HIGHLIGHTING AN INVISIBLE BRAIN INJURY
One in three women will experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Most will also suffer a brain injury as a result of the abuse.
When you consider most physical abuse involves blows to the head, face, neck, and strangulation, it’s not surprising. But while sports concussion dominates news headlines, little attention is paid to how common brain injuries are among survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV).
SOAR (Supporting Survivors of Abuse and Brain Injury through Research) works to change that through a unique, multi-disciplinary research collaboration between University of British Columbia – Okanagan and Kelowna Women’s Shelter.
What is Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)?
The term intimate partner violence (IPV) describes physical, sexual, or psychological harm by a current or former intimate partner or spouse.
IPV is also known as domestic abuse or gender-based violence, and is a major public health concern that destroys lives, devastates families, and affects communities around the world.
One in three women will experience IPV in her lifetime.
In Canada alone, it’s estimated 230,000 women between 20 and 54 will experience severe violence at the hands of an intimate partner every year.
The federal Department of Justice estimates the annual costs associated with IPV exceed $7.4B.
What is a Brain Injury (BI)?
A Brain injury (BI) is an alteration in brain function caused by external forces, or a reduction in oxygen supply. A concussion is a form of traumatic brain injury caused by a hard blow or jolt to the head, neck, or body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth.
In intimate partner violence (IPV), a concussion can happen from a variety of causes, including being:
- Punched, or hit with an object.
- Violently shaken.
- Pushed down stairs.
- Thrown out of a moving vehicle.
RT @Fraserhealth: Fraser Health’s Embrace Clinic provides outpatient medical care to victims of partner violence. The clinic is also involv…
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RT @Cole_J_Kennedy: Each year in Canada, an estimated 250,000 women suffer #concussion at the hands of their intimate partners. Proud of my…
Read MoreRT @UN_Women: The scars of abuse are not always visible. https://t.co/iyQtZIfTLm
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RT @BrainTrustCAD: #BrainInjury is intersectional - the identities a person has in addition to living w/concussion can impact both how they…
Read MoreRT @BrainTrustCAD: Half of concussions don't happen in sports. This Concussion Awareness Week, our conversations need to include everyone a…
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Did you know? Sleep is good for the concussed brain! That means there’s no need to wake them every few hours if they're sleeping comfortably. To lean more--including about #IPV #BI--visit: @cat...
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RT @cattonline: Concussion Awareness Week is Sep 25 – Oct 1, 2022! Join us this week in raising awareness about concussions in your communi…
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RT @OAKConcussion: It is Concussion Awareness Week in Canada. 🇨🇦 Check out some of the events going on this week across the country: https…
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Up to 92% of women survivors of #IPV experience #BI as part of the abuse, yet 75% of women’s shelter workers have never screened for #BI. Learn how to recognize signs and symptoms and provide suppo...
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One of the ways we support #frontlineworkers is by developing and distributing resources to help them recognize and respond to brain injury (#BI) in intimate partner violence (#IPV) Download a copy...
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One of the goals of SOAR is to educate. We’ve delivered presentations and workshops to a variety of audiences, including women’s shelter workers, health care providers, social workers, advocates...
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Intimate partner violence (#IPV) doesn’t discriminate. It can also be hard to spot. Many survivors learn how to put on a good face, and may not disclose the abuse to anyone. Becoming familiar with...
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Thanks to co-authors @JudyIlles from @NeuroethicsUBC and @DeanaSimonetto from @fass_ubco and @drvandonkelaar from @UBC_HES for their contributions, and @Kmason10, @igrantubc, and @pamelacross541 for h...
Read MoreWe recommend expert allyship, trauma-informed legal teams, parenting capacity assessments, and transparency about the benefits and harms of opting in or out of screening to help remedy the continued v...
Read MoreResults suggest potential adverse consequences of a #bi that are influenced by the legal responsibility of counsel, the legal aid status of the woman, ongoing family dynamics, and the expectations of ...
Read MoreWe used semi-structured interviews with lawyers, combined with a contrastive vignette describing a realistic hypothetical scenario involving IPV with or without brain injury, to explore how brain inju...
Read MoreExcited to have the latest @CanadaSoar project paper from Quinn Boyle's MSc out in @J_Law_Biosci! We examine the ethicolegal considerations of #BrainInjury in women experiencing #IPV. Bottom line: Wom...
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Soar Is Supported By:
