Paediatric health care in the #MeToo era: Advocating for survivors of sexual violence

• Published in: Paediatrics & child health Vol. 24; no. 4; p. 213
• Main Authors: Azzopardi, Corry, Smith, Tanya D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press 01.07.2019
• Subjects: Health care industry; Health care reform; Social advocacy; Ontario
• ISSN: 1205-7088
• DOI: 10.1093/pch/pxyl86

We are witnessing a momentous cultural shift in how we understand, respond to, and resist sexual violence. Rise of the #MeToo movement has ignited a viral wave of consciousness raising, dialogue, and advocacy on an international scale. Women and girls have been empowered to share their stories of sexual assault, bringing to light the widespread prevalence of gender-based violence. As the shame and blame that have silenced victims gradually diminish, we anticipate a continued upward trend in sexual assault disclosure among youth, and corresponding increase in demand for trauma-informed paediatric sexual assault services. It is our collective responsibility to prevent revictimization and retraumatization by the very systems designed to help. In this critical lens commentary, we strongly advocate for heightened awareness and improved responsiveness among paediatric health care providers and policymakers to effectively and ethically meet the diverse needs of the growing number of young survivors who take the brave step of speaking out and reaching out. Keywords: Gender-based violence; Paediatric health; Sexual assault; Social advocacy; Trauma-informed care.