Pregnant women may be screened for domestic abuse
Pregnant women may be routinely asked if they are being abused by their partners as part of a new strategy for helping victims of domestic violence, Public Health Minister Melanie Johnson announced today.
Ms Johnson said an advisory group would be set up to examine ways to include routine enquiries during ante-natal appointments. The overall aim was to ensure women feel comfortable discussing domestic violence and can get help and support.
30 per cent of all domestic violence began or intensified during a women’s pregnancy, she added.
“By including routine enquiry when women go for ante-natal appointments, health professionals may be able to establish whether women are at risk or have experienced any domestic violence during their pregnancy,” she said.
“This is an effective means of ensuring the appropriate support and advice is offered at an early stage and will ensure that help is given to women where and when it is needed.”
Addressing a conference in London on domestic violence and the NHS Ms Johnson spoke of the “terrible toll” that domestic abuse inflicted, especially on women and children.
One women in four experienced domestic violence during their lives, and children who were victims were likely to suffer problems with self-esteem, educational under-achievement and in some cases self-harm.
The cost to the NHS of treating physical injuries resulting from this abuse was £1.2 billion, and the overall financial, human and emotional costs were estimated at £17 billion, even excluding costs such as moving house.
She said: “Eradicating domestic violence is vitally important to a civilised society…Although this is undoubtedly a very ambitious target, I do believe that unless we set ourselves this target, we will not achieve our aims.
“By working together and with determination, we can make the sort of difference we want to see.”
The NHS had an important role to play because it was often the first point of contact for victims, she said. That meant health professionals had to be able to recognise when abuse was occurring and create a supportive environment. Awareness of domestic violence would be “embedded” in the everyday running of the NHS, she said.
