Identification and Management of Domestic and Sexual Violence in Primary Care in the #MeToo Era: an Update.

Abstract

We discuss recent evidence around the identification and response to domestic and sexual violence in primary care for perpetrators and victims, in the context of feminist social media movements such as #MeToo. There is no recent research on identification and response to perpetrators in health settings. There is some limited recent evidence for how health settings can address domestic and sexual violence for female victims and their children. Recent studies of mixed quality focus on advocacy and empowerment, integrated interventions (with alcohol and drug misuse) and couples counselling for domestic violence and cognitive behavioural or processing therapy for sexual violence. Further research on perpetrator interventions in primary care is urgent. Larger sample sizes and a focus on sexual violence are needed to develop the evidence base for female survivors. Clinicians need to ask about violence and provide a first-line response depending on the patient's needs.