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October 31, 2004

Spotting Domestic Abuse

Well, I let this one get by me: October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month. However, domestic violence is something we all need to be aware of. As bodywork professionals, we are in a unique position to see signs of abuse before the signs are visible to others.

There are a number of signs a massage therapist can look for to determine if a client is a victim of intimate partner violence, most notably, the presence of bruises, cuts and lacerations on the face, head and body, or in areas usually covered by clothing, including the back, chest, breasts, abdomen and extremities.

Definition: Domestic violence -- also known as intimate partner violence -- is "...a pattern of assaultive and coercive behaviors, including physical, sexual, and psychological attacks, as well as economic coercion, that adults or adolescents use against their intimate partners."

Some facts about domestic violence: Domestic violence is prevalent in the U.S.; moreover, its victims are both male and female, and it can be found in every race, ethnicity, culture, social structure and income bracket, as well as within heterosexual, homosexual and transgender relationships. There is no "typical" victim of domestic violence, and "... no causative link has been found between the characteristics of battered women and their victimization ... Being a victim of domestic violence is due to behaviors of the perpetrator, rather than the personal characteristics of the victim."

Posted by linda at October 31, 2004 8:48 AM