DISCLAIMER: The following article may contain triggering and sensitive material regarding the topic of domestic violence. Should any material evoke sensitivity, we advise refraining from reading the rest of the article. Full details for helplines can be found at the end.
The importance of health care
Health Care professionals help patients by restoring their health to their best possible quality of life. Patients from all walks of life are seen, with all sorts of admittance reasons; not excluding those in admittance from trauma from domestic violence, or previous trauma.
Such professionals have come across patients that did not only need physical help but must realise the need for treatment in all aspects, not excluding social and emotional guidance.
It is important as health care professionals to be able to read between the lines in patients as; a simple checkup can indicate red flags that, as a duty, should be followed up.
Domestic violence is a pattern of behaviors, used by one member of the household to maintain power and control over another. Domestic violence does not discriminate between race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender.
It can affect people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels. This article will mainly focus on intimate relationships or relationships featuring an individual living together with a partner.
It is important to note the difference between violence and abuse. The former exhibits itself as just one form of behaviour, while the latter is exhibited through different forms.
Abusive behaviour can take many forms but here is a rundown of the main types:
Physical abuse
This includes any direct or indirect physically aggressive, harmful or threatening behaviour.
Some examples of this include slapping, pushing, hitting, threatening, burning, pulling hair, beating, withholding of physical needs [such as denying food and help if sick or injured], threatening to injure others, and holding the victim hostage.
Verbal abuse
Verbal abuse defines the inappropriate, often aggressive, language used to embarrass or threaten the victim. The abuser can threaten to hurt or kill the victim, their family, pets, and tarnish their reputation.
Calling names is also considered to be a part of verbal abuse as this is done intentionally to lower the victim’s self-confidence. The actions done during such could consist of yelling, screaming, rampaging, terrorizing, or even refusing to talk.
However, it can sometimes be more subtle than previously mentioned. This can be seen in cases where insults can be masked via humour, sarcasm, or almost constructiveness, to the point where the patient cannot recognise the abuse themselves.
Emotional abuse
This includes any behaviour that exploits one’s vulnerability or their character. Actions such as degradation to the point that the victim’s self-confidence is undermined, intentionally accusing the victim, constantly ignoring or neglecting the victim’s request, manipulating the victim into doing forced actions, and believing untrue facts.
It is common for the victim to feel that any wrong-doings of their partner are actually their fault. This is due to the manipulation of their partner warping the reality of the underlying abuse.
Financial abuse
Financial abuse is a way to control the victim by manipulating economical resources such as withholding access to any funds belonging to the victim or their family, making it difficult to buy daily essential things, forcing the victim to hand over their paycheck, making it hard for them to go to work or not even allowing them to have a job, and guilt-tripping the victim for spending money on things without seeking permission from the abuser.
The victim may be forced to hide money or open hidden accounts from their partner. Another form of this behaviour may be seen when the abuser refuses to find a job themselves, and uses up all the victim’s money maybe to buy non-essential items such as drugs and alcohol.
Sexual abuse
This translates to using sex in an exploitative manner or by forcing sex on the other partner. By having given consent in past sexual moments does not mean that the person is always willing to have sex.
This form of abuse can take form through verbal or physical means. Examples of this include using force, coercion or guilt-tripping the victim into having sex, exploiting a victim who is unable to make an informed decision due to being asleep, drugged or intoxicated, making contact with the victim in a nonconsensual way, exhibiting excessive jealousy and having affairs with other people.
Victims may also use sex as a tool in attempt to bring themselves closer to the abuser. In this case, the victim is not enthusiastic about sex and is not doing it for themselves.
A helping hand
Healthcare professionals are trained to notice some behaviours that have been mentioned. In the case where the abuser accompanies the victim when seeking medical attention, the medical personnel will subtly ask for the patient to be assessed alone at the indication of red-flags.
Patient safety is at top priority and in the hands of the trusted professionals, the necessary help would be offered.
If you are experiencing such abuse, or know of someone who is suffering from some sort of violence, professional help is available by the following organisations;
Support Line – 179
Appogg – 22959000
Dar Merhba Bik – 21440035
Fondazzjoni Sebħ – 22470900
Kellimni – www.kellimni.com
Victim Support Malta – 21228333
Mental Health Malta – 23304313
Rainbow Support Service LGBTIQ – 21430009
