Violence against women: greater awareness and actions of the European network of emergency services are needed

Tomorrow 25 November 2019 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

The European Medical Association is strongly committed in the peaceful fight for the elimination of domestic violence and crimes which victimize women worldwide. We recall the ethical and legal duties of all health professionals in this regard and support and endorse the actions which must counteract such criminal behaviors.

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it.

In general terms, it manifests itself in physical, sexual and psychological forms, encompassing:

• intimate partner violence (battering, psychological abuse, marital rape, femicide);
• sexual violence and harassment (rape, forced sexual acts, unwanted sexual advances, child sexual abuse, forced marriage, street harassment, stalking, cyber- harassment);
• human trafficking (slavery, sexual exploitation);
• female genital mutilation; and
• child marriage.

The EMA Director for Media, e-learning and e-medicine and the EMA President are developing a line of intervention with the involvement of a greater awareness the European network of emergency services.