TDH Booklet4 - Texas Association Against Sexual Assault

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FOREWARD - Call To Action WHY VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN? Texas currently faces health crises of enormous magnitude that stem from sexual assault, domestic violence 1 and stalking, often collectively referred to as violence against women (VAW). The sheer size of these problems, along with their associated costs, and the complexity of factors that interact to make them so pervasive requires immediate attention. The public health sector can lead concerted multi-disciplinary efforts to stop sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking in Texas by applying primary prevention strategies. No individual, community, or sector in the state is immune to these preventable health crises, making every man, woman and child living in Texas a stakeholder in ending the violence. In addition, Texas faces particular challenges and opportunities in addressing VAW because of the rich diversity of its population. Texas shares its southern border with Mexico, and Latinos/Latinas and African Americans comprise a significant percentage of the state’s population. This cultural diversity calls for an in-depth understanding and consideration of cultural competency in addressing VAW in the state. Scope of the Problems In 2002, researchers conducted the first-ever representative surveys of sexual assault and domestic violence prevalence in Texas, providing critical state-level data that help define the problems. 2 The health survey focusing on sexual assault found that nearly 2 million Texans have been sexually assaulted in their lifetimes and that nearly one in ten Texan girls were assaulted before they reached age 14. 3 The domestic violence study reports the problem as an epidemic in Texas, with fully 47 percent of all Texans having been abused in their lifetimes. 4 Both studies confirm that these forms of violence go vastly underreported. 5 Moreover, findings correspond with international statistics that show that onethird of all women are physically or sexually abused in their lifetimes. 6 Many who live with violence day in and day out assume that it is an intrinsic part of the human condition. But this is not so. Violence can be prevented. Violent cultures can be turned around. World Health Organization: World Report on Violence and Health The public health sector must lead concerted multidisciplinary efforts to stop sexual assault, demostic violence and stalking in Texas, employing a multitude of primary prevention strategies. The large number of rape, physical assault, and stalking victimizations committed against women each year…strongly suggest that violence against women is endemic. National Institute of Justice The most reliable national data of nonfatal rapes, physical assaults and stalking available in the United States come from the National Violence Against Women Survey (NVAWS) conducted from November 1995 to May 1996. 7 Results show that in this country perpetrators (overwhelmingly men) commit physical violence against nearly 52 percent of women, while rape or attempted rape is committed against 18 percent of women in their lifetimes and approximately 1 million women are stalked annually in the United States. 8 Women sustain injuries requiring medical A STRATEGIC PLAN TO PREVENT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN TEXAS 14
FOREWARD - Call To Action Ninety percent of all rapes are planned and, in 87 percent of the cases the assailant either carried a weapon or threatened the victim with death or bodily injury if she resisted. Texas Association Against Sexual Assault & Texas Office of the Attorney General At least 80 percent of stalkers are men who are primarily targeting women. These men are young to middle-aged, with above average intelligence. Because health care costs account for more than two-thirds of total cost estimates, clearly the public health sector must take action. Many factors interact that contribute to the ongoing pervasive existence of these forms of violence, making it difficult to pinpoint where and how to end it. attention in a high percentage of both sexual and physical assaults and intimate partners are most likely to commit the violence. 9 NVAWS report authors find violence against women endemic in the United States and a major public health concern with important policy implications. 10 While most females who are assaulted survive the violence, men kill many women each year. According to 2001 reported data, intimate partners murdered nearly one woman per day in the United States. 11 In Texas, males took the lives of 113 females in 2001 producing a state homicide rate well above the national average; 91 percent of the men knew the females they killed. 12 In 2002 intimate partners killed more than two women every week in Texas. 13 While a system for estimating statewide costs of violence against women has not been developed, a recent national analysis of intimate partner violence (including homicides) yields evidence of the economic scope of the problem. Costs The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report in March 2003 analyzing NVAWS data and estimating the costs of intimate partner violence, 14 including lifetime earnings for fatalities derived from FBI homicide data. 15 They found that costs of intimate partner rape, physical assault and stalking exceed $5.8 billion per year, with nearly $4.1 billion going for direct medical and mental health care. 16 In addition, the report estimates nearly $0.9 billion in lost productivity from nonfatal domestic violence, and $0.9 billion in lost lifetime earnings by those women killed by intimate partner violence. 17 These costs reflect only those derived from reliable data sources. The actual costs are very likely much higher, including untold intangible costs. 18 Because health care costs account for more than two-thirds of total cost estimates, clearly the public health sector must take action. However, the complexity of the issues involved presents challenges that go beyond any specific sector. Complexity Violence against women, while increasingly treated as a singular phenomenon, really involves many layers. First, it is difficult to classify, sometimes encompassing forced pornography, prostitution, forms of slavery, trafficking and other exploitation not reflected in sexual assault, domestic violence and/or stalking definitions. 19 In addition, children, elders and people living with disabilities of both sexes are often times extremely vulnerable to the same abuses categorized as violence against women. Of course, 15 A STRATEGIC PLAN TO PREVENT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN TEXAS
Page 1 and 2: A Strategic Plan To Prevent Violenc
Page 3 and 4: Acknowledgements Violence Against W
Page 5 and 6: Table of Contents Executive Summary
Page 8 and 9: Executive Summary Executive Summary
Page 10 and 11: Executive Summary closely with rese
Page 12: FOREWARD - CALL TO ACTION A Strateg
Page 17 and 18: FOREWARD - Call To Action Studies s
Page 20: Introduction - Texas Violence Again
Page 23 and 24: Introduction - Texas Violence Again
Page 26: Background Paper - Primary Preventi
Page 29 and 30: Background Paper - Primary Preventi
Page 38 and 39: Plan for Action Plan for Action The
Page 40 and 41: Plan for Action to help prevent VAW
Page 42 and 43: Plan for Action Recommendation: Eva
Page 44 and 45: Plan for Action address sexual assa
Page 46 and 47: Plan for Action Recommendation: Tra
Page 48 and 49: Plan for Action they may not otherw
Page 50 and 51: Plan for Action Recommendation: Pro
Page 52: Glossary A Strategic Plan To Preven
Page 55 and 56: Glossary Popular Education - A tool
Page 57 and 58: Glossary
Page 60 and 61: Notes/Citations 1 This report uses
Page 62 and 63: Notes/Citations 22 See Population R
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Notes/Citations 54 Tjaden et al., E
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Notes/Citations of Justice, Nationa
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Notes/Citations 91 See Appendix B f
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Notes/Citations 108 FVPF, The Natio
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Bibliography Bibliography - Primary
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Bibliography Saltzman, Linda, Yvonn
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Bibliography Jewke, Rachel. “Inti
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Bibliography Kelly, James, Ann Mari
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Bibliography Swift, Carolyn, Meg Bo
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Bibliography Applied Primary Preven
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Bibliography Family Violence Preven
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Bibliography Testa, Maria. “The i
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Appendices A Strategic Plan To Prev
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Appendicies - A Plan Goals/Objectiv
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Appendicies - B Survey Analyses MAP
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Appendicies - B Survey Analyses FIG
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Appendicies - B Survey Analyses FIG
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Appendicies - B Survey Analyses TAB
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Appendicies - B Survey Analyses Ass
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Appendicies - B Survey Analyses Res
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Appendicies - C Additional Acknowle
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Appendicies - C Additional Acknowle
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Appendicies - D Resource Guide Men
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Appendicies - D Resource Guide Reso
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Appendicies - D Resource Guide APPE
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Appendicies - E Related Links Natio
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Appendicies - E Related Links VAW a
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TDH Booklet4 - Texas Association Against Sexual Assault

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