies of injuries, several thousand injured persons survive, but many suffer permanent disabling sequelae.

Most injury-related deaths and disabilities are preventable – this the World Health Organization’s message.

WHO challenge is to place this issue on the global public health agenda because violence and injuries are not always recognised as a Public Health issue. This requires a commitment at the international, national and community levels.

For further information, please contact: Department of Injuries and Violence Prevention Noncommunicable Diseases & Mental Health World Health Organization
20, avenue AppiaCH-1211 Geneva 27, Fax: 41-22 791 4332
Email: pvi@who.int
Website: www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/