Hide & Safety

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Health

- Violence against women has serious consequences for their physical and mental heath, and women who have experienced abuse from her partner may suffer from or chronic health problems of various kinds. (Stark and Fletcraft, 1996; Williamson, 2000; British Medical Assiciation, 1998; Crisp and Stanko, 2001)

- Abused women are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, psychosomatic systems, eating problems and sexual dysfunction. Violence may also affect their reproductive health. (WHO, 2000).

- 70% of incidents of domestic violence result in injury, (compared with 50% of incidents of acquaintance violence, 48% of stranger violence and 29% of mugging.) (Dodd et al., 2004)

- 75% of cases of domestic violence result in physical injury or mental health consequences to women (Home Office, 2001).

- The cost of treating physical health of victims of domestic violence, (including hospital, GP, ambulance, prescriptions) is £1,220,247,000, i.e. 3% of total NHS budget (Walby, 2004).

- The cost of treating mental disorder due to domestic violence is £176,000,000. (Walby, 2004).

- Between 50% and 60% of women mental health service users have experienced domestic violence, and up to 20% will be experiencing current abuse. (Department of Health, 2003; Bowstead, Janet, 2000; ReSisters, 2002).

- Domestic violence and other abuse is the most prevalent cause of depression and other mental health difficulties in women. (Astbury, 1999; O'Keane, 2000; Humphreys, 2003; Humphreys and Thiara, 2003; Vidgeon, 2003).

- 70% women psychiatric in-patients and 80% of those in secure settings have histories of physical sexual abuse. (Phillips, 2000; Department of Health, 2002).

- Domestic violence commonly results in self-harm and attempted suicide: one-third of women attending emergency departments for self-harm were domestic violence survivors; abused women are five times more likely to attempt suicide; and one third of all female suicide attempts can be attributed to current or past experience of domestic violence. (Start and Flitcraft, 1996; Mullender, 1996).