Something different has been happening over the last few months. As the world is continuing to confront the problem of violence, the conversation is increasingly talking about violence as a health and public health issue. And this is happening in Every. Single. State. (and also DC) This is perspective change in action.
Check out these examples from each of the fifty states – all within the last couple of months:
- Alabama –Violence is a Public Health Concern
- Alaska –Tackling Alaska’s Domestic Violence Epidemic
- Arizona – New Arizona law provides sick leave for Domestic Violence Victims
- Arkansas – Health Care Providers Fight Domestic Violence with Pilot Program
- California – Why We Should Be Treating Gun Violence Like Every Other Epidemic
- Colorado – Gun Violence is a Health Equity Issue
- Connecticut – Moms Demand Action Walks for Fun Violence Prevention
- Delaware – With grant, Delaware will use data to reduce violence
- Florida – Suicide rates rising in Florida and across the US
- Georgia – Child Sexual Abuse In US Costs $1.5 million Per Child Death
- Hawaii – Hawaii Lawmakers Urge More Funding for Suicide Prevention
- Idaho – What Is Sexual Violence
- Illinois – Next Illinois Governor Has to Address the State’s Major Violence Issue
- Indiana – Council Committee Declares Gun Violence in Indianapolis a Public Health Danger
- Iowa – Treating Violence as a Public Health Problem
- Kansas – Garcia:Spike in Gun Violence Points to Public Health Crisis
- Kentucky – Experts Say Gun Violence is Public Health Crisis
- Louisiana – Louisiana’s Domestic Violence Problem
- Maine – Maine Men Gather in Portland to Launch Campaign Denouncing Violence Against Women
- Maryland – There’s a Cheap and Effective Way to Reduce Gun Violence. Why Aren’t More States Doing it?
- Massachusetts – Is Violence a Contagious Disease
- Michigan – Treat Gun Violence Like a Public Health Issue
- Minnesota – Viewing Violence as a Public Health Issue
- Mississippi – 590 Mississippi Children Died in 2015, 220 of Their Deaths Were Preventable
- Missouri – Some Hospitals Boost Health by Preventing Violence
- Montana – Montana Leads National Suicide Rate Growth in Latest Report
- Nebraska – Health Systems Team Up with YouTurn to Stop Violence
- Nevada – Las Vegas Shooting: Violence in the US Isn’t Just Tragic, It’s a Public Health Crisis
- New Hampshire – Local Increase in Child Abuse, Neglect Reports Tops State
- New Jersey – Hate Crime Propels LGBTQ Issues Into Spotlight
- New Mexico – Seeking a Cure for New Mexico’s Epidemic of Violent Crime
- New York – Police Killings Have Harmed Mental Health in Black Communities, Study Finds
- North Carolina – A Call for Gun Violence Prevention
- North Dakota – North Dakota Health Officials Respond to Rising Suicide Rate
- Ohio – Group Recommends Treating Violence as a Public Health Problem
- Oklahoma – Why has Oklahoma’s Public Health Community Been Silent on Gun Deaths?
- Oregon – OHSU and Portland State to Address Gun Violence as Public Health Issue in Community Forum
- Pennsylvania – Penn Trauma Surgeons: Racial Disparity ‘Profound’ in Philly Gun Violence
- Rhode Island – Stories of Gun Violence Pour Into RI Hospital Researcher
- South Carolina – SC shortchanging abused children, experts say
- South Dakota – IHS Behavioral Health Grants Include Help for South Dakota Programs
- Tennessee – A Program Looking to Cure Gun Violence comes to Nashville
- Texas – Texas Health Experts Can Address Gun Violence
- Utah – Department of Health Shows Debilitating Effects of Intimate Partner Violence in Utah
- Vermont – VT advocate: We forget that Domestic Violence is in our Neighborhood
- Virginia – Surviving Richmond’s Cycle of Violence
- Washington – Fatal Gun Violence Looks Different for Seattle Kids, Depending on Where They Live
- West Virginia – How Domestic Violence Affects Health Care
- Wisconsin – Public Health Approach Seeks to Cure Violence by Healing Trauma
- Wyoming – Surviving Suicide in Wyoming
- Washington, DC – Gun Violence is a Disease, Has DC Found a Cure?
- The public health approach to violence prevention is also spreading internationally. Within the last month, both Toronto and London have taken major moves to align their work with the goals of the Movement.
These articles are a random sample of news articles that are framing violence as a health issue. It is obviously not complete – much of the impactful work of our partners is not represented in this list nor do the articles represent the perspectives of the Movement or the state named. The exercise is meant to display that progress is being made, but as you can see in many of the articles (if not all), there is still so much that needs to be done.
But, as we all know, just saying violence is a health issue isn’t enough. We must continue to push forward to identify opportunities to invest in comprehensive systems change – to save lives and heal from the devastating impact of violence. These changes must be supported by policy changes that move us closer to equity, have multi-sector buy-in and accountability. So, let’s take some time to reflect, celebrate and then dive back in and keep up the good work.*