One in three people treated in emergency departments in Wales for assault injuries is the victim of domestic violence, new research has revealed. The research, carried out by the University of Glamorgan also found that 75% of the victims of domestic violence treated at the emergency room were female, and 25% were male. The findings have led for calls for all hospital Accident and Emergency departments in Wales to set up referral schemes that allow victims of such assaults to readily access help and support when they are ready.
Lynn Lynch, a consultant midwife who carried out the research, said, "Domestic violence is ongoing and I am sure that these figures do not represent the true levels of abuse, they only show those who have needed emergency medical attention. There is surely a difference between these numbers and those that we do not know about."
The research, which was presented at a world conference in Florida, also discovered that in a fifth of all domestic violence attacks seen at Prince Charles Hospital, children were present. The main perpetrators of domestic violence in cases involving women were partners or ex-partners; in attacks on men, other family members were found to be largely responsible.
(Source: Western Mail, Wales UK, 11-5-04.)
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