Citation

McTavish JR, Chandra PS, Stewart DE, Herrman H, MacMillan HL. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022; 19(23): e15672.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/ijerph192315672

PMID

36497747

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) and child maltreatment (physical, emotional, sexual abuse, neglect, and children's exposure to IPV) are two of the most common types of family violence; they are associated with a broad range of health consequences. We summarize evidence addressing the need for safe and culturally-informed clinical responses to child maltreatment and IPV, focusing on mental health settings. This considers clinical features of child maltreatment and IPV; applications of rights-based and trauma- and violence-informed care; how to ask about potential experiences of violence; safe responses to disclosures; assessment and interventions that include referral networks and resources developed in partnership with multidisciplinary and community actors; and the need for policy and practice frameworks, appropriate training and continuing professional development provisions and resources for mental health providers. Principles for a common approach to recognizing and safely responding to child maltreatment and IPV are discussed, recognizing the needs in well-resourced and scarce resource settings, and for marginalized groups in any setting.

Language: en

Keywords

mental health; training; child maltreatment; intimate partner violence; clinical responses