Throughout the world, violence against women is a pervasive public health and human rights issue, affecting the physical and mental health of women and girls and tearing families and communities apart.

Worldwide, one in three women have been beaten, coerced into sex, or abused in some way, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The emotional, physical and financial toll on women around the world is enormous.

Gender-based violence (GBV) is defined as actual or threatened physical, sexual, and psychological violence that occurs either within the family or in the broader community. International Medical Corps takes a holistic approach so that we not only treat the physical and psychological aftermath of abuse, but also prevent future cases through community education and outreach.

The majority of our GBV help is provided at the primary health care facilities that we support so that survivors can be discreetly provided with timely and effective treatment at the same time as accessing other types of medical care.

Whether working in areas of armed conflict where rape has become a weapon of war, or in more stable environments where violence against women is less visible, International Medical Corps aims to strengthen the ability of local health care workers to identify and treat survivors. Our teams can offer medical care, psychological support, and where appropriate advice on legal and economic issues as well.

International Medical Corps has successfully run violence against women projects in some of the most challenging and conservative communities in the world, with significant successes in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia, Somalia and Democratic Republic of Congo.