In response to the alarming prevalence of gender-based violence across the Americas, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has introduced a pioneering rapid assessment instrument designed to revolutionize care for survivors of sexual assault. This initiative addresses the staggering statistic indicating approximately one-third of women in the region experience physical or sexual violence during their lifetimes.
The innovative tool provides public health systems with an evidence-based framework to critically evaluate emergency room and clinical services, identify significant deficiencies in post-assault care protocols, and enhance medical responses to this pervasive public health crisis. Launched during a specialized webinar attended by over 400 healthcare professionals, the instrument enables nations to transform regional commitments into tangible improvements within medical facilities.
Britta Monika Baer, PAHO’s violence prevention advisor, emphasized the critical nature of this development: ‘Every survivor deserves compassionate, comprehensive healthcare following sexual assault. Medical systems serve not merely as responders but as essential lifelines capable of restoring dignity, preventing lifelong physical and psychological trauma, and ultimately disrupting cycles of violence.’
This groundbreaking assessment methodology builds upon PAHO’s existing Strategy and Plan of Action on Strengthening the Health System to Address Violence against Women (2015-2025), which recognizes healthcare’s dual role in both responding to and preventing violence. Developed with financial support from the Canadian government, the tool answers health ministers’ requests for practical resources to monitor progress against regional indicators while optimizing limited resources.
Specifically tailored to the Americas’ healthcare context and initially designed in Spanish, the instrument incorporates World Health Organization clinical guidelines on intimate partner and sexual violence while integrating quality-assurance standards from partner organizations. PAHO has adapted these international protocols to focus specifically on core post-rape care components and frontline provider competencies, addressing the urgent need for compassionate care to prevent unintended pregnancies, HIV transmission, and other sexually transmitted infections while safeguarding survivor well-being.