DAUK and the Medical Women’s Federation (MWF) are joining together to launch the first NHS Domestic Abuse Awareness Day on Wednesday 10 December.
More than one in five people in England and Wales has experienced domestic abuse. Rates are especially high among female healthcare professionals, with research suggesting they are three times more likely to experience it than the average person in the UK.
NHS Domestic Abuse Awareness Day highlights the urgent need to recognise and respond to domestic abuse affecting NHS staff, and recognise the unique barriers they can face seeking help.
The campaign has the support of NHS Practitioner Health, Doctors in Distress, Surviving in Scrubs, BRIGHT (Bristol Research on the Intersection of Gender, Health, and Trauma), IRISi Intervention, Cameron Fund, Cavell, the Healthcare Leadership Academy, and the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin.
Domestic abuse
Domestic abuse occurs across society. It affects people of all ages, genders, sexualities, ethnicities, and income levels, although it is predominantly women who suffer as a result.
Three women in the UK die each week due to domestic abuse, and a ten-year femicide census identified healthcare professionals (HCPs) as one of the most common occupations among victims.
The NHS is one of the world’s largest employers. In England it employs 1.7 million people, almost three quarters of whom are women.
These figures underline the likelihood that domestic abuse is affecting staff in every part of the health service.
NHS Domestic Abuse Awareness Day aims to ensure that the same culture of care extended to patients is offered to the workforce.
Organisations are encouraged to foster an environment where staff feel able to seek help without fear of judgment or repercussion.
NHS Domestic Abuse Awareness Day
The build up to NHS Domestic Abuse Awareness Day starts on White Ribbon Day (25 November), the global movement to end male violence against women and girls.
The Medical Women’s Federation is a White Ribbon supporter organisation and White Ribbon Champion, and medical student Divine Mkamwasi will launch our 16 days of activism on social media which will culminate in NHS Domestic Abuse Awareness Day.
Dr Ellen Welch, DAUK co-chair, MWF campaigns co-lead and an organiser of NHS Domestic Abuse Awareness Day, said: “As a solo parent on social media parenting groups, it struck me just how many doctor mums confided their experience of abuse within these spaces.
“The more I’ve learned it’s clear this is more than just anecdotal and domestic abuse is rife among health care professionals.
“NHS Domestic Abuse Awareness Day aims to ensure that the same care and support staff extend to patients, is also given to them.
Safe space
“We want to ensure NHS workplaces are a safe space for staff and to build a culture where colleagues feel listened to, supported, and are able to access help when they need it most.”
Dr Sarah Jacques, DAUK GP co-lead, MWF campaigns co-lead and an organiser of NHS Domestic Abuse Awareness Day, said: “This campaign will be deeply personal to a lot of NHS staff.
“For far too long our colleagues have been terrified to speak, frightened that asking for help would damage their careers or leave them exposed. No one should ever feel that trapped or alone.
“NHS Domestic Abuse Awareness Day is our commitment to creating a culture where people feel safe to come forward, are met with compassion, and can access support when they need it most.”
Important campaign
Professor Dame Jane Dacre, MWF president, said: “The Medical Women’s Federation is clear that any form of abuse is unacceptable, that’s why this campaign is so important.
“Domestic abuse of doctors and other healthcare professionals is especially concerning and needs to be highlighted in order to prevent harm to those who care for others.”
The campaign calls for all NHS organisations to maintain robust domestic abuse policies to protect staff.
It also calls for domestic abuse education throughout university training and beyond, access to emergency hardship funds for those experiencing abuse, and a positive workplace culture that actively supports staff.
#NHSDAAD
NHS staff and patients can get involved on the day by wearing white ribbons, the global symbol of the movement to end men’s violence against women and girls, and posting on social media using the hashtag #NHSDAAD.
We have developed NHS Domestic Abuse Day resources for healthcare professionals and organisations.
Lucy Warner, chief executive of NHS Practitioner Health, said: “Over the last few years we have identified a growing number of health and care professionals seeking mental health support through NHS Practitioner Health where domestic abuse is a factor.
“Seeking help through the usual channels can be especially challenging for those working in health and care settings.
“The potential overlap between personal and professional lives, such as encountering colleagues or even patients in support services, adds an additional layer of complexity, making it harder for professionals to access the care they need safely and confidentially.
“Through Practitioner Health, we are committed to providing psychological safety to enable healthcare professionals to disclose their experiences without fear of judgement or breach of confidentiality.”#
Support
Dr Becky Cox, co-founder of Surviving in Scrubs, said: “We are proud to support NHS Domestic Abuse Awareness Day in association with DAUK and the MWF.
“Too many women working in healthcare experience domestic abuse, we must urgently recognise this issue and prioritise support for survivors.”
Dr Sandi Dheensa, University of Bristol, research fellow in BRIGHT (Bristol Research on the Intersection of Gender, Health, and Trauma), said: “Policy increasingly emphasises healthcare professionals’ responsibilities to patients affected by abuse, but we need to improve safety and support for the 42 per cent of female HCPs who are experiencing domestic abuse themselves.”
Hayley Coates, network, training and innovation manager IRISi Intervention, said: “At IRISi, we are the only national charity dedicated solely to improving the healthcare response to domestic abuse.
Physical and mental health impacts
“Domestic abuse has wide-ranging impacts on physical and mental health, affecting patients and staff.”
“NHS Domestic Abuse Awareness Day is an important reminder that every health service must be equipped to respond safely and effectively.
“For more than a decade, our evidence-based programmes and research partnerships have supported healthcare professionals to identify, respond to, and refer victims and survivors with confidence.
“Everyone affected by abuse deserves to be seen, heard, and supported and no one should face it alone.”
Dr Dasha Ibrahim, Women in Healthcare Leadership, said: “Domestic abuse often hides in silence. We know its impact falls unevenly, disproportionately affecting women.
“Today we stand with every survivor and we commit to creating healthcare spaces where everyone feel safe, heard, and supported.”
DAUK committee members are volunteers and campaign about issues facing doctors in their own time. Please support our work by joining DAUK or donating to our GoFundMe.
