Six reasons why domestic violence is a GP's problem:

1. Domestic abuse is one of the most common forms of assault in our society.
2. Domestic violence is not just physical assault.
3. Victims of domestic violence say the emotional abuse is the most devastating.
4. Physical bruises heal, but emotional abuse destroys the very essence of an individual.
5. It occurs across all levels of society and is not easy to pick unless you ask. Domestic abuse results in a range of significant health problems other than acute injury.
6. Victims of domestic abuse are more likely to attend a doctor's surgery for treatment of complaints such as anxiety, depression, pelvic pain, sexual and gynaecological problems, not coping. Or, for problems with children such as bed wetting, anxiety, behaviour problems at school.

Diagnosis

• doctors diagnose only one battered woman in 25; and
• only 27% of women disclosed the abuse to their doctor.

Why don't doctors ask and why don't women tell?

• Doctor's don't ask because they don't think about it.
• Women don't tell because they are ashamed, scared or don't think it's relevant.
• everyone fails to recognise domestic abuse unless the physical violence is present.

Asking about violence and abuse

• Are you afraid of your partner?
• Does your partner behave in ways that frighten you sometimes?
• Is there a history of domestic abuse?
• Have you ever been pushed or shoved?
• Does your partner sometimes yell so much that it frightens you or the children?

• Frequently women with these symptoms are having difficulties in their relationship. Are you sometimes frightened of your partner?
• Many women who experience anxiety/depression talk to me about violence and abuse in their relationship. Is anything like this happening for you?

Don't be concerned if a woman denies the abuse. Maybe she'll feel safe enough to talk to you about it on her next visit. Always ask when you are alone with your patient. Never ask in front of a partner

• In Australia violence occurs between one in three and one in ten families
• One in five patients at the Royal Brisbane Hospital emergency department were victims of domestic violence (Roberts GL et al 1993 'Domestic Violence & Health Professionals')
• In 20% of women who have experienced domestic abuse, the violence occurred for the first time during pregnancy. (Australian Bureau of Statistics ëWomen's Safety Australia' 1996)
• 38% of women had experienced one or more than one incident of violence since the age of 15 years. (Australian Bureau of Statistics ëWomen's Safety Australia' 1996)
• 19% of women aged 18-24 has experienced an incident of violence in the previous 12 month period. (Australian Bureau of Statistics ëWomen's Safety Australia' 1996)
• Up to 80% of homicides in Australia take place between those familiar to each other (Wallace, A Homicide: The Social Reality. NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research 1986)
• In 95%-98% of reported cases the perpetrators are men and the victims are women (NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research 1984-1987)
• Closer to home, domestic abuse constitutes a significant percentage of operational police work in the Northern Region local command.

Samiro Douglas is the Domestic Violence Coordinator at the Northern Rivers Area Health Service.

This page was last built on 21/01/03. It was originally posted on 22/1/1999; 7:51:44 PM.