Discourse: A Call to Focus Our "Passion for Substance" on Family Violence

Abstract

Why has family violence not been claimed by the Canadian nursing community as a vital issue for practice and research, when violence has affected the health of most Canadian individuals, families, and communities? The prevalence of family violence in Canada is well documented (Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, 2000; Statistics Canada, 1993), and research supports the fact that family violence is a major health issue with grave consequences for physical, emotional, and social well-being (Butler, 1995; Campbell, 2000; Campbell, Harris, & Lee, 1995). Yet violence is not addressed widely in Canadian nursing education, research, or practice. In this discussion, we explore the conditions that have contributed to this apparent disregard of violence in the Canadian nursing agenda, and the consequences of this neglect for responsive research, theory, policy, and practice. The Canadian Context Canadian geography, history, and politics pose a unique set of challenges for dealing with violence and abuse. The vastness of the country and its relatively sparse population act as barriers to the formation of teams, networks, and a critical mass of researchers and practitioners concerned with violence, and to the provision of adequate services, particularly in rural settings.