Health
Domestic abuse is a major public health issue, impacting physical health, mental wellbeing, maternity outcomes, safeguarding practice and pressure across urgent and primary care. Health professionals are often the first and sometimes the only contact survivors have with services. Standing Together works with a range of health care providers and specialist sector partners to embed safe, trauma-informed, consistent responses to domestic abuse
STADA works towards a future where health professionals are trained to spot the signs of abuse and victims-survivors can get effective help wherever they present in the NHS. We want to see the NHS act on perpetrator red flags and lessons learnt from every domestic abuse related death.
Over 8 years we have helped make thousands of victim/survivors safer through:
- Piloting programmes to improve NHS responses to domestic abuse which have been absorbed into mainstream provision by ICBs
- Bringing together professionals and Royal Colleges to develop and share best practice
We have successfully campaigned for the Department of Health and Social Care to play a bigger role in the NHS response and the new Violence Against Women and Girls plan includes a significant range of commitment in this area.
Domestic Abuse is a major health issue
Domestic abuse affects physical, emotional, mental and sexual health. Its impact can be both chronic and acute, with long-term consequences for survivors and for the health system.
1 in 5 adults have experienced domestic abuse
In England and Wales, one in five adults aged 16+ have experienced domestic abuse. The effects range from acute injuries to chronic conditions including depression, eating disorders and gastrointestinal illness.
Healthcare professionals are uniquely placed to intervene and enable safety but often there are missed opportunities.
Health services are a critical point of support
Only one in five victim-survivors contact the police, but most will access hospitals, GP practices or mental health services. The NHS sees 1.5 million patients a day, giving health teams a unique opportunity to intervene early.
Hidden victims are more likely to disclose in health settings
Health services encourage disclosure among Black and minoritised communities, disabled survivors, LGBT+ survivors and older people, groups who often face additional barriers to accessing support.
Some survivors attend A&E up to 15 times before abuse is identified. High-risk survivors also spend longer in hospital due to safe-discharge concerns, showing the need for earlier recognition and response.
Domestic abuse and mental health are deeply connected
70% of women who access mental health services have experienced domestic abuse. Despite this, domestic abuse often goes undetected in mental health settings, and specialist support is not always in place.
Our Work
Standing Together Pioneered the ‘Whole Health’ response to domestic abuse. We have worked at local and national levels with healthcare providers and specialist services as well as doing extensive work with survivors to ensure their voices are heard to inform health’s response to domestic abuse.
Pathfinder Project
Working across health settings to strengthen responses to domestic abuse, supporting earlier identification and safer, more coordinated care.
Macmillan Project
Explore how our collaboration with Macmillan strengthens safety, identification and support for people experiencing domestic abuse in cancer care settings.
Crossing Pathways
Discover how Crossing Pathways explores domestic abuse and multiple disadvantage within health services.
Pathways to Safety
Standing Together’s accreditation framework supporting NHS Trusts and healthcare providers to strengthen their response to domestic abuse.
Health Training Courses
Equipping health professionals with the skills and confidence to identify and respond to domestic abuse safely.
Recent News and Reports
Child and Young Survivors of Domestic Abuse: Trauma-Informed Guidance for Health Professionals
Evidence-informed guide for anyone working directly with children and families, especially in health settings.
10 Ways the NHS 10 Year Plan can help halve VAWG
A report with ten recommendations to improve the NHS’ response to victims and survivors of domestic abuse.
Standing Together Statement on the launch of ‘Never again. Again’
The report reveals the potential of the NHS to transform the response to domestic abuse and save lives.
You can find additional reports, studies and research on our dedicated resources page