Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Dedication
- one Introduction
- two Domestic violence and the medical profession
- Part One Domestic violence patients speak out
- Part Two Clinicians’ knowledge and clinical experience of domestic violence
- Part Three Clinicians’ training and inter-agency collaboration
- fourteen Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Appendix 1 Details of research participants
- Appendix 2 Useful information and contacts
six - Definitions of domestic violence, roles and responsibilities
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 July 2022
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Dedication
- one Introduction
- two Domestic violence and the medical profession
- Part One Domestic violence patients speak out
- Part Two Clinicians’ knowledge and clinical experience of domestic violence
- Part Three Clinicians’ training and inter-agency collaboration
- fourteen Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Appendix 1 Details of research participants
- Appendix 2 Useful information and contacts
Summary
This chapter focuses on definitions of domestic violence suggested by stage two participants. This question was asked to ascertain whether any of the healthcare professionals worked to guidelines or a strategic definition of domestic violence. All the stage two participants were asked “How would you define domestic violence?”. Asking this question, in conjunction with questions about the general role of specific healthcare professionals, was intended to examine how participants located domestic violence within medical discourse, both theoretically and in relation to their clinical practice.
“How would I define domestic violence? It's not something I’ve given a lot of thought to, to be honest.” (Dr Quadir)
The extract above was not a common response, as the majority of healthcare professionals who participated in this research had clinical experience of domestic violence-related injuries, and it was an issue they had considered. In order to contextualise the issue of definitions of domestic violence within general health policy, all of the healthcare professionals who completed the domestic violence and health questionnaire (Abbott and Williamson, 1999) were asked if they worked to a formal policy when treating women who have experienced violence/cruelty from a male partner; 96.7% answered “no” to this question, with only 2.3% answering “yes”. The discussions which take place in the following sections relate, therefore, to the definitions formulated individually by the participants and in response to policyled discussions within the health professions generally. As recent policy initiatives and guidelines (DoH, 2000) have emerged in Britain since this research was conducted, this research also provides baseline comparative data on which to measure the impact of such guidelines.
Generic definitions of domestic violence
“Obviously violence within the family, usually between partners, I hate to say husband and wife because in [specific town] [laugh] that's a dying institution…. I think it's something in the past that was brushed over was accepted as part and parcel of their [women’s] role in society and accept that this was going to happen and I think people are now accepting this is not the case…. if I define domestic violence I wouldn't necessarily restrict that to physical violence which I think is one portion of it.” (Dr Padden)
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Domestic Violence and HealthThe Response of the Medical Profession, pp. 79 - 92Publisher: Bristol University PressPrint publication year: 2000