Women s advocates in the US have used the power and control framework for many years to describe how some men use violence to dominate their partners and maintain control with the relationship. The wheel at right is adapted from that framework to show how the behavior of health care providers often contributes to women s victimization. An alternative wheel suggests how health workers can help empower women to overcome abuse. This guide was prepared by the Center for Health and Gender Equity for Population Reports , Ending Violence Against Women , Series L, No. 11, December 1999. How to Ask About Abuse O ne day after reading an educational booklet on domestic violence, Richard Jones, former president of the American College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians, asked a long-time patient whether her husband had ever beaten her.
Any service provider can make a difference by asking the question.
Jones now asks every patient about abuse and encourages all of his students to do likewise. An important first step is considering how to broach the subject and then developing a standard way to ask the question for all clients. Because violence is common in women s lives, we have begun asking all clients about abuse. Asking Indirectly Your symptoms may be related to stress. When considering which method of contraception is best for you, an important factor is whether you can or cannot anticipate when you will have sex.