ABSTRACT
After centuries of definition as a private matter in most societies, violence and its impact on women, children, and the assailants themselves have taken center stage as a public health and social issue of worldwide concern. In virtually every country, violence and oppression against women remains firmly rooted – women and children are the major victims of male aggression and homicide both inside and outside the home – and the greatest risk for women and children is from men they know (UN Population Fund, 2000; US Department of State, 1998; WHO, 2004). Increasingly, countries such as the United States and Canada, and international bodies such as the United Nations (UN), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Council on Women’s Health Issues are declaring physical and sexual abuse as a violation of human rights.
