Domestic abuse has a devastating effect on the health and wellbeing of victims and families, and is a national public health epidemic. The charity SafeLives have recently published a report that outlines the need for an integrated approach to tackling domestic abuse and healthcare. In particular, they are calling on every hospital in the UK to offer specialist domestic abuse support on site, with in-house IDVAs (Independent Domestic Violence Advisors).
The findings of SafeLives’ research, which shares evidence from over 4,000 victims supported in hospital and community settings, show that we are missing opportunities to identify victims of domestic abuse – particularly the most vulnerable – and that locating a team of IDVAs within a hospital is a key way to address this.
SafeLives is calling for hospital-based IDVAs to be integrated as part of a whole-system approach to support which include community based specialist domestic abuse services, mental health and health services. The charity believes that this provides a way of reaching the 4 out of 5 victims who never contact the police as well as providing an opportunity to save money through earlier identification.
You can read the report in full here.