Response of health professions to domestic violence in emergency departments

which victims of domestic violence turn, placing health professionals in a central role for their assistance (Pahl 1979; Dobash et al. 1985). Some researchers consider that the Emergency Department is the most likely place for domestic violence victims to enter the system (Rounsaville & Weissman 1977; Goldberg & Carey 1982). The reasons are that emergency services offer 24-hour service and relative anonymity compared to other health services. If these victims are not identified and offered appropriate management which addresses the issue of violence, they remain at risk for further episodes of domestic violence and for the accompanying physical and psychological consequences. A prevalence study conducted at the Emergency Department of Royal Brisbane Hospital in 1991 showed that 30 per cent of women and 13 per cent of men who came to the Department had a history of experiencing domestic violence in their lifetime, including child abuse (Roberts et al. 1993). A second prevalence study conducted by the same investigators at Royal Brisbane Hospital in 1992 (Roberts 1994) supported the findings of the first study. This study showed that every fiftieth woman presenting to the Emergency Department was there as a direct result of domestic violence. Studies have been conducted in Emergency Departments in the USA which show similar results (Stark et al. 1981; Goldberg & Tomlanovich 1981). Response of Health Professionals to Domestic Violence in Emergency Departments