There are many reasons that clinicians fail to identify abuse. Many times a battered woman simply will not tell the medical staff about the abuse. Another important reason the abused victim does not report the event is the fact that the clinician did not ask if abuse had occurred or was the cause of an injury. Many reasons exist for clinicians not to screen all women as potential victims of abuse. It is important to remember that any patient who walks through your door can be a victim of domestic violence.
Abuse crosses all social barriers including race, social class, and economic status.
It is estimated that 2 to 4 million women are abused each year, and one source calculates the number to be closer to 7.5 million annually. Approximately 3600 to 6000 women are beaten to death each year. There are many clues to the puzzle of domestic violence. Clinicians need to be more effective in assisting their patients to seek the necessary help to prevent future abuse, or even death, once they are trained to identify these clues. The Screening Process Two screening techniques have been developed to help assist clinicians in properly screening women for a status of victimization.