Clinical Settings Where Domestic Violence and Abuse May Be Encountered

There is a growing body of work exploring domestic violence and abuse (DVA) in relation to primary and secondary healthcare settings and fields of practice. This is unsurprising as it has become increasingly apparent that it is practitioners in health services (from health visitors and midwives to emergency and ambulance staff) who are often the very first point of contact for people experiencing DVA. Additionally, it is frequently reported by victim-survivors that healthcare practitioners are those professionals that they would be most likely to speak to about their experiences. This chapter explores some of the clinical settings where DVA may be encountered by healthcare practitioners. It reflects the view that training and resources need to be consistent across healthcare settings in order to equip practitioners with the skills to effectively recognise and respond to DVA by using the appropriate pathways to support for victims-survivors.