Citation

Volkmann ER. Ann. Fam. Med. 2017; 15(1): 77-79.

Affiliation

Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, University of California, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California evolkmann@mednet.ucla.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.)

DOI

10.1370/afm.2004

PMID

28376465

Abstract

Early in my medical training, I cared for a patient who survived a brutal sexual assault necessitating ICU level care. Months later, I was raped. This essay is a reflection on my experience as a survivor of sexual violence and as a provider for patients whose wounds from these traumas have flourished in atmospheres of shame and stigma. In this essay, I further explore how physicians and other health care providers can play a central role in restoring the health of individuals who silently suffer after these unspeakable events.

© 2017 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

Language: en

Keywords

primary care; sexual violence