EU-IDB provides vital insights into gender-based violence

Analysis of the European Injury Database EU-IDB  has identified 10,315 cases of gender-based violence (GBV) against women and girls perpetrated by men which resulted in the victims attending hospital emergency departments.  The study, published in The Lancet, analysed violence cases from 18 EU countries (although data coverage varies considerably across countries and years), in order to provide insights into the clinical burden of GBV and to inform targeted strategies for early identification, monitoring, and prevention of GBV in Europe.

The study’s authors say the research shows that although GBV-related Emergency Department (ED) presentations represent a small share of all injuries, they have distinct epidemiological patterns which “can inform documentation practices, staff training, and clinical awareness, while revealing recognition biases that might contribute to underdetection of less visible presentations”. In this context, the researchers say, the European Injury Database (IDB),  which is managed by EuroSafe and hosted by the Italian National Institute of Health, represents a valuable resource and with more investment could become a cornerstone of European GBV surveillance.