New resource to support response to domestic abuse in mental health services
A new resource to help mental health professionals identify, assess and respond to perpetrators of domestic abuse has just been published.
The guidance is aimed at improving awareness and clinical practice, through describing a framework for responding to domestic abuse perpetration in clinical settings.
This can support mental health professionals in sensitive enquiry and assessment for domestic abuse perpetration, and guide appropriate responses, as part of routine practice. It can be used as a training resource and as part of continuing professional development.
Dr Philippa Greenfield, Joint Presidential Lead for Women’s Mental Health and one of the authors of the guidance, said:
“Domestic abuse remains a major public health problem. Serious consequences for victim survivors include domestic homicide but there are also profound and lasting impacts on physical and mental health.
“We increasingly understand the association between domestic abuse (victimisation and perpetration) and suicide as well as the impacts on child mental health association with suicide.
“People in contact with mental health services are at higher risk of both experiencing but also perpetrating domestic abuse.
“As psychiatrists, we therefore have an important role in identification and response.
“We have resources that support how we identify and respond to patients exposed to domestic abuse, however, this new framework is the first of its kind providing much needed guidance on identifying and responding to those accessing mental health services who are, or are at risk of, perpetrating domestic abuse.
“Importantly, it provides examples scenarios of how people might present and suggestions on ‘how to ask’ amongst a range of other practical and useful information around clinical response.
“We all have a duty to address domestic abuse – this framework can provide an invaluable resource to improve clinical practice in this area.”
You can read more about the guidance in BJPsych Advances or listen to this podcast by Dr Vishal Bhavsar. The College has additional resources related to this topic, including a CPD eLearning module on domestic abuse and a module in our Public Mental Health Leadership Certification course.