Sarah's storySarah talked to her health visitor about her situation.
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Survivor's Handbook
Buy a posterTitle: "Health and domestic violence, a life and death issue"
Buy a leafletAn A5 leaflet for health professionals.
Pregnancy posterBuy an A4 poster entitled 'Childbirth isn't the only strain associated with pregnancy'.
Guidelines for health professionals produced by the Home Office.
Domestic violence has an enormous impact on abused women's health and well-being: they may need medical treatment either immediately – e.g. for physical injuries - or in the long-term.
Broken bones, bruises, burns, recurrent sexually transmitted infections, chronic pain, gynaecological and other continuing health problems, permanent injury, mental health difficulties, stillbirth and death may all result from experience of domestic violence and abuse.
The cost to the NHS of dealing with the physical injuries of domestic violence is £1.2 billion (The Cost of Domestic Violence, Sylvia Walby).
Healthcare workers may be the first people to whom women disclose their abuse, and they have a vital role to play in offering support, information and validation. View practical guidelines for health professionals on responding to domestic violence.
See also topics on pregnancy and mental health.
