Domestic Violence Prevention Month: GPs Receive Training to Spot Hidden Signs of Domestic Abuse

May marks the start of Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month, which raises awareness about domestic and family violence (DFV) and reinforces the message that violence won’t be tolerated. It's a time to encourage individuals and communities to speak out against violence, empower people to work together for prevention, and highlight available support services.

Wentworth Healthcare, provider of the Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network, is taking this opportunity to talk about the widespread health impacts of DFV and to remind those experiencing violence, as well as their friends, family and colleagues, that their general practitioner (GP) can be a safe place to seek help.

Research from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reveals that 1 in 6 women and 1 in 18 men have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by a partner. The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research report that for the Nepean Blue Mountains region, which includes the Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Lithgow and Penrith areas, there were 1,899 reported domestic violence related assaults last calendar year.

While these figures are alarming, they are likely to be even higher due to the rate of unreported abuse. The 2021-22 Australian Bureau of Statistics Personal Safety Survey revealed 8 in 10 women and 7 in 10 men who experienced violence from a current or previous partner did not contact police.

Wentworth Healthcare CEO, Lizz Reay, said that the effects and impacts of DFV can manifest in different ways.  

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