"Systems for FDV victims are broken"

I presented at ED due to needing medical attention after an assault (FDV)

I was made to disclose my situation in a very public space and then made to wait for over 2 hours in a general public waiting room. This not only can put a victim at risk but the general public. I was told there was no private area to wait in, which I believe is untrue. In this time I watched 3 patients be taken in, treated and discharged.

Once I was finally admitted to the ward and again disclosed my situation, I was told if I wanted to report to police I would need to wait to be medically cleared and discharged. I had to advocate for police to be called as my CT scan and results would be a further 2 hours…. I was forced to wait for the results despite police awaiting me at the station due to the extreme circumstances and risks. I asked for them to let me out so I could go to the police station, they did not remove my IV so I had to wait for the results of the CT scan, when I believe they could have just called me once they were back. I was told this was so I could be given medical evidence of my assault for the police, I was not given these forms on discharge.

I was not treated in a trauma informed manner and in my opinion, staff I saw are not aware of protocols, policies and procedures around their response to FDV which is outlined on their website. 

On discharged they asked if I wanted to be referred to social work, I said yes. 6 days later I still had not heard from the social work team.

The police agreed the hospital did not act how they are supposed to in these situations.

It’s takes a lot for someone to present to an ED in these circumstances, and I believe being forced to wait over 2 hours to be seen is why a lot of women choose to just forget about it and walk out without medical attention. I found the whole experiencing very degrading and non-empowering. 

I feel victims of FDV are failed by a system that is supposed to safeguard them. All doctors and staff should know their obligations, polices and procedures around FDV and have to uphold them. This is why women don’t always reach out or follow through with getting help. ED should be the first point of call.