2009 Campaign PR (1/12):Public Health and Gender Violence

Health care professionals – doctors, nurses and others – must be equipped with the skills and the right attitude to handle cases related to gender and sexual violence. This was the theme of a workshop on “Public Health and Gender Violence”, held at Omayal Achi College of Nursing on Tuesday. Facilitated by Prajnya, a Chennai-based non-profit centre for research, public education and networking as part of its 16 Days Campaign against Gender Violence, the workshop was jointly conducted by Dr. Prasanna Poornachandra of International Foundation for Crime Prevention and Victim Care (PCVC) and Nancy Veronica Thomas of Tulir - Centre for the Prevention & Healing of Child Sexual Abuse.

The four-hour session was interactive and included both presentations and anecdotal references to illustrate how and why gender violence is relevant for health care professionals. “The workshop was an attempt to sensitise nursing students on the importance of both physiological and psychological care for victims of gender violence,” said Nancy. “Nurses are the one-point contact in the case of a medical emergency, and have an important role to play in the case of a sexually abused patient,” she added.

The health implications of the various forms of gender violence are many, and include injuries, broken bones, psychological illnesses like neurological disorders, depression, anxiety and long term physiological diseases like arthritis, blood pressure, heart problems and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). “The role of a health care professional in a gender violence incident is four-fold, and includes: identifying, assessing, documenting and educating,” said Dr. Prasanna during the session. The social costs of gender violence were also discussed at the workshop.

A Response from Omayal Achi

Yesterday, on day seven of the campaign, we organised a workshop on public health and gender violence for nursing students at Omayal Achi College of Nursing. This is the feedback they have since sent us:

Dear Anupama

I am herewith forwarding a complete feed back as written by the students who attended the PH and Gender Violence Workshop.

Comments of the Students

Classes on gender violence was a great thing for us to know about the current status of women in India. Most of the cases which you discussed where new to us and somewhat scaring. But the role of a health care professional in these situations was made to us clearly. it was an eye opening for us to how to handle and take care of a child and women at times of a abuse.

We thank you for your valuable effort put to make people aware of the gender violence.

With regards,

Dr. S. Kanchana M.Sc(N), Ph.D(N)

Principal

Omayal Achi College of Nursing.

Day 7: A workshop on Public Health

It was an early day on Day 7, as the team went all the way to Avadi for a workshop in Omayal Achi College of Nursing on "Public Health and Gender Violence", attended by around 40 budding nurses from the III B.Sc Nursing Class.

The two charming ladies, Dr.Prasanna and Nancy from PCVC and Tulir respectively, were the facilitators , and were superb with their presentations, films and anecdotes.

What was established?

• Injuries/ health complications arising out of gender violence is a genuine public health concern.
• Health care officials like doctors and nurses have a huge role to play during the process of treatment to a victim of gender violence.
• Nurses are the first point of contact in the case of a medical emergency, and awareness of gender violence, can go a long way in facilitating treatment, and later, recovery.