Gaby Ortiz-Barreda

Worldwide violence against women legislation: An equity approach

OBJECTIVES To describe the recommendations and interventions addressing violence against women (VAW) in vulnerable women (disabled, pregnant, ethnic minority, immigrant and older women) in key documents and laws enacted in different countries. METHODS Content analysis of key documents for the development of VAW policies and laws: The United Nations Handbook for Legislation on Violence Against Women Advance Version, the Model of Laws and Policies on Intrafamiliar Violence Against Women of the Pan-American Health Organization and Recommendation No. R(2002)5 of the Committee of Ministers of the European Council. The content of the 62 VAW laws was also analyzed. RESULTS Key documents demonstrate the importance of eliminating any obstacle facing disabled, pregnant, immigrant, ethnic minority or older women when accessing VAW services. Only 12 laws mention one or more of these groups of vulnerable women. Pregnant, disabled and ethnic minority women are the groups most often mentioned. In these laws, references to punitive measures, action plans and specific strategies to guarantee access to VAW resources are the most common interventions. CONCLUSION Decisive interventions addressing the specific needs of disabled, pregnant, immigrant, ethnic minority and older women are needed in order to achieve a broader equity approach in VAW legislation.

Mapping violence against women laws in the world: an overview of state commitments

A life free from violence constitutes a human right that over half of the worlds female population do not enjoy because of the abuse inflicted on them by their intimate partners.1 Violence against women (VAW) is a social problem that States must address legally to deal with this source of injustice, inequality, and physical and non-physical health problems.2 The legal framework established by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women3 represents a move in this direction, while demands made by the womens movement have stimulated the development of laws and policies in many countries. This editorial aims to describe the international situation as regards VAW legislation, focusing in particular on violence by intimate partners. It also discussed the minimum standards that such laws should incorporate, as defined by experts from the Council of Europe,4 WHO,5 the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.6 We end with suggestions for future lines of research. According to information compiled for legal databases,7–11 115 countries have adopted or revised legislation on VAW, enacting different kinds of instruments such as laws, legal codes or legal reforms in their constitutions. Specific VAW laws encompassing the areas of health, education, social services, legal …

Professionals’ Perceptions of Support Resources for Battered Immigrant Women: Chronicle of an Anticipated Failure

The aim of this study was to explore the experience of service providers in Spain regarding their daily professional encounters with battered immigrant women and their perception of this group’s help-seeking process and the eventual abandonment of the same. Twenty-nine in-depth interviews and four focus group discussions were conducted with a total of 43 professionals involved in providing support to battered immigrant women. We interviewed social workers, psychologists, intercultural mediators, judges, lawyers, and public health professionals from Spain. Through qualitative content analysis, four categories emerged: (a) frustration with the victim’s decision to abandon the help-seeking process, (b) ambivalent positions regarding differences between immigrant and Spanish women, (c) difficulties in the migratory process that may hinder the help-seeking process, and (d) criticisms regarding the inefficiency of existing resources. The four categories were cross-cut by an overarching theme: helping immigrant women not to abandon the help-seeking process as a chronicle of anticipated failure. The main reasons that emerged for abandoning the help-seeking process involved structural factors such as economic dependence, loss of social support after leaving their country of origin, and limited knowledge about available resources. The professionals perceived their encounters with battered immigrant women to be frustrating and unproductive because they felt that they had few resources to back them up. They felt that despite the existence of public policies targeting intimate partner violence (IPV) and immigration in Spain, the resources dedicated to tackling gender-based violence were insufficient to meet battered immigrant women’s needs. Professionals should be trained both in the problem of IPV and in providing support to the immigrant population.

Revisión bibliográfica sobre la prevención del cáncer en personas inmigrantes residentes en España

BACKGROUND Secondary prevention of breast cancer, cervix and colon is performed by screening. Spain in the last decade has presented a major wave of migration; it is known that immigrants have more inequalities in access to health services compared to the native population. The objective is to review the published studies and identify gaps in research on cancer prevention among immigrants living in Spain. METHODS We have conducted a scoping review. The sources of information were the databases Medline (Pubmed) and MEDES - medicine in Spanish (1998-2012). We used three thematic filters: concerning to Cancer, immigration and geographic. Inclusion criteria were studies of cancer prevention and health of immigrants from Latin America, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe and developed in Spain. We developed an ad hoc data collection protocol. RESULTS We included five studies of 237 reviewed. The included studies are written in English and published in journals with impact factor. Most studies have used country of origin as the immigration variable 80 % of the studies conducted cross-sectional surveys. Immigrant population had a lower participation of early detection of breast and cervical cancer. Women reported to be sex workers were more likely to be human papillomavirus positive for high risk types. CONCLUSION There is little information on cancer prevention through screening programs in the immigrant population. It is important to evaluate and improve the screening circuits and registries to implement programs to better identify the most vulnerable population groups.Background: Secondary prevention of breast cancer, cervix and colon is performed by screening. Spain in the last decade has presented a major wave of migration; it is known that immigrants have more inequalities in access to health services compared to the native population. The objective is to review the published studies and identify gaps in research on cancer prevention among immigrants living in Spain. Methods: We have conducted a scoping review. The sources of information were the databases Medline (Pubmed) and MEDES - medicine in Spanish (1998-2012). We used three thematic filters: concerning to Cancer, immigration and geographic. Inclusion criteria were studies of cancer prevention and health of immigrants from Latin America, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe and developed in Spain. We developed an ad hoc data collection protocol. Results: We included five studies of 237 reviewed. The included studies are written in English and published in journals with impact factor. Most studies have used country of origin as the immigration variable 80 % of the studies conducted cross-sectional surveys. Immigrant population had a lower participation of early detection of breast and cervical cancer. Women reported to be sex workers were more likely to be human papillomavirus positive for high risk types. Conclusion: There is little information on cancer prevention through screening programs in the immigrant population. It is important to evaluate and improve the screening circuits and registries to implement programs to better identify the most vulnerable population groups.

Gender-based violence in immigrant and Spanish women: scale of the problem, responses and current policies.

Objective To compare the prevalence of gender-based violence among immigrant and Spanish women. To describe their responses to this problem and the possible differences. To identify specific interventions to deal with gender-based violence in immigrant women in Spain.OBJECTIVE To compare the prevalence of gender-based violence among immigrant and Spanish women. To describe their responses to this problem and the possible differences. To identify specific interventions to deal with gender-based violence in immigrant women in Spain. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional survey through a self-administered questionnaire in 10,202 women attending primary care in Spain (2006-2007). A content analysis was performed of the follow-up report of law 1/2004 of integral protection measures against gender violence sent by each Spanish region (2005) and the most recent regional laws and acts. RESULTS The prevalence of gender-based violence was 14.3% in Spanish women and 27.9% in immigrant women. The likelihood of gender-based violence was higher in immigrant (odds ratio adjusted: 2.06; 95% confidence interval: 1.61-2.64). Immigrant women more frequently reported that they had denounced their intimate partners and that they did not know how to manage the situation. Some Spanish regions have already started interventions to overcome access barriers to social and health services, but only three have provided data on the number of immigrant women who received economic and occupational help up to 2005. CONCLUSIONS Inequalities were observed in the prevalence of gender-based violence according to country of origin, with immigrant women being more frequently affected. Immigrant women more frequently denounce their intimate partners than Spanish women but this action does not guarantee effective results. Other specific interventions have been identified in some autonomous regions of Spain but these interventions need to be evaluated to ensure that they benefit immigrant women.

Violencia de género en mujeres inmigrantes y españolas: magnitud, respuestas ante el problema y políticas existentes

Objective To compare the prevalence of gender-based violence among immigrant and Spanish women. To describe their responses to this problem and the possible differences. To identify specific interventions to deal with gender-based violence in immigrant women in Spain.OBJECTIVE To compare the prevalence of gender-based violence among immigrant and Spanish women. To describe their responses to this problem and the possible differences. To identify specific interventions to deal with gender-based violence in immigrant women in Spain. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional survey through a self-administered questionnaire in 10,202 women attending primary care in Spain (2006-2007). A content analysis was performed of the follow-up report of law 1/2004 of integral protection measures against gender violence sent by each Spanish region (2005) and the most recent regional laws and acts. RESULTS The prevalence of gender-based violence was 14.3% in Spanish women and 27.9% in immigrant women. The likelihood of gender-based violence was higher in immigrant (odds ratio adjusted: 2.06; 95% confidence interval: 1.61-2.64). Immigrant women more frequently reported that they had denounced their intimate partners and that they did not know how to manage the situation. Some Spanish regions have already started interventions to overcome access barriers to social and health services, but only three have provided data on the number of immigrant women who received economic and occupational help up to 2005. CONCLUSIONS Inequalities were observed in the prevalence of gender-based violence according to country of origin, with immigrant women being more frequently affected. Immigrant women more frequently denounce their intimate partners than Spanish women but this action does not guarantee effective results. Other specific interventions have been identified in some autonomous regions of Spain but these interventions need to be evaluated to ensure that they benefit immigrant women.

OriginalViolencia de género en mujeres inmigrantes y españolas: magnitud, respuestas ante el problema y políticas existentesGender-based violence in immigrant and spanish women: scale of the problem, responses and current policies

Objective To compare the prevalence of gender-based violence among immigrant and Spanish women. To describe their responses to this problem and the possible differences. To identify specific interventions to deal with gender-based violence in immigrant women in Spain.OBJECTIVE To compare the prevalence of gender-based violence among immigrant and Spanish women. To describe their responses to this problem and the possible differences. To identify specific interventions to deal with gender-based violence in immigrant women in Spain. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional survey through a self-administered questionnaire in 10,202 women attending primary care in Spain (2006-2007). A content analysis was performed of the follow-up report of law 1/2004 of integral protection measures against gender violence sent by each Spanish region (2005) and the most recent regional laws and acts. RESULTS The prevalence of gender-based violence was 14.3% in Spanish women and 27.9% in immigrant women. The likelihood of gender-based violence was higher in immigrant (odds ratio adjusted: 2.06; 95% confidence interval: 1.61-2.64). Immigrant women more frequently reported that they had denounced their intimate partners and that they did not know how to manage the situation. Some Spanish regions have already started interventions to overcome access barriers to social and health services, but only three have provided data on the number of immigrant women who received economic and occupational help up to 2005. CONCLUSIONS Inequalities were observed in the prevalence of gender-based violence according to country of origin, with immigrant women being more frequently affected. Immigrant women more frequently denounce their intimate partners than Spanish women but this action does not guarantee effective results. Other specific interventions have been identified in some autonomous regions of Spain but these interventions need to be evaluated to ensure that they benefit immigrant women.