Supporting ALL victims of violence, abuse, neglect or exploitation: guidance for health providers

• Published in: BMC international health and human rights Vol. 18; no. 1; p. 39
• Main Authors: Viergever, Roderik F, Thorogood, Nicki, Wolf, Judith Rlm, Durand, Mary Alison
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 19-10-2018; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Abuse; Adult abuse & neglect; Aged; Aggression; Caregivers; Child abuse & neglect; Children & youth; Crime Victims - statistics & numerical data; Debate; Demographic aspects; Domestic violence; Elder Abuse; Estimates; Evaluation; Exploitation; Female; Female circumcision; Forced marriage; Genital mutilation; Girls; Guideline Adherence; Health care; Health care disparities; Health Personnel - organization & administration; Health services; Homeless people; Homeless Persons - psychology; Human rights; Human Trafficking; Humans; Interpretation and construction; Intimate partner violence; Kidnapping; Male; Policy; Practice guidelines (Medicine); Public health; Sex industry; Sexual behavior; Slavery; Spouse Abuse; Systematic review; Victims; Victims of violence; Violence; Vulnerability; Vulnerable groups; United Kingdom > UK; Netherlands; Female genital mutilation; Honour based violence; Policy; Slavery; Abuse; Parent abuse; Violence; Neglect; Elder abuse; Vulnerable groups; Forced marriages; Vulnerability; Exploitation; Human trafficking; Grooming; Homeless people; Male victims; Victims of violence; Abuse by carers
• ISSN: 1472-698X; 1472-698X
• DOI: 10.1186/s12914-018-0178-y

Smaller groups of victims of violence, abuse, neglect or exploitation - such as male victims of intimate partner violence (IPV), victims of elder abuse, victims of abuse by carers, victims of parent abuse, victims of human trafficking, girls and boys below 18 years engaging in sex work, victims of sexual exploitation by gangs or groups and victims of honour based violence (such as forced marriages and female genital mutilation) - are often in contact with the health care system without being identified as such and frequently do not receive appropriate treatment. To address this problem, two things need to happen: 1) that ALL groups of victims of violence, abuse, neglect or exploitation are explicitly listed in policies and protocols, and 2) that both the similarities as well as the differences between the groups with regard to identification, support and referral - described in this article - are explained, so that health providers are appropriately supported in this important function.