VICTIMIZATION OF WOMEN AND ITS IMPACT ON ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT IN THE PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY SETTING

Individuals with a history of victimization commonly present for treatment in psychiatric emergency settings (PESs). 20,52,108 Often, these individuals are women who have undergone sexual or physical trauma at some time in the past. Because of the adverse physical and mental health effects of their experiences, clinicians working in the PES must have an understanding of sexual and physical abuse and how it can affect a woman's clinical presentation, her coping skills, and the crisis intervention strategies needed to treat her. This article reviews the issues of victimization among women and the implications for treatment in the PES. The prevalence and sequelae of victimization, as well as a theoretical framework for acute, crisis-oriented intervention, are also presented.