Stop violence against women

I have previously written on this subject in other platforms before. 

Today, I witnessed a young man melting out serious beating on his pregnant wife and was about using a mortar to hit her when we quickly intervened. This convinced me to write once again on this crucial subject.

Abuse of women is any use of psychological, physical or sexual force, actual or threatened, in an intimate relationship. Intimate relationships include a current or former spouse, and an intimate, or dating partner. Violence is used to intimidate, humiliate or frighten victims, or to make them feel powerless.

Men can also be abused, but the term 'women abuse' recognizes that women are most often the victims of abuse and men are most often the perpetrators.
Abuse against women occurs in families of all socioeconomic, educational and cultural backgrounds and is found in both rural and urban settings. 

When women and girls are oppressed by violence and intimidation, businesses and government agencies are impacted — from employee absences, security costs, prosecution of alleged perpetrators, and increased poverty from a shrunken workforce of female citizens unable to work at their full capacity. 

Further, women who have experienced violence are at a higher risk of HIV infection. A critical survey several years ago among South African women showed that those who were beaten by their partners were 48% more likely to be infected with HIV than those who were not beaten. 

Abuse can include physical violence, emotional abuse, sexual interaction without consent, or rape, economic control, political disenfranchisement, denial of the right to education, as well as denial of independent movement or action.
Simply, it is any form of violence against women and girls because they are women and girls, which specifically means it’s a form of gender violence.
The UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women states that: "violence against women is a manifestation of historically unequal power relations between men and women" and that "violence against women is one of the crucial social mechanisms by which women are forced into a subordinate position compared with men."[1]

Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations, declared in a 2006 report posted on the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) website that: Violence against women and girls is a problem of pandemic proportions. At least one out of every three women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime with the abuser usually someone known to her.

Violence against women is considered as a violation of human rights [2] as well as a public health issue [3]

Challenges faced by women in obtaining justice may include:

*Lack of criminalization of acts of abuses, female genital mutilation (FGM), forced rape, child marriage

*Not being aware of the existing laws

*Challenge of making a case in court

As an advocate, i solemnly pledge to mitigate and halt this pernicious phenomenon.

Women and girls are not to be battered, trampled on and abused.  They are to be loved, empowered, given leadership roles, allowed to make tough decisions, vote and be voted for.

Keno Ekpokpobe 

Public Health Researcher

CITATION 

.^[1] "A/RES/48/104 - Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women". United Nations General Assembly. Retrieved2014-08-06.

^[2]Robinson, N. P. (2006). "Origins of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women: The Caribbean Contribution". Caribbean Studies. 34 (2): 141–161. JSTOR 25613539.

 ^[3] Michau, L. (2006). "Approaching Old Problems in New Ways: Community Mobilisation as a Primary Prevention Strategy to Combat Violence against Women". Gender and Development. 15 (1): 95–109. JSTOR 20461184.doi:10.1080/13552070601179144

Some part of this article was culled from "Understanding the Rights of Women and Girls" by U.S Department of State

Painful Menstruation

I wrote about Menstrual Hygiene in my previous article. I will be focusing on menstrual pain and what you need to do to help relieve you or your friends of the pain(s).

Menstruation occurs when the uterus sheds its lining once a month. The lining passes through a small opening in the cervix and out through the vaginal canal.

Some pain, cramping, and discomfort during menstrual periods is normal. Excessive pain that causes you to miss work or school is not.

Painful menstruation is also called dysmenorrhea. There are two types of dysmenorrhea: primary and secondary.
Primary dysmenorrhea occurs in women who experience pain before and during menstruation. Women who have had normal periods that become painful later in life may have secondary dysmenorrhea. A condition affecting the uterus or other pelvic organs, such as endometriosis (the abnormal growth of cells similar to those that form the inside of the uterus, but in a location outside of the uterus) or uterine fibroid can cause this.

What are the causes?

There may not be an identifiable cause of your painful menstrual periods. Some women are at a higher risk for having painful menstrual periods. These risks include: being under age 20, having a family history of painful periods, smoking, having heavy bleeding with periods, having irregular periods, never having had a baby, reaching puberty before age 11.

A hormone called prostaglandin triggers muscle contractions in your uterus that expel the lining. These contractions can cause pain, decrease blood flow and oxygen to the uterus, and inflammation. The level of prostaglandin rises right before menstruation begins.

Painful menstrual periods can also be the result of an underlying medical condition, such as:
premenstrual syndrome (PMS): a group of symptoms caused by hormonal changes in the body that occur 1 to 2 weeks before menstruation begins and go away after a woman begins to bleed. Its severe form causes a woman to feel anger, irritable,  very sad or nervous. It can make her have trouble with friends and family and can cause difficulty paying attention to work or school.
endometriosis: a painful medical condition in which cells from the lining of the uterus grow in other parts of the body, usually on the fallopian tubes, ovaries, or tissue lining the pelvis
fibroids in the uterus: non-cancerous tumors that can put pressure on the uterus or cause abnormal menstruation and pain
pelvic inflammatory disease (PID): an infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes, or ovaries often caused by sexually transmitted bacteria that causes inflammation of the reproductive organs and pain
adenomyosis: a rare condition in which the uterine lining grows into the muscular wall of the uterus and can be painful because it causes inflammation and pressure
cervical stenosis: a rare condition in which the cervix is so small it slows menstrual flow, causing an increase of pressure inside the uterus that causes pain.

Home treatment

Home care treatments may be successful in relieving painful menstrual periods and can include:
*Taking an anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen several days before your expected period
*Taking vitamin B-6, vitamin B-1, vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and magnesium supplements
*Applying heat to the lower abdomen with a hot water bottle or back massaging your abdomen
*Taking a warm bath
*Regular physical exercise
* Practicing relaxation techniques or yoga
*Reducing your intake of salt, alcohol, caffeine, and sugar to prevent bloating.

Use of hormonal birth control may improve symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea (Archer, 2006; Harel, 2006)
If pains persist or become unbearable, please visit a qualified doctor for treatment.

Keno Ekpokpobe
Public Health Researcher

CITATION
Archer DF (November 2006). "Menstrual-cycle-related symptoms: a review of the rationale for continuous use of oral contraceptives". Contraception. 74 (5): 359–66. PMID 17046376.doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2006.06.003.

Harel Z (December 2006). "Dysmenorrhea in adolescents and young adults: etiology and management". J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 19 (6): 363–71.PMID 17174824.doi:10.1016/j.jpag.2006.09.001.

Menstrual hygiene

Hygiene can be defined as practices (as of cleanliness) conducive to health.
Hygiene is important during menstruation as it can reduce the chances of getting infections of the reproductive tract.
Menstrual hygiene (MH) is necessary because it prevents genital infections, itching and discharge. MH prevents embarrassment so that you can be confident about yourself.
How can you care for your body during menstruation?
Develop a general habit of cleanliness. These includes:
1. Take a bath with soap and water regularly twice a day. Wash the genital area to remove secretions that can cause odour or infections. N.B: Do not put anything inside the vagina as it is self-cleansing.
2. Wash clothes and underwear regularly. Underpants should not be worn more than once before washing.
3. Washing or cleaning the genital area after defecating should be from front to back (using clean water, no soap).
4. After each episode of urination, clean backwards with a soft tissue or clean water to remove any remaining urine or secretions to reduce offensive odour.
5. Menstrual pads should be changed as soon as they are moderately soaked. This is to reduce smells or irritation of skin from wet pads.
6. Do not use tissue paper as menstrual pads because they break and small pieces may remain in the vagina and cause infection.
7. Keep the area between the legs dry to avoid chafing.
8. Keep paper towels, sanitizers and sanitary pads in your bag when going out.

Joshua Ekpokpobe
Public Health Researcher

For more reading, get the pamphlet - Menstrual hygiene by the Young Doctors Forum of MWAN (Medical Women Association of Nigeria) in partnership with C-HELP (Centre for Health Education and Life Promotion)

Antenatal Care and it's benefits

Antenatal care (ANC) is the care you receive from healthcare professionals during your pregnancy. This care can be provided by a team that can include a doctor, a midwife, and usually with a doctor who specialises in pregnancy and birth (an Obstetrician).
Antenatal care is an essential part of pregnancy and should start as soon as you find out you’re expecting a baby. Having a healthy pregnancy is one of the best ways to promote a healthy birth.
Attending antenatal classes will give you and your partner an opportunity to ask questions you don’t always remember at your regular pregnancy check-ups, and you’ll meet other expecting parents and make new friends.
“A good time to start these classes is between 22 and 26 weeks, when there’s still sufficient time to make important decisions about caregivers, clinics and birth options,” writes Sister Lilian in her book Pregnancy and Birth Companion (Human & Rousseau).
Sticking to your appointments is essential to determine if your baby is healthy and whether your pregnancy is progressing well.

Benefits of antenatal care

Antenatal care can prevent complications. “A small minority of pregnant women develop complications such as hypertension and diabetes. Early diagnosis means they can be properly monitored and treated,” explains midwifery consultant, Dr Diana du Plessis.
Antenatal care provides caregivers with an opportunity to explain the importance of proper nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding to expecting moms.
Antenatal classes will help expecting parents to gain insight and get fact-based information on pregnancy, birthing options, breastfeeding and caring for a newborn baby so that they can make informed choices.
“Antenatal classes also give partners an opportunity to understand the whole process of pregnancy, birth and early parenting,” says Sister Lilian.
ANC visits can be a critical opportunity for women to get access to other health care services. Although opportunities are often missed, ANC can open the door to services for: #Birth with a skilled attendant
#Family Planning (FP)
#Child health
#Tetanus prevention
#Maternal and infant nutrition
#Malaria prevention and treatment
#HIV detection and treatment, including prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV
#TB detection and treatment
#STI prevention and treatment

Reasons why some women do not access antenatal care early or do not go at all

Some women either do not go for antenatal visits or go late because of overburdened clinics, bad treatment by health-care workers, resulting in women devaluing the service; their fear of testing HIV positive and the associated stigma; and their cultural beliefs– that they may be bewitched by jealous neighbours or friends.

That may not be all, many women visit antenatal care clinics late because they discover they are pregnant late into their pregnancies.
Actively involving men in antenatal visits can increase joint decision-making, birth planning, and postpartum contraceptive use and encourage women for the uptake of antenatal care services.

Joshua Ekpokpobe
Public Health Researcher