The WHO has just published a report on violence in the world. She insists on the role of health professionals in preventing this scourge, which is rampant in particular in cases of child abuse.
With 1.6 million deaths each year, violence is one of the leading causes of death in the world. The World Health Organization, who just published his first report on all aspects of global violence, reveals that 475,000 people were murdered in 2012. And the WHO insists on the crucial role of health professionals to prevent this scourge and limit the number of deaths.
57,000 infanticides
According to the report, the main mission of the health sector in dealing with violence is to “treat the victims and ensure their rehabilitation”. These tasks apply especially in child abuse and lack of care. Indeed, the WHO report lists numerous infanticides, mutilations, abandonment or sexual violence.
In 2000, the number of child deaths by homicides rose to around 57,000, although it remains difficult to measure the true extent of the problem, due to the lack of investigations and autopsies. Head trauma remains the most common cause of childhood deaths to this day, followed by abdominal injuries and choking. Signs of abuse on a daily basis do not always lead to death. However, there are many (punching, spanking, sexual assault). “Worldwide, it is estimated that 20% of women and 5 to 10% of men have been victims of sexual assault during their childhood,” notes the WHO.
Eating disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder
In the short term, the consequences of abuse on children manifest themselves physically, by the appearance of bruises on the face or on the body or burns. But in the long term, the symptoms are less visible, although they are deeply linked to the growth and development of the child. Acts of violence suffered during childhood can have consequences that last into adolescence and adulthood: alcoholism, drug addiction, eating or sleep disorders, cognitive disorders and developmental delay. , post-traumatic stress disorder, depression etc. “Consequences which also increase the probability of developing serious pathologies in adulthood,” underlines the WHO.
Home visits by health professionals
Most often, these acts of violence occur within families in a precarious situation, or among young parents who do not benefit from family support. WHO therefore insists on the need for health professionals to know these factors in order to be able to prevent, detect and report violence against children in family homes. To do this, home visitation programs by nurses and other health professionals have been set up. Thanks to these programs, healthcare professionals are better informed and therefore better able to recognize the signs. “But we do not yet know their impact at other levels, such as improving care or guidance for children,” says the WHO.
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