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The Global status report on violence prevention 20141 describes what countries are doing to address interpersonal violence, and is a joint publication of WHO, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and United Nations Development Programme. Interpersonal violence includes child maltreatment, youth violence, intimate partner violence, sexual violence and elder abuse.2 It is a leading cause of death among young people and results in millions of non-fatal injuries that receive emergency medical care. Furthermore, exposure to interpersonal violence is associated with increased health risk behaviours mental health problems, physical health problems and reproductive health problems.2
Epidemiological studies of interpersonal violence are increasing, as are outcome evaluation studies of what works to prevent it.3 By contrast, few efforts have documented the extent to which countries are making use of scientific knowledge to design and monitor policies, programmes and laws to prevent such violence and provide services for victims.4–6
WHO has promoted a public health approach to preventing interpersonal violence since the mid-1990s, and WHO Member …