Citation

Halpérin DS, Bron G. Revue Francophone du Stress et du Trauma 2007; 7(2): 97-105.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Princeps)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Health services are increasingly expected to identify and offer specific care to victims of violence, particularly women in the setting of domestic violence. Little is known, however, on the health needs of violent perpetrators. We therefore compared ill-health indicators and protective factors in three categories of adult protagonists of violence: victims, aggressors and victims-aggressors. In a cross-sectional study, 2,676 consecutive patients were assessed at a teaching hospital by a specialised team providing ambulatory evaluation and care to adults confronted to violence. Victims had a high rate (20%) of violence-related hospitalisations. Aggressors, victims, and victims-aggressors had similar rates of low self-graded health status, use of illicit drugs, consumption of sleep, tranquillising and/or pain medication, unemployment and disability. Aggressors had a very high prevalence of problem drinking (42%) and of attempted suicide (21%), and over 50% of them disclosed adverse experiences during childhood. They also demonstrated less autonomy, and felt to be less supported by the outside than victims. The present study offers a subtly shaded outlook where aggressors, too, can be recognised as pain-enduring persons with a global health profile that is not more favourable -- and for some variables clearly worse -- than that of victims. This implies that in a health-focused approach, aggressors should receive the same quality of care than victims. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract)