A Commitment Greater Than Ourselves 

Sonia Dosanjh, MSW, RSW
Global Research Solutions
Burlington, ON

Everyone has the right to live a life free from violence. Although this should be a right, the violence against women movement continues to centralize this issue and pursue social change. There have been countless victories, some large and small, but the there is no endpoint to this work.

In a report of the Health Committee of the Women Abuse Council of Toronto, sixty-nine percent of intimate partner femicide victims had been abused before being murdered, and 41% of these women had been seen in a health care setting before their death.

The issue of violence against women, or sometimes referred to as intimate partner violence, can be overwhelming even for those who have expertise in the area. Dr. Bhandari and his colleagues must be commended on their initiative to address intimate partner violence. It takes true courage to take on any institution for change but as I inferred in the title, this is a change that is larger than any single surgeon or specialty organization itself. This is an all encompassing issue and the field of orthopaedics has the potential to make significant contributions to this area.

It has often been reported that medical establishments have missed key information that helped a woman escape severe injury or worse, save a woman's life. Orthopaedic surgeons have the opportunity to support to women by connecting them with community resources sooner. Their key role is to assist her to build other capacities that may help her cope with her situation. Simply listening without judgment or blame can be very powerful message to a victim of intimate partner violence.

For true change to take place, there must be commitment at individual and bureaucratic levels to create a space for dialogue where staff can challenge one another, process together, receive and provide support. Many women have expressed mistrust of the medical system to address their concerns seriously and fear judgment or shame from health care professionals. There are many damaging messages that have infiltrated our institutions that have led women not to disclose violence within their relationships.

The challenges for orthopaedic surgeons to implement programmes to support abused women are real. For example, time constraints in chronically over-burdened orthopaedic clinics and limited resources to assure appropriate counsel and support for women who disclose abuse remain ongoing barriers. intimate partner violence is a complex issue but its complexity should not paralyze us from taking action. Although there will be some hurdles ahead, orthopaedic surgeons have the opportunity to be on the right side of history.