Women’s equality in the UK – A health check

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VAWG in health and social care
The endemic levels of VAWG are a major public health issue and one the Government has been
slow to act upon cross-departmentally. Sexual violence and abuse puts women and girls’ lives at
risk and can have serious consequences for their health and wellbeing. There are direct physical
health consequences of sexual violence and child sexual abuse (CSA) including physical injury,
sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy. Long-term consequences of sexual
violence and CSA include post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and panic attacks,
depression, social phobia, substance abuse, obesity, eating disorders, self-harm and suicide. 111
Research also shows that certain BMER women have disproportionate rates of suicide and selfharm
linked to VAWG. 112 (See Appendix: 22)
At the strategic level, policies and guidance have been produced which evidence the impact
of gender inequality and VAWG on health and make recommendations for gender-specific
approaches to be implemented, 113 such as encouraging women-only wards and training for
all mental health staff on VAWG, because of the high rate of women accessing mental health
services who have experienced gendered violence. However, this has not yet translated in
any mainstream way into practice or better outcomes for women service users, and policy
continues to be produced by the Department of Health which does not join up the dots and fails
to even mention gendered analysis; VAWG or the women’s voluntary and community sector.
The effects of domestic and sexual violence on women’s physical and mental health are treated
by health and social care professionals on a daily basis and must be considered when planning
any reforms to NHS services. As has been highlighted in the Alberti review 114 of the NHS’ role in
tackling VAWG, the NHS is one of the few places aside from organisations who provide womenonly
spaces where women who have experienced violence feel able to disclose this information.
Healthcare services available to women need to reflect this and provide appropriate support
and referrals to other services.
Acknowledging and addressing VAWG as a health issue would contribute to the overall reduction
of VAWG as well as ensuring that appropriate and accessible support is available for the many
women and girls who are experiencing violence and abuse. 115 VAWG also has significant financial
costs to the NHS. Investment in health services (both statutory and voluntary) which identify
and address VAWG would result in significant cost savings. For example, it costs the NHS £1.2bn
a year for purely physical injuries with an added £176m for mental healthcare. 116 (See Article 12
and Appendix: 21 for further information)
Recommendations:
• VAWG needs to be a Department of Health and NHS strategic priority within their
plans to cut health inequalities
• The Department of Health and the NHS should engage with the women’s sector in
a review of how it is ensuring compliance with the CEDAW Convention
111. Women’s Health and Equality Consortium (2011) Why women’s health? WHEC: London http://www.whec.org.uk/wordpress/wp-content/
uploads/downloads/2011/11/WhyWomensHealth11.pdf
112. Southall Black Sisters (2011) Safe and Sane: A Model of Intervention on Domestic Violence and Mental Health, Suicide and Self-harm
Amongst Black and Minority Ethnic Women. SBS: London http://www.southallblacksisters.org.uk/reports/safe-and-sane-report/
113. Department of Health (2002) Women’s mental health: into the mainstream, Strategic development of mental healthcare for women. DoH:
London http://www.nmhdu.org.uk/silo/files/into-the-mainstream.pdf
114. Taskforce on the Health Aspects of Violence Against Women and Children (2010) Responding to violence against women and children
– the role of the NHS http://www.health.org.uk/media_manager/public/75/external-publications/Responding-to-violence-against-womenand-children%E2%80%93the-role-of-the-NHS.pdf
115. Women’s Resource Centre (2008) Briefing: Violence Against Women, Health and the Women’s Voluntary and Community Sector. WRC:
London
116. Walby, S. (2004) The Cost of Domestic Violence. Women and Equality Unit: London. http://www.devon.gov.uk/cost_of_dv_report_sept04.pdf
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