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Abstract
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Background
Domestic violence, that is not limited to sexual violence, should not be considered as a private problem but as an appalling behavior that causes uneasiness and is continued in its short and long-term complications. Domestic violence is an issue that regards public health and involves the National Health Service and its resources. Prevalence of the phenomenon in Italy is slightly lower if compared to data recorded in other countries, but the results of the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) confirm that the problem exists in our country and is for the most part (90% ) an underground phenomenon. The effects of violence can be divided into three categories: physical effects, an increase in medical care and psychological effects. Acute psychological effects include Acute Stress Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), while the long-term effects include: Generalized Anxious Disorder, Depression, Eating Disorders, PTSD and Somatization Disorders. A review based on recent evidence has not confirmed the correlation amongst mental illness and criminal episodes that some authors point out.Results and conclusions
To fight and prevent domestic violence change on various levels is necessary: A personal change (understanding the various manifestations), professional modifications (need to insert screening questions in clinical interview procedures), political improvements (institutions should plan, organize and facilitate interventions of every operator). The early identification and treatment of abuse is a goal for the good health of all citizens, for women as well as the weaker individuals in our society, who are sometimes treated with medication but rarely "taken care of". Health care providers often wonder why women stay in violent relationships; it is essential to understand and address the reasons for this too. |