TDH Booklet4 - Texas Association Against Sexual Assault

Background Paper - Primary Prevention of Violence Against Women
Using the Public Health Approach to Prevent VAW
As society recognizes VAW as a serious public health crisis,
policymakers, health practitioners, researchers and anti-violence
advocates are turning toward a public health approach to confront
the complex problem of VAW. 5
A public health approach to addressing a health problem
(e.g., preventing premature death, disability and injury; reducing
human suffering and medical costs; protecting a population)
applies a systematic process to:
1. Define the problem.
2. Identify risk and protective factors.
3. Develop and test prevention interventions.
4. Implement and disseminate effective strategies. 51
In addition, the public health approach is community-oriented,
depending on collective action based on results from data and
evidence. 52
The science-based and interdisciplinary nature of the public
health model, drawing from the fields of medicine, epidemiology,
sociology, psychology, criminology, education and economics,
make it particularly appropriate for the complex nature of VAW. A
public health approach brings together the health, education, social
services, justice and policy sectors to work in a collaborative effort
for the prevention of VAW. 53
Problem Definition
Different types of interpersonal violence, such as abuse of
children, elders, immigrants, gay men and lesbians, relate to each
other in ways that may help inform those who develop efforts to
end violence. Overwhelmingly, men commit violence against
women. 54 Researchers and practitioners differ in defining VAW
precisely, but generally, sexual assault, domestic violence and
stalking make-up the major areas included in the scope of VAW
research literature and the CDC has published references to help
standardize definitions. 55 Nevertheless, current Texas research
shows that public perception of each of these problems varies
widely. 56
The complex nature of sexual assault, domestic violence and
stalking makes it difficult to understand the many factors that may
contribute to the problems’ occurrence; likewise, a multitude of
theories attempt to explain why VAW exists as it does. Researchers
29 A STRATEGIC PLAN TO PREVENT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN TEXAS