Histories of Violence and Its Effects on Women's Health and Futures

Violence against women has a negative impact on their well-being and health for many years, even after they have suffered one or more episodes of economic, psychological or physical and sexual violence. A growing number of studies show a strong correlation between violent everyday life and the onset of long-term pathologies. Violence is therefore a social determinant of health that can no longer be ignored, and the inextricable link between the social body and the biological body (Cersosimo, 2023). Public and private institutions often welcome "violated" women and accompany them along protected paths, taking care to guarantee a first medication, a health service, a roof, a meal for them and their children. However, following women from the moment of the report to the time after is a necessary and contradictory process, seemingly almost excessive, and yet made necessary by the already proven inevitable and consequent long-term deterioration in the health of women who have suffered forms of violence (Lawn and Koen, 2021). This has been confirmed by recent data which highlight not only a state of prostration but also, in many cases, the onset of oncological, infectious and gynaecological diseases (Mascarini et al., 2023), as well as the chronicisation of other pathologies over the course of a lifetime, from gastric to inflammatory. Our research conducted with mixed methods has shown how educating women to be aware of their own health and well-being helps them to feel more guaranteed in the care pathways and also more autonomous and determined to escape from situations of "shadow", shame and loneliness, encouraging them to be an active part of a process of participatory action that guarantees them and future generations. The aim of the presentation is to discuss policy implications and ultimately improve the fight violence against women and girls in transitional societies.