Prevention of Sexual Violence in America: Where Do We Stand?

• Published in: American journal of public health (1971) 2021-03, Vol.111 (3), p.339-341
• Main Author: Waechter, Randall
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aggression; Coronaviruses; Costs; COVID-19; COVID-19 vaccines; Crime; Criminal justice; Disease control; Disease prevention; Emergency medical care; Emergency Service, Hospital; Environmental aspects; Environmental factors; Epidemiology; Food contamination; Food contamination & poisoning; Funding; Gender; Health problems; Health surveillance; Herd immunity; Humans; Illnesses; Immunization; Injury/Emergency Care/Violence; Judicial system; Medical personnel; Medical workers; Microbial contamination; Microorganisms; Offenders; Offenses; Opinions, Ideas, & Practice; Pandemics; Power; Prevention; Prevention programs; Public health; Rape; Schools; Sentinel Surveillance; Sex crimes; Sex Offenses - prevention & control; Sexual assault; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Health; Tobacco; Trends; United States; Vaccination; Vaccine development; Vaccines; Victimization; Victims; Victims of crime; Violence; Water pollution; Womens health; Women’s Health
• ISSN: 0090-0036; 1541-0048
• DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2020.306120

With an annual cost of approximately $1.03 trillion ($921.72 billion in 2013 dollars),1 rape is one of the most expensive public health problems in the United States. If sexual violence other than rape is included, the number of victimizations increases from approximately 2 million to 12 million annually, and the associated cost is in trillions of dollars, making sexual violence the most expensive enduring public health problem. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has cost an estimated $16 trillion to date, this will theoretically be a one-time cost. Once 70% of the population has become immune, either through infection or vaccination, illness is predicted to drop significantly because of herd immunity. Sexual violence, by contrast, is persistent and pervasive, and the costs outlined do not even account for its emotional impact.Prevention is one of the pillars of public health. Primary prevention-the avoidance of biological, social, and environmental factors that cause illness and disease-is the ultimate goal of every public health professional, policymaker, and frontline health worker treating patients or, in this case, victims of sexual violence. The most significant historical advancements in human health have resulted from primary prevention efforts. Improvement in providing clean water and sanitization, decreased microbial contamination of food, vaccine development, and reduction in tobacco use are a few examples.When it comes to the prevention of sexual violence, the United States has a very long way to go. There are a number of potential explanations for the slow progress.1 Despite the World Health Organization's 1996 call to view violence as a public health issue rather than a criminal justice issue, sexual violence continuesto be addressed primarily as a justice concern.1 There are a number of sociocultural and historical factors driving this justice emphasis thatare beyond the scope of this editorial. Investigating crimes and prosecuting offenders is important, but given the potentially enduring impact of sexual violence on victims, prevention is more important.