Physicians and domestic violence

Abstract

Domestic violence, spouse abuse, and battering all refer to the victimization of a person with whom the abuser has or has had an intimate relationship. Domestic violence may take the form of physical, sexual and psychological abuse, is generally repeated, and often escalates within relationships. Most evidence indicates that domestic violence is predominantly perpetrated by men against women. Some evidence suggests that women are just as likely to use violence against male partners as men are against female partners. It is clear that the impact on the health of female victims of domestic violence is generally much more severe than the impact on the health of male victims.