Although nearly 80% of domestic violence victims who report the incidents to police seek healthcare in emergency rooms, as many as 72% are not identified as victims of abuse. Of those who are, very few are offered adequate support. These findings from a new study point to a missed opportunity to intervene and offer help to women who suffer violence at the hands of an intimate partner. Karin V. Rhodes, MD, directs the Division of Emergency Care Policy Research in the department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. She says "Emergency departments are a safety net for women with health issues of all kinds, but our study shows we're not doing a good enough job of assessing our patients' entire situation."
