Researchers and professionals meet to discuss ways to prevent domestic abuse

MONTREAL - A group of scientists, social workers and other professionals united on Tuesday to discuss ways to prevent domestic abuse.

Conjugal violence leaves tell-tales signs on victims, but those often go unrecognized in the health system, according to Annick Brazeau, from the Maison d'Hebergement pour Elles de Deux Vallees. 

"Police officers, lawyers, different people, they are in contact, but they don't know, nurses also, sometimes they see something, but they don't understand it's because that woman, she's a victim of violence," she said.

For example, Dr. Eve Valera, an adjunct professor at Harvard Medical School, studied a group of 99 women who were the victims of domestic abuse. Three-quarters of them reported having at least one concussion, and just over half of them reported repetitive concussions.

Most women who have a concussion from domestic violence don't realize, she said.

"A woman said oh my gosh, I thought I was dementing, and then I saw your paper and realized that's what my problem was, I had sustained a number of brain injuries from my partner which I hadn't even thought of," Valera said.

One in four violent crimes reported to police is intimate partner violence, according to Statistics Canada. But many cases still go unreported, according to Louise Riendeau from the Regroupement des Maisons pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale.

"We still have a lot of information and education to do for women but also professionals," she said.  

Women in need of support can contact Women Aware at [phone] or (1-866-489-1110)

Info-femmes can be reached at [phone]