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Health Cares About Domestic Violence Day (HCADV Day) is a national observance organized by Futures Without Violence to highlight the essential roles health professionals and health systems play in addressing domestic violence (DV). This year, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) is recognizing HCADV Day with our own message: Public Health Cares About Domestic Violence.
Why does public health care about domestic violence?
Domestic violence, also called intimate partner violence (IPV), can affect health in both immediate and long-term ways. Beyond physical injuries, survivors may face impacts on their mental health, reproductive autonomy, access to health care, and overall well-being. Children and adolescents can also be affected by experiencing or witnessing violence in their homes and communities.
The impacts of DV are significant:
- IPV affects over 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men in their lifetimes.
- The estimated lifetime cost of IPV is $103,767 per female victim and $23,414 per male victim.
- Children who witness domestic violence are more likely to report chronic health conditions as adults.
- Over half of women and a fifth of men living with HIV have experienced IPV, and nearly a quarter of women with HIV report abuse by a partner after disclosing their status.
- Survivors are 2 times more likely to develop symptoms of depression and 3 times more likely to develop a major depressive disorder.
Public health professionals have opportunities to promote prevention, recognize signs of violence, connect people with resources, and build systems that are responsive to the needs and experiences of people impacted by DV.
At PDPH, the Office of Domestic Violence Strategies (ODVS) works to strengthen the City’s response to domestic violence through education, partnerships, and systems-level strategies. ODVS is housed within the Division of Reproductive, Adolescent, and Child Health (ReACH), but DV intersects with the work of every area of public health.
PUBLIC Health Cares About Domestic Violence
To recognize HCADV Day, ODVS hosted a Public Health Cares About DV open house for PDPH staff on October 14. The event brought together colleagues from across the Health Department to learn more about the work being done by ODVS and explore how domestic violence intersects with their own programs.
Through conversations and connections across divisions, the open house highlighted an important message: there is a role for everyone in public health when it comes to preventing domestic violence. Building awareness across the Health Department helps us identify opportunities to strengthen prevention, improve connections to resources and services, and better support the health and safety of Philadelphians.