Tag: domestic abuse

Domestic violence and abuse: ‘If we all work together, it will make a difference’

Posted on by capcbristol

Guest blog by Medina Johnson (left), Chief Executive
and Lucy Downes (right), National Implementation Manager
IRIS Interventions

 

 

As we gear up for events and conversations to mark the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, it’s timely to reflect on the importance of the healthcare response to gender-based violence. IRISi’s vision is a world in which gender-based violence is consistently recognised and addressed as a health issue.

Violence against women is a global health problem of epidemic proportions. Dr Margaret Chan, World Health Organization Director-General

The IRIS programme is our flagship intervention working with primary care to change and improve clinical practice and to provide patients affected by domestic abuse with access to specialist advice and support. It provides training and support to GPs, practice nurses and other primary care clinicians to help them identify and refer women with experience of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) to … Read more

How important are informal supporters of women experiencing domestic violence?

Posted on by capcbristol

by Dr Alison Gregory
Research Fellow (Traumatised and Vulnerable Populations)
Centre for Academic Primary Care
@DV_Bristol

 

“How important are informal supporters of women experiencing domestic violence?”: “Very” – a simple answer to a complicated question. The bottom line, in terms of statistics, is that if survivors disclose their situation to anyone, it will most likely be to informal supporters (friends, relatives, neighbours and colleagues) rather than professionals.1 And this is true across the world, with research indicating that sometimes a disclosure to an informal supporter happens alongside a disclosure to a professional, but frequently this is not the case.2-5 In addition, it is not unusual for informal supporters to witness abusive behaviours, but commonly they are uncertain about what exactly it is that they are seeing, in particular, what it means, and what their role in the situation should be.6 ,7

Why are informal

… Read more

Why gender can’t be ignored when dealing with domestic violence

Posted on by capcbristol

by Gene Feder and Lucy Potter
Centre for Academic Primary Care

First published in The Conversation

Domestic violence is a violation of human rights with damaging social, economic and health consequences. It is any incident of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse. That abuse can be psychological, emotional, physical, sexual and financial.

The “domestic” element refers to abuse between people aged 16 or over who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexuality. Men, women or transgender people in straight, gay or lesbian relationships can perpetrate or experience it. So does this mean domestic violence is gender neutral? Is gender irrelevant to prevention efforts and to responding to survivors’ needs? We do not think so.

Globally, direct experience of being subjected to domestic violence is greater among women then among men. In the UK, 27% of women and 13% of men … Read more