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The Midwives Role In Domestic Violence undergraduate Degree Level ...



Title:
The midwives role in domestic violence

Undergraduate Degree Level Literature Review

10,000 words


Introduction

Domestic violence has been with us throughout the ages. A brief overview of the subject shows that it has taken many forms and significantly, we note that the phenomenon is defined in many different ways. To an extent, these ways are determined by the society, the environment and to an extent the chronological time of the events. Acts and behaviour patterns which can be considered acceptable in one social construct can be completely unacceptable in another. We can cite an example enshrined in British law, that up to 1824 a husband was legally entitled to beat his wife to any degree as long as he did not use a stick that was larger in diameter than his thumb, hence giving rise to the expression rule of thumb (Boyle A et al. 2004).

Studies have shown (DOH 2000) that women who are abused experience an average of 35 episodes of domestic violence before they make the decision to seek help. The same study details the many and varied ways that women will ask for help. Some are clearly unequivocal and overt by reporting to the police, the social worker or some other statutory representative or healthcare professional, while others may not present overtly and the signs of abuse may be noticed by another person who then intervenes and may thereby represent a channel of communication that may be what the victim has been waiting for. A third group appear to enter a phase of complete denial. They may present to a healthcare professional with signs and symptoms that are highly suspicious of domestic violence, but when challenged, may deny the possibility and produce a string of plausible explanations as to just how certain injuries had been sustained. (Yura H et al. 1998). As with any situation that affects the human condition there are inevitably a spectrum of other presentations behind these extremes and although we have chosen to present three particular stereotypes, we note that each individual case is unique, has its own unique trigger factors and response patterns, but is almost universally distressing and degrading to the victim of such violence. In the circumstances that we are considering here the case is rather different from the majority insofar as we are specifically considering the role of the midwife in dealing with domestic violence. It follows from this that violence towards the mother not only affects her but potentially can cause both direct and indirect morbidity with the unborn or newborn child. There is also the effect that it can have on any other children in the family, but we shall discuss these issues in greater detail in the review itself.

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