NCJ Number
61998
Journal
International Journal of Health Services Volume: 9 Issue: 3 Dated: (1979) Pages: 461-493
Date Published
1979
Length
33 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT DESCRIBES THE PATTERN OF ABUSE ASSOCIATED WITH BATTERING AND EVALUATES THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE MEDICAL SYSTEM AND BROADER SOCIAL FORCES TO THIS ABUSE.
Abstract
A PILOT STUDY WAS MADE OF 481 WOMEN WHO USED THE EMERGENCY SERVICE OF A LARGE METROPOLITAN HOSPITAL IN THE UNITED STATES. MEDICAL RECORDS WERE ANALYZED AND EACH EPISODE OF INJURY EXAMINED, INCLUDING 1,419 CASES OF TRAUMA. FINDINGS SHOWED THAT BATTERING IS APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES MORE FREQUENT THAN PHYSICIANS ACKNOWLEDGE. FROM THE STANDPOINT OF EMERGENCY SERVICE, BATTERING APPEARS TO INCLUDE A HOST OF DERIVATIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS AND REPEATED ACTS OF PHYSICAL INJURY AND SELF-ABUSE. INTERVENTION AND REFERRAL PATTERNS SUGGEST THAT BATTERING IS SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED. AT FIRST, PHYSICAL TRAUMA ASSOCIATED WITH ABUSE IS MEDICATED SYMPTOMATICALLY. THE INCONGRUITY BETWEEN THE PROBLEMS OF THE BATTERED WOMAN AND AVAILABLE MEDICAL EXPLANATIONS LEAD MEDICAL PERSONNEL TO LABEL THE ABUSED WOMAN AS PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR HER VICTIMIZATION. SECONDARY PROBLEMS SUCH AS DEPRESSION, DRUG ABUSE, SUICIDE ATTEMPTS, AND ALCOHOLISM ARE TREATED AS PRIMARY PROBLEMS AT PSYCHIATRIC AND SOCIAL SERVICE REFERRAL POINTS AND FAMILY MAINTENANCE RATHER THAN ELIMINATION OR RESOLUTION OF THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF ABUSE IS OFTEN THE THERAPEUTIC GOAL. THIS REFERRAL STRATEGY VIRTUALLY INSURES THAT WOMEN WILL BE ABUSED IN SYSTEMATIC AND ARBITRARY WAYS. THE USE OF PATRIARCHAL LOGIC BY MEDICAL PROVIDERS RESPONDING TO PHYSICAL TRAUMA HAS LESS TO DO WITH SEXISM THAN WITH THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CONSTRAINTS UNDER WHICH MEDICINE OPERATES AS PART OF AN EXTENDED PATRIARCHY. THUS MEDICINE'S ROLE IN BATTERING SUGGESTS THAT THE SERVICES FUNCTION TO RECONSTITUTE THE WORLD OF PATRIARCHAL AUTHORITY. REFERENCES ARE GIVEN. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--MJW)