Domestic Violence Victims in Shelters: What Do We Know About Their Mental Health?

Abstract

In this study, the relationship between mental disorders, childhood trauma and sociodemographic characteristics was evaulated in women staying in shelters due to domestic violence. The study comprised 59 volunteers, staying in women's shelters in Istanbul due to domestic violence. The structured clinical interview for DSM-IV TR axis 1 disorders (SCID-I), Domestic Violence Data Form, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Beck Anxiety Inventory and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire were applied by a psychiatric expert in face-to-face interviews. Of the cases 76.3% were diagnosed with at least one psychiatric disorder. Post traumatic stress disorder was the most common diagnosis (50.8%). In our study 59% of women had attempted suicide at least once, and 66% of these were found to have attempted suicide after violence started. Previous psychiatric diagnosis and exposure to childhood abuse were observed to be risk factors for suicide attempts. Psychiatric disease comorbidities and suicide attempt were identified at high rates in women exposed to domestic violence.

Treatments for Female Victims of Intimate Partner Violence: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Mental health problems are also highly prevalent among the victims of IPV (Karakurt et al, 2014;Oram et al, 2017). Victims frequently report experiencing a broad range of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms (Schnurr and Green, 2004;Afifi et al, 2009;World Health Organization, 2013;Akyazi et al, 2018). Past research also reports the association between IPV and an increased likelihood of clinical depression and suicide attempts (Mapayi et al, 2012;Akyazi et al, 2018).…”

“…Victims frequently report experiencing a broad range of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms (Schnurr and Green, 2004;Afifi et al, 2009;World Health Organization, 2013;Akyazi et al, 2018). Past research also reports the association between IPV and an increased likelihood of clinical depression and suicide attempts (Mapayi et al, 2012;Akyazi et al, 2018). Comorbidities of multiple mental health issues are also common such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD among IPV victims (Schnurr and Green, 2004;World Health Organization, 2013).…”

Violence towards people with mental illness: Assessment, risk factors, and management

“…There is also a substantial and probably underestimated economic burden of IPV for health services, through outpatient visits and use of hospital care . Finally, women who experience IPV are at greater risk of homelessness, and extremely high levels of psychiatric morbidity are evident in women living in domestic violence shelters …”

“…23 Finally, women who experience IPV are at greater risk of homelessness, and extremely high levels of psychiatric morbidity are evident in women living in domestic violence shelters. 27 Although injuries are intuitively the most likely consequence of assault, around 50% of general population participants who reported assault in the 2002-2003 British Crime Survey (BCS) reported no injury. More than one-tenth of assaults resulted in medical attention, and a third of instances involved wounding.…”

Trauma Recovery Rubric: A Mixed-Method Analysis of Trauma Recovery Pathways in Four Countries

“…For example, a study of 59 survivors living in domestic violence shelters in Istanbul found that 76.3% were diagnosed with at least one psychiatric disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder was the most common diagnosis (50.8%). In addition, over half of the women in their sample had attempted suicide at least once, and 66% of these were found to have attempted suicide after the violence started [ 46 ]. Much more research that systematically compares levels of distress in GBV survivors is needed.…”