Media Centre

Media Advisories

Health professionals must be ready to identify, respond to violence against women: Canadian Ob/Gyn society

Ottawa – The United Nations has designated November 25th as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. In Canada, December 6th is also National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, marking the anniversary of the 1989 École Polytechnique Massacre, in which 14 women were killed in Montreal. To mark these occasions, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) is reminding its membership and all health professionals of the importance of possessing the knowledge and training to identify and respond to cases of violence.

In its Intimate Partner Violence guideline, the SOGC provides recommendations for health professionals on establishing a caring, nonjudgmental, and respectful approach to facilitating and responding to the disclosure of violence by a patient. The guideline, produced by a multidisciplinary panel of experts, is based on a thorough review of research and strategies to address intimate partner violence.

The SOGC is committed to improving awareness about intimate partner violence, particularly as it relates to pregnancy. To help raise awareness of this crime to the public, in June the SOGC pledged a donation of $10,000 to assist in the investigation of the homicide of Kelly Morrisseau. Morrisseau, an Aboriginal mother-of-three living in Ottawa, was seven months pregnant when she was fatally stabbed in Gatineau, Quebec, in December 2006.

“There are no easy answers in cases of partner violence, but as health professionals we have a responsibility to ensure the health of women and their children,” said Dr. Guylaine Lefebvre, President of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. “That’s why it is so crucially important that health professionals have the training and knowledge to best support each woman according to her individual and unique situation.”

Canadian surveys have found a 6-8% prevalence of intimate partner violence, though this is considered a conservative estimate due to under-reporting. Among women who reported this violence, 21% reported violence during pregnancy. Among these women reporting violence during pregnancy, 40% said that the violence began while she was pregnant.

“Violence is deplorable in all its forms, but during pregnancy there are some special concerns about protecting the health of the child,” said Dr. Vyta Senikas, Associate Executive Vice-President of SOGC. “Women who are abused during pregnancy are more likely to experience pregnancy complications, including death of the baby or the mother. As health professionals, we are in a unique position to identify the signs of violence, and to offer support for these women and their babies.”

If abuse is not reported, a woman’s interaction with her healthcare provider may present the only opportunity for intervention and support. In some cases, the healthcare provider may discover the signs of abuse, or the woman may choose to disclose the abuse. For the healthcare provider, this presents a critical window of opportunity to provide support and referrals to assist these women, according to each individual situation. For this reason, it is essential that healthcare providers are ready and trained to respond to cases of violence.

- 30 -

Contact:

Mike Haymes, SOGC Communications
Tel : (800) 561-2416 or (613) 730-4192 extension: 325
Fax: (613) 730-4314
E-mail address: mhaymes@sogc.com Website: www.sogc.org

Kelly Nolan, Director, SOGC Communications
Tel : (800) 561-2416 or (613) 730-4192 extension: 366
Fax: (613) 730-4314
E-mail address: knolan@sogc.com Website: www.sogc.org

About the SOGC

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) is one of Canada’s oldest national specialty organizations. Established in 1944, the Society’s mission is to promote excellence in the practice of obstetrics and gynaecology and to advance the health of women through leadership, advocacy, collaboration, outreach and education. The SOGC represents obstetricians/gynaecologists, family physicians, nurses, midwives and allied health professionals working in the field of sexual reproductive health. For more information, visit www.sogc.org.

About November 25th - International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women:

In December 1999, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 54/134 declaring November 25th the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

The origins of November 25th go back to 1960, when the three Mirabal sisters from the Dominican Republic were violently assassinated for their political activism. The sisters, known as the "Unforgettable Butterflies," became a symbol of the crisis of violence against women in Latin America. November 25th was the date chosen to commemorate their lives and promote global recognition of gender violence, and has been observed in Latin America since the 1980s.

For more information, visit http://www.unifem.org/campaigns/november25/