According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 4.8 million women and 2.9 million men are victims of violence by a partner each year in the United States.
A new study published by the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery (a JAMA Journal)in the Jan/Feb issue, shows that certain facial injuries sustained during domestic abuse situations are more identifiable over most bruises, cuts, and breaks received from a crime in which they didn’t know the assailant; for example in a robbery or car accident. http://archfaci.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/11/1/48?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=domestic+abuse&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=date&resourcetype=HWCIT
Other studies say that not enough doctors are going out of their way to suggest treatment or help to patients they suspect are being abused. No matter how far-fetched an emergency room excuse may be for physically abused women who present with facial injuries, it is probably a cry for help when they can’t or won’t tell the truth about their injuries.
Do you know anyone whose facial injuries may be suspect of abuse by a husband, boyfriend, or someone else in the family?