These guidelines were produced by the Department of Reproductive Health and Research (RHR), World Health Organization (WHO), under the leadership of Dr Claudia García-Moreno. The expertise and support of many people have made the development of these guidelines possible. The guideline development process was initiated following the Expert meeting on health-sector responses to violence against women held between 17 and 19 March 2009, which was supported by the Packard Foundation contribution to WHO/RHR. Women who have been subjected to violence often seek health care, including for their injuries, even if they do not disclose the associated abuse or violence. A health-care provider is likely to be the first professional contact for survivors of intimate partner violence or sexual assault. Statistics show that abused women use health-care services more than non-abused women do. They also identify health-care providers as the professionals they would most trust with disclosure of abuse.