Health Stu Fac

AUGUST 2005

In This Issue...

Resources
  • Family Violence: An Intervention Model for Dental Professionals
  • Compendium of Research on Violence Against Women, 1993-2004

    • Research
  • Violence and Human Rights addressed by JAMA
  • Teens who Experience Dating Violence at Greater Risk for STDs

    • Fellowships and Positions
  • 2006 Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons Physician Advocacy Fellowship
  • The Women's Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program
  • Wellesley Centers for Women Seeks Research Scientist

    • Announcements
  • 2005 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Theme Announcement: "For the Health of Women, For the Health of the World: No More Violence"
  • Women's Healthcare Competencies for Medical Students
  • Call for Brief Reports for the Family Violence Prevention and Health Practice Fall 2005 issue.

    • Mark Your Calendars
  • The Family Violence & Sexual Assault Institute (FVSAI)'s 10th Annual International Conference on Family Violence

    • RESOURCES

    Family Violence: An Intervention Model for Dental Professionals

    This resource describes a training model that teaches dental professionals how to recognize symptoms and patterns of abuse, create a safe environment for disclosure, intervene appropriately, refer patients to appropriate services, and file mandatory reports (OVC). To access full text Click Here.

    Compendium of Research on Violence Against Women, 1993-2004

    This is a compilation of NIJ-funded research on violence against women. The description of each project includes the value of the grant, principal investigator, NIJ monitor, and status of the project. Please check back occasionally as the Compendium is updated regularly (NIJ). For more information Click Here.

    RESEARCH

    "Violence and Human Rights" addressed by JAMA

    JAMA's August 3, 2005 issue focused on a variety of articles addressing violence and human rights research. The article "Family Violence Research: Lessons Learned and Where From Here?" written by Harriet L. MacMillan and C. Nadine Wathen highlights the past and future of family violence and child abuse research (pp. 618-620).

    "Modern Slavery a Hidden Crime in the US" by Dr. Thomas B. Cole highlights human trafficking and the role of the health care provider in addressing this problem (pp. 541-542). Trafficked persons are many times isolated from the public, according to the Campaign to Rescue and Restore Victims of Human trafficking of the US Department of Health and Human Services. Trafficking survivors may be able to escape their captors if physicians can recognize their situation. The agency suggests that clinicians ask persons who do not seem to be able to move to a different location or change jobs, who appear fearful or depressed, lack identification documents, or seem reluctant or unable to speak for themselves the following questions: What type of work do you do? Are you being paid? Can you leave your job if you want to? Can you come and go as you please? Have you or your family been threatened? What are your working and living conditions like? Where do you sleep and eat? Do you have to ask permission to eat/sleep/go to the bathroom? Are there locks on your doors/windows so you cannot get out? Has your identification card or documentation been taken from you?

    The Campaign to Rescue and Restore Victims of Human trafficking recommends that clinicians who suspect that they may have encountered a survivor of human trafficking should call the Trafficking Information and Referral Hotline at (888) 373-7888. This hotline is set up to identify trafficking survivors and connect them with local social services organizations that can help them begin the process of restoring their lives.

    Teens who Experience Dating Violence at Greater Risk for STDs

    According to a study published in the August 2005 issue of Pediatrics, nearly one in three sexually active adolescent girls (31.5 percent) report experiencing physical or sexual violence from a dating partner, and there is a "significant" association between being a victim of dating violence and being diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or HIV. "Dating Violence and Sexually Transmitted Disease/HIV Testing and Diagnosis Among Adolescent Females" looks at more than 1,600 sexually active 9th to 12th grade female students who filled out Youth Risk Behavior Surveys in Massachusetts in 1999 and 2001.

    One in 12 dating violence victims reports a sexually transmitted disease, compared to one in 30 girls who do not experience dating violence. Girls who experience dating violence are three times more likely to be tested for an STD and HIV, and 2.6 times more likely to report an STD diagnosis, than girls who do not experience dating violence. "We are seeing a staggering proportion of teenage girls experiencing physical or sexual violence from dating partners," Michele R. Decker, MPH, Harvard School of Public Health and one of the study's authors, told Reuters. "Violence against women has been linked with numerous negative health outcomes, and I think through this study we are seeing further evidence of the tremendous health consequences of this violence."

    Authors recommend further research and the development of community-based programs that address dating violence and STD/HIV risk. They encourage clinic staff to discuss relationship dynamics with patients and screen them for dating violence, noting that discussions about barriers to using condoms and other contraceptives may prompt patients to disclose dating violence. Medical professionals should make information about dating violence support services available to all patients, regardless of whether they admit to being abused, they say.

    Pediatrics is the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. In addition to Decker, the study's authors are Jay G. Silverman, PhD, of the Harvard School of Public Health and Anita Raj, PhD, of the Boston University School of Public Health.

    FELLOWSHIPS AND POSITIONS

    2006 Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons Physician Advocacy Fellowship

    The fellowship provides support to doctors who want to develop their policy and advocacy skills by partnering with an advocacy organization on a project that they design jointly. Fellows will design and implement an advocacy project to improve health and service delivery; address social issues such as racism, violence, healthcare access and environmental hazards which adversely affect health and health care delivery; and develop or strengthen their advocacy skills through collaboration with a partner advocacy organization. The fellowship supports 50% of a fellow's time for 12 to 24 months, and is open to physicians nationwide. For additional information, including a list of past fellows, and application information Click Here. The deadline for preliminary proposals for the fellowship is October 7, 2005.

    The Women's Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program

    This program is inviting applications from law school graduates and law students graduating in 2006 who have a strong interest in women's rights. Women's Law Fellows work for one year in Washington, D.C. with a non-profit, public interest organization or governmental agency on legal and policy issues affecting the status of women. Applications must be postmarked by October 15, 2005, and early applications are encouraged. The Fellowships will begin in September 2006. Please visit http://www.wlppfp.org for an application form.

    Wellesley Centers for Women Seeks Research Scientist

    The Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College is seeking a full-time doctoral-level researcher with expertise in gender-based violence. The person in this position will build on prior work at the Wellesley Centers for Women on gender violence both nationally and internationally and will work with other researchers at the Centers to secure additional research funding and organize activities related to the topics studied. This is a full time, 12-month position. The College will begin reading letters of nomination and applications accompanied by a curriculum vitae beginning September 2005. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Cover letters, CV's and supporting materials should be sent to: Kathryn Scott, Administrative Director, Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College, 106 Central Street, Wellesley, MA 02481 or email kscott@wellesley.edu.

    ANNOUNCEMENTS

    2005 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Theme Announcement: "For the Health of Women, For the Health of the World: No More Violence"

    The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence campaign, now in its fifteenth year, is an international campaign originating from the first Women's Global Leadership Institute sponsored by the Center for Women's Global Leadership in 1991. This 16 day period from November 25, International Day Against Violence Against Women and December 10, International Human Rights Day, has been used as an organizing strategy by individuals and groups around the world to call for the elimination of all forms of violence against women by raising awareness about gender-based violence as a human rights issue at the local, national, regional and international levels, establishing a clear link between local and international anti-violence work, providing a forum in which organizers can develop and share strategies, demonstrating the solidarity of women around the world organizing against gender-based violence, and creating tools to pressure governments to implement promises made to eliminate violence against women.

    If you would like to join the 16 Days listserv or receive a 2005 Take Action Kit which includes 16 Days campaign information such as its history and mission, a list of participating organizations, resources, suggested actions, and other supplementary materials, please contact the Center for Women's Global Leadership by email at cwgl@igc.org or visit us on the web at http://www.cwgl.rutgers.edu.

    Women's Healthcare Competencies for Medical Students

    The Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO) Women's Healthcare Education Office (WHEO) and its interdisciplinary colleagues have developed women's health competencies for medical student education. The competencies have been developed to address the need for models of well-designed interdisciplinary curricula that focus on the differences of sex and gender across the basic, clinical and social sciences that provide the foundations of good medicine. The APGO WHEO's goal is to optimize women's health care by teaching medical students how to recognize and address sex and gender-based differences as they relate to the health of individuals and of populations.

    For more information, please contact Roberta B. Rusch, MPH at (703) 815-3111; (410) 451-9560, email rrusch@apgo.org, or visit http://www.apgo.org/wheo/.

    Call for Brief Reports for the Family Violence Prevention and Health Practice Fall 2005 issue.

    The Family Violence Prevention Fund will release the next issue of its online journal Family Violence Prevention and Health Practice in Fall 2005. The theme of the issue is Technology and Intimate Partner Violence. The FVPF invites you to submit brief reports on the use of technology in imparting domestic violence education to health care providers, medical and professional students as well as patients (especially Teens). We also invite short articles highlighting innovative technological tools that can help address domestic violence in the healthcare setting.

    Please submit brief reports and short articles to the online journal editorial staff via email at healthe-journal@endabuse.org. Please limit submissions to 1500 words.

    MARK YOUR CALENDARS

    The Family Violence & Sexual Assault Institute (FVSAI)'s 10th Annual International Conference on Family Violence

    San Diego, CA

    September 16-21, 2005

    This conference will bring together practitioners and advocates from around the world to share new research and hold critical discussions on multiple aspects of violence, trauma and abuse in the home, community, and society. Registration is open now. CE credits is available in most related fields. There will be 16 tracks and over 120 sessions include Domestic Violence, Elder Abuse, Child Maltreatment, Youth Violence, Sexual Assault and Trauma issues. Best Practices, Clinical Techniques, Multi-Cultural Issues, and Legal/Policy will be discussed. For more information, call 858-623-2777, x427 or email fvsai@alliant.edu.

    Health Students and Faculty Against Domestic Violence is a monthly listserv aimed to network health students and faculty from across the country who are interested in improving the health sector response to domestic violence. To subscribe email arunavenk@gmail.com.

    We encourage you to use this listserv to announce upcoming events you are planning or to pose questions to the group. To post an announcement or ask a question, send an e-mail to arunavenk@gmail.com.

    The listserv is moderated by Aruna Venkatesan, Health Intern with the Family Violence Prevention Fund and Second Year Medical Student at the University of California, San Francisco

    Thank you for contributing to our community!

    To learn more please visit our website http://www.endabuse.org/health