The one-day conference and workshop explored Australian responses to violence in general and the issues raised by the recently released World health Organisation World Report on Violence and Health. The report deals with the different forms of violence, ranging from child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, sexual violence, abuse of the elderly, self-directed violence and suicide, to collective or state violence.Professor Zwi, one of the international report’s co-editors, organised the conference to bring together a range of professionals to reflect on current activities and responses, and to share between practitioners and policy-makers the lessons learned in tackling different types of violence.

“We want to examine the positives and negatives of the Australian experience and to look for ways forward. Violence is clearly not just a law and order issue,” he said.

On a broader level, the conference informed and stimulated debate on violence in Australia; engaged the public health community and looked at its contribution to our understanding and responses; put this range of problems in an Australian and regional context; and examined existing initiatives.

Professor Zwi believes that an Australian role in responding to collective violence should include work to promote regional stability in some of our Pacific neighbours, through public health and other measures designed to support more equitable development in whole communities.

The full text of World Report on Violence and Health is available at http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention.

Extract from Uniken