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
- 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 section has highlighted the responses of healthcare professionals to domestic violence. By examining both knowledge and clinical experience of domestic violence it has identified several key points which relate to both bad and good practice. This summary is therefore represented as a list of points which healthcare professionals need to address.
Box 9: Key recommendations and examples of good practice
Healthcare professionals should:
• Be able to define domestic violence.
• Work to policies and guidelines which would assist practitioners in offering a more consistent service to those experiencing domestic violence (see Chapter One for references).
• Have an understanding of their own professional roles and responsibilities and how issues such as domestic violence impact on them.
• Be aware of the constraints and potential within the roles and responsibilities of ‘other’ medical and non-medical health staff.
• Avoid differentiating between those who experience violence and themselves.
• Be aware that ‘blaming victims for staying’ is a common but unhelpful reaction.
• Avoid assuming that ‘cycle of abuse’ and ‘dysfunctional family’ theories are adequate explanations for violence.
• Locate their practice within a domestic violence discourse. Healthcare professionals’ interactions are perceived in relation to wider experiences of abuse, which they cannot control. Ensure their practice does not perpetuate abusive power dynamics.
• Consider the impact of psychosomatic and non-physical injuries in all encounters with women experiencing domestic violence.
• Recognise the existence of the complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Be aware that some psychological complaints can be confused with complex PTSD.
• Have an understanding of how medical discourse locates women who consistently engage with para-suicidal activity. Be aware of the reasons why domestic violence may impact on this behaviour.
• Consider para-suicidal activity in relation to the biomedical/holistic dichotomy within health interactions. Women may engage in this behaviour because they feel their experiences are not validated within an holistic framework.
• Examine their previous practice to identify the types of treatments they use routinely with possible domestic violence cases.
• Have adequate knowledge to effectively provide such treatments. This is particularly relevant in relation to giving information, advice, and offering broad-based counselling or a ‘sympathetic ear’.
• Ensure that women remain in control of treatments and do not feel further disempowered or isolated.
• Offer a range of treatments, which may include doing nothing but leaving a patient's options to return open.
• Name domestic violence.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Domestic Violence and HealthThe Response of the Medical Profession, pp. 147 - 148Publisher: Bristol University PressPrint publication year: 2000