Domestic Violence Can Affect The Long-Term Mental Health Of Women

A new study that has appeared in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association has found that women who have experienced some form of gender-based violence, such as sexual assault, domestic violence, or stalking, have a significantly higher risk of developing a mental health condition such as bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and addiction issues.

According to the study, which looked at data from Australian women between the ages of 16 and 85, found that 27 percent of all women had experienced some form of gender-based violence in their lives. Fifty-seven percent of those who had been exposed to this type of violence also suffered from a mental health disorder, while only 28 percent of those without a violent past reported mental illness. Domestic violence had an especially strong link to mental illness.

Researchers are still not sure whether this link means that gender-based violence and abuse triggers mental illness or whether having a mental illness makes you more susceptible to abuse. However, they noted that often gender-based violence occurred early in life, while mental illness issues followed. The study controlled factors like socioeconomic standing and those with a family history of mental illness.

If you have been a victim of domestic violence or other gender-based abuse like stalking or assault, and if you are suffering from conditions such as anxiety and depression, know that there are a number of resources that can help you in Seattle and across Washington State.