Public Health in Oregon - Join The Conversation

Health care providers can play an important role in identifying and responding to victims of domestic violence through routine screening and appropriate referral.
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Domestic violence is a serious, underlying cause of poor health for many people in the Commonwealth. Health care providers can play an important role in identifying and responding to victims of domestic violence through routine screening and appropriate referral.
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Ask anyone if they have experienced a violent incident or know someone who has and they will say yes. Violence has touched every single person in some form or another. It has a ripple effect that touches us in our homes, workplaces, and on the streets. Interpersonal violence not only has an impact upon the individuals at the time, but such trauma lingers through short term (and long term) mental health and physical problems as well as economic troubles. Domestic violence shelters throughout the country are filling to capacity and have more requests for assistance than ever before. Help our communities help themselves by taking a stand to speak out against violence; voice your opinions to policy makers, report child abuse, volunteer at a shelter, and simply don’t tolerate voilence laden comments by people you come into contact with.

Lea Sevey
Executive Director
Oasis Shelter Home, Inc.

absolutely!!!  as someone that has dedicated their career to working with survivors or domestic and sexual violence, i don’t understand how the question could even be posed.  we see on a daily basis how violence impacts survivors health - physically, mentally and emotionally.  perhaps if society could shift the way it looked at dv/sa to a public health issue, we might see better developed resources for both survivors and offenders.  we might be able to better develop programs that work with people to break the cycle and in the end improve overall health issues.

Violence is a public health issue in such a substantial way, I am surprised the question even needs to be asked. The cause of violence is a direct reflection of our community, the school system, education, home life, mental health issues, and social understanding. It’s origin, be it environmental or organic, is (at best) widely disputed. Yet, it is a crucial understanding needed to assist in the prevention, treatment, punishment, and recovery of it’s existence and effect. The trauma it causes the victims, their family and friends, the person responsible for the violence and their family and friends, as well as the professionals and community that address it’s existence and the after math, in and of itself is a health epidemic. The fear it generates, the cycle it creates, and the attention it needs in response and prevention take a large toll on many of our governmental, community, and private organizations, both in funds and in resources. Addressing violence is far more a health issue than it is an issue of criminal justice. And until we recognize the entire scope of its reach, it will continue to plague our society and drain our resources. From our justice department and medical organizations, to our government assistance programs and schools; it is quite possibly the most dangerous and expensive health issue our society faces today.

Yes, violence is a serious public health issue. At this point we know that exposure to violence may, and oftentimes does, result in PTSD. Which is no longer a theory but a treatable/treated condition. Parents are oftentimes concerned about the violent videogames their children play. But some of the most popular games, Grand Theft Auto for example, are based on an inner-city reality for many children and adults alike. So if one set of parents are rightly concerned that their children will be adversely affected by fictional violence then we should all be very concerned by the very real violence that some of us experience on an almost daily basis. We also now know how destructive stress is on the body and brain. (If violence doesn’t cause stress I cannot imagine what does.) So if a lot of our fellow citizens live in a violent, stressful world then their health will be impacted - which impacts us all.