II. Background
- Most Battered Women require 7 episodes on average to leave a relationship, due to many barriers
- Victims are at high risk of serious injury or death at times they leave perpetrator
- Fear and shame
- Children are threatened
- Perpetrator holds onto victims money, passport, identification
- Vigilent and systematic screening is key
- May result in providing patients the intervention at the right time to spare further injury or death
-
Violence often involves others in the same household
- Child Abuse
- Elder Abuse
- Animal abuse
III. History: Example scripts
- Excuse others in room
- "I have a few quick questions I ask all patients and then I will let you back into the room"
- With the patient alone
- "I have a few brief questions I ask everyone because Violence against women is common and serious."
- "The injuries you have do not seem to match the story. Can you tell me how this happened?"
- "Has anyone hit, kicked, choked or punched you in the last year?"
- "Forced or coerced you to have sex?"
- "Threatened you with a knife or gun to scare or hurt you?"
IV. Screening
V. References
- Houry and Herbert in Herbert (2013) EM: Rap 13(6): 6
- Swaminathan and Hope in Herbert (2019) EM:Rap 19(7): 7-8
- (2012) Obstet Gynecol 119(2 pt 1): 412-7 [PubMed]
- Ambuel (1998) J Aggress Maltreat Trauma 1(2): 55-81 [PubMed]
- Cronholm (2011) Am Fam Physician 83(10): 1165-72 [PubMed]
- Dicola (2016) Am Fam Physician 94(8): 646-51 [PubMed]
- McCauley J (1995) Ann Intern Med 123:737-46 [PubMed]