Les violences gynécologiques et obstétricales : construction d’une question politique et de santé publique

Abstract

The concept of “gynecological and obstetric violence”, which emerged in the early 2000s in Latin America in activist and scientific circles, has been debated since the 2010s in French and European feminist and political circles. We show here how this concept is defined, what realities and practices it covers and by whom and in what context it is used in the public space in France and internationally, and in academic research. This concept allows for a new approach to medical care in gynecology and obstetrics that takes into account the experiences, both objective and subjective, of women and medical practices that are now technical, sometimes impersonal and disrespectful. Although there is a growing body of work in the social sciences that uses this conceptual approach, it focuses more on childbirth and less on strictly gynecological medical care.