Media Releases and Opportunities

The rise in rates of violence against women during the COVID-19 pandemic led to renewed calls for health systems across the country to be part of a strengthened response to the phenomenon, with health-care services often being the only formal supports to which survivors turn.

Some of the push to strengthen that response was outlined in recommendations made over the last two years in Nova Scotia following homicides related to intimate partner violence.

Yet, little is known about the health system's capacity to take up these calls especially in light of the continued impacts of this worldwide health crisis, which saw incidences of gender-based violence increase so dramatically that the UN referred to it as a shadow pandemic.

Researchers at Dalhousie University are filling in that knowledge gap with a new study in Preventive Medicine Reports that investigated awareness and practices around violence against women among health professionals in Nova Scotia.

Led by Dr. Alexa Yakubovich, the team conducted an online survey with roughly 1,650 people working in policy and health-service areas deemed to be a priority in addressing violence in the province from November 2023 to February 2024. Those included frontline public health, mental health and addictions workers, amongst others.

The researchers found significant gaps in the current capacity of Nova Scotia’s health system to respond to violence against women. Nearly one in two participants reported they saw recent cases of violence in their work, but lacked the appropriate knowledge and resources to respond effectively.

Dr. Yakubovich, an assistant professor in Dal's Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, is available to discuss the findings and why they highlight the need for more domestic and sexualized violence training, improved knowledge of resources, and stronger directives to identify and respond to violence among patients across the health system.

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Media contact:

Alison Auld
Senior Research Reporter
Dalhousie University
Cell: 1-902-220-0491
Email: alison.auld@dal.ca