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PageDOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS 1What Is Abuse? 2Abusive Behaviour Chart (Power & Control Wheel) 3Equality Chart (Equality Wheel) 4Why do men abuse? 5What are the challenges women face in leaving abusive relationships? 6-7THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE: (Models and Text) 8-10Information Means Choices 11HOW TO HELP BATTERED WOMEN 12Principles of Intervention 13Common Beliefs and Myths About the Causes of Wife Battering 14-15I. IDENTIFICATION: How to Ask About Domestic Violence 16WOMAN ABUSE SCREENING TOOL (WAST) 17Other Ways to Ask About Abuse 18What To Do When a Patient Discloses Abuse 19What Can You Say to Her to be of Assistance? 20Difficult Situations 2124Indicators of Abuse: Behavioral/Psychological Indicators 22Physical Indicators 23Specific Indicators During PregnancyII. ASSESSMENT/EXAMINATION 25III. DOCUMENTATION: Essential Points to Document 26Collecting Forensic Evidence 27BODY MAP 28IV. SAFETY PLANNING/PROTECTION:Assessing Her Safety 29Assessing Her Risk 29Women Who Are Returning Home 30SAFETY PLAN 30-31Children’s Safety 32Reporting to Legal Authorities 32Obtaining Legal Protection 33V. REFERRAL Resource/Referral List 34Battered Women’s Shelters 35APPENDIX A: Interviewer’s Checklist 36APPENDIX B: Abuse and the Sask. Criminal Justice System Response 37-39APPENDIX C: Violence Against Women in Canada (Statistics) 40-41ii
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALSDomestic violence is one of the most common causes of injury to women. It accounts for moreinjuries to women than automobile accidents, stranger assaults and sexual assaults combined. It isexperienced by 25% of Canadian women at some time in their lives—women from all culturalgroups, all ages and all economic classes. It is especially likely during pregnancy—21% of womenwho are abused report being physically and/or sexually assaulted during pregnancy—40% ofwomen who are assaulted during their pregnancy report that the assault began during pregnancy.Almost half of all wife assault results in physical injury to the woman—physical injuries suchas bruising, cuts, scratches, burns and broken bones. And 4 in 10 women who are injured by apartner seek medical attention. That means they are going to physicians.Yet studies show that physicians have been unlikely in the past to identify and respond towomen as victims of wife assault. Why? Health care professionals give the following reasons fornot asking patients about their experiences with domestic violence:• they’re afraid of offending the patient;• they aren’t sure how to approach the patient about the subject;• they believe they are powerless to make changes since the woman is likely to remain in theabusive relationship despite intervention; and• they believe the low prevalence of domestic violence does not warrant the time it wouldtake to raise and deal with the issue.But health care professionals can play a major role in assisting abused women. Once they areeducated about the issue of wife abuse and the possible indicators:• they’ll be in a better position to understand the motivations and actions of their patients;• they’ll better be able to identify a woman has been abused by her partner;• they’ll be better able to approach a woman about the subject of wife abuse; and• if a woman discloses abuse, knowing what her immediate needs are and how to refer her tocommunity agencies that offer crisis and long term support will make a significantdifference to her.It’s not the job of the health care professional to rescue an abused woman. You cannotmake her disclose abuse nor can you make her leave her abusive husband. What you can offer heris the understanding, support and information that will allow her to make her own informed choiceswhen she is ready to do so.Of course, one of the greatest frustrations experienced by all professionals is the inability tohave a direct impact on an abused women's decision to leave an abusive partner. This frustration isnormal, and is experienced by all who try to assist: social workers, police officers, lawyers, doctors,nurses, and shelter workers. Knowing about the dynamics of domestic violence against womencan go a long way in reducing this frustration.1
Page 1: WORKING WITH BATTERED WOMEN:A HANDB
Page 7 and 8: Why do men abuse?One side of the dy
Page 9: • Faith: some religious groups ma
Page 13 and 14: Information Means ChoicesBecause le
Page 15 and 16: PRINCIPLES OF INTERVENTION• Domes
Page 17 and 18: MYTH: Women provoke violence.FACT:
Page 19 and 20: Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST)1.
Page 21 and 22: What To Do When A Patient Discloses
Page 23 and 24: Difficult SituationsThere are a num
Page 25 and 26: Physical Indicators/Symptoms1. In E
Page 27 and 28: II.ASSESSMENT/EXAMINATION• Perfor
Page 29 and 30: • After the photographs are taken
Page 31 and 32: IV.SAFETY PLANNING/PROTECTIONAssess
Page 33 and 34: FOR YOUR PROTECTION1. Write down im
Page 35 and 36: Obtaining Legal Protection• Initi
Page 37 and 38: BATTERED WOMEN'S SHELTERSBattered w
Page 39 and 40: APPENDIX BABUSE AND THE SASKATCHEWA
Page 41 and 42: G. WHAT SENTENCE WILL HE RECEIVE IF
Page 43 and 44: References1. Statistics Canada, The
Page 45: FACTS ON WIFE ABUSE AND PREGNANCY

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