DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

Course overview

Seven out of 10 women killed in the world's wealthiest countries are from the U.S. Women are more likely to be killed by husbands, boyfriends or past lovers, and half of those murdered American women are killed with a gun. Strangers kill only 8.8% of women who are murdered, compared to 30% who are killed by an intimate acquaintance. Domestic violence or intimate partner violence (IPV) can involve children and the destruction of personal property and pets. Abuse can be physical, emotional, sexual or any combination of the three. What begins as name calling and belittling can escalate to physical violence. What starts as a push into a wall can lead to a broken arm or a fatal injury. An abuser will use whatever it takes to control the situation, but the abuse need not occur regularly. Of the 7.7 million rapes and assaults men and women suffer from an intimate partner or family member, 2.5 will be injured and 680,000 will seek medical care. So the healthcare provider must be trained and ready to support these victims of violence.