Developing sexual violence prevention strategies by bridging spheres of public health

J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2010 Oct;19(10):1811-4. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2010.2311.

Abstract

Sexual violence (SV) is a significant public health problem with multiple negative physical and emotional sequelae for both victims and perpetrators. Despite substantial research and program activity over the past 20 years, there are few programs with demonstrated effectiveness in preventing SV. As a result, the field may benefit from considering effective approaches used with other risk behaviors that share risk factors with SV. The Division of Violence Prevention (DVP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has taken several steps to identify and understand the breadth of risk factors for sexual violence and to delineate the implications of these factors in the development of effective prevention strategies. This report from CDC will highlight several risk factors that, although not traditionally included in SV prevention efforts, may be important areas on which to focus and may ultimately prevent youth from embarking on trajectories resulting in SV perpetration.

MeSH terms

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.
  • Female
  • Health Services Research
  • Humans
  • Program Development*
  • Public Health / methods*
  • Public Health Practice / standards*
  • Risk Factors
  • Sex Offenses / prevention & control*
  • United States
  • Violence / prevention & control*