Reproductive health services and intimate partner violence: shaping a pragmatic response in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The context of intimate partner violence in Sub-Saharan Africa is examined, the intersections between partner violence and reproductive health are outlined, the opportunities for linkage at the program and service levels are considered and the challenges related to developing an active response to domestic violence within reproductive health services are explored.

Abstract

More than a decade ago Lori Heise and other advocates against intimate partner violence highlighted the urgent need for stronger links between their cause and the reproductive health movement. Since then the magnitude and implications of violence against women have gained more attention leading to greater recognition and acknowledgment of the negative consequences of violence for womens reproductive health. At the national policy level however violence and reproductive health often remain distinct despite the framing of both issues as essential components of womens human rights and the growing evidence connecting them. In particular linkage is generally inadequately addressed at the service level: Services that explicitly address violence against women are seldom integrated into womens reproductive health services and there are few initiatives to integrate reproductive health services into a multisectoral response to violence against women. In this comment we examine the context of intimate partner violence in Sub-Saharan Africa outline the intersections between partner violence and reproductive health and consider the opportunities for linkage at the program and service levels. In addition we explore the opportunities and challenges related to developing an active response to domestic violence within reproductive health services in Sub-Saharan Africa. (excerpt)