*The following story contains details about domestic violence (DV) which may be triggering for some readers.
For nearly one in two women in their mid-20s to 40s who have experienced family, domestic or sexual violence, navigating the healthcare system to seek support can be overwhelming. At a time when they are trying to survive, knowing where to turn – and what services are there to help – can save a life and make recovery possible.
Kristine was a mother when she sought support from a medical practitioner for herself and her child. On the advice of police, she reported her multiple and repeated injuries to the doctor, hoping the information on file would help her.
“Our medical practitioner just didn’t have the education around how to help. I was treated for my physical injuries, but my accusations of DV went unaddressed. I remember leaving those appointments and just hoping that maybe next time it would be enough,” Kristine says.
It was the next GP who was better equipped. The GP asked questions and made suggestions as to how the entire family could be supported without raising alarm bells at home about DV. It was validating for Kristine to have someone see her.
“We need a holistic healthcare response to domestic and family violence, and sexual violence. The women seeking help are complex and the care they receive should be too.”
In trying to move forward, Kristine faced an even bigger challenge. Now in a difficult situation, she was reliant on strangers.
“We were able to access an organisation set up to support DV survivors. The doctors there understood. They didn’t ask for addresses, they knew why we were there.”
“I remember saying to a woman, ‘I don’t think I’ll ever get through this,’ and she looked at me and said, ‘You will’. And the fact that I did? I’m still surprised I did. Because everything you are, your whole being, is completely gone when you’re in that situation. It feels foreign.”
The road to restoring their lives was difficult. Determined, Kristine sought out as many support options as possible. Referrals to psychologists provided short-term support, but the constant changes in mental healthcare services meant Kristine experienced gaps in her treatment.
And while helpful for some, the requirement for patients to be experiencing high stress to receive mental health care didn’t provide Kristine with the support she needed for long-term recovery.
“DV survivors need constant support because there are so many ways DV affects your life. And it will for years, even after you have left the situation. Emotional, physical, mental and financial stressors all play a part. Help in a crisis, financial advice, speaking to a lawyer, mental health support – the more access you have to support options, the better you can restore your life.”
It’s through her own experiences that Kristine now champions DV support options while working at the very organisations that helped her recover. She knows that a holistic approach to supporting women experiencing DV is what’s needed.
“It is exciting to see the progress we’re making. If we can create safe places where women have access to everything they need, we will start to break down generational DV in our communities and see a real shift. My child and I were so fragile. But with the support of the sisterhood around us, we were able to rebuild our lives. We are so much stronger together.”