A study conducted by the British Medical Association reports that more than eight million people are affected by domestic violence each year; the majority of those affected are women. The study concluded that for every ten women in the United Kingdom, three will have suffered from domestic violence. While the published results of the study are alarming, researchers believe that their results are lower than actual figures due to the social stigma behind domestic violence and a victim’s reluctance to report her abuse or even to acknowledge it. Researchers believe one way to deal with this difficulty is to train physicians in the proper procedures to respond to domestic violence: what signs to look for, what questions to ask, and what resources to offer.
Without properly addressing the problem, the UK (and other nations with similar occurrences) faces large financial costs as abuse leads to many physical and mental ailments which must be treated. Furthermore, children who are exposed to domestic violence are likely to participate in the same cycles as adults, and therefore, there is a cost associated with educating children about domestic violence in order to “try and break the cycle.”
Compiled from: Domestic Abuse a Curse to Public Health, Medindia, BIN/S, 20 June 2007.