Vulnerability and Multi-Professional Intervention: A Focus on Women Suffering Domestic Abuse

Introduction

In society, vulnerable adults are prone to face abuse and neglect out of their incapability to care for themselves. In this relation, they are required to be appropriately protected so that deteriorated physical and mental health condition among them can be averted as well as enhanced well-being can be promoted. However, there is lack of holistic understand among common individuals and care practitioners regarding the vulnerable factors present for this nature of adults. It often leads the healthcare professionals and social carers to inappropriately care for the vulnerable adults, which in turn, creates inappropriate health consequences for the individuals. highlighting the critical requirements for healthcare dissertation help in addressing all these complex issues Thus, the essay is going to discuss primarily the key vulnerability factors present for the chosen vulnerable adults group that is women suffering domestic abuse from their partners. Moreover, the multi-professional intervention to be made for the selected vulnerable group in improving their condition and protecting them is to be discussed. The impact of the chosen multi-professional intervention on the health of the chosen vulnerable adults group is also to be explained.

Factors contributing to the vulnerability of domestic abuse adults

According to Safeguarding and Clergy Disciple Measures (2016), the vulnerable adults are individuals above the age of 18 years who are incapable to protect themselves from abuse, violence, neglect or any form of exploitation due to emotional fragility, disability, age, distress and others (legislation.gov.uk, 2016). The selected vulnerable adults' group for whom the vulnerability factors are to be discussed include women who are facing domestic abuse from their partners. In England and Wales, 8.4% of women compared to only 4.2% of men are reported to suffer from domestic abuse from their partners in by the end of March 2019. This equals to 1,600,000 women victims to be present in England and Wales in 2018 (ons.gov.uk, 2019). It indicates that the women are most vulnerable group to face domestic abuse from their partner in the UK due which they are selected as the vulnerable adults group for discussion.

The women suffering domestic abuse from partners are vulnerable because it leads to create physical harm on the individuals that may deteriorate their health condition and at times make them experience fatal consequences. Moreover, the women under domestic abuse experience vulnerability to develop physical disability, gynaecological problems and others (Ansari and Boyle, 2017). This is because domestic abuse by partners on women leads to external and internal body damage that may cause extensive bleeding or injury which are unable to cope by the women, in turn, making them face death by succumbing to their injuries (St Ivany and Schminkey, 2016). It is evident as women facing domestic abuse from partners often reports of head injury, broken bones, bleeding from different parts of the body, muscle injury and others (Valera and Kucyi, 2017). As asserted by McCloskey (2016), domestic abuse on women by their partners makes them vulnerable to get unwanted pregnancy. This is because during abuse the partners may sexually force women to copulate with them irrespective of their will leading towards unwanted pregnancy. As argued by Habigzang et al. (2018), continuous domestic abuse by partners towards women leads them to develop mental disorder such as chronic anxiety and stress. This is because of their uncertainty of living life under the continuous abusive environment, fear of their partners and helplessness or failure to protect them.

The prolonged stress and anxiety among women in domestic abuse from their partners make them vulnerable to develop depression (Ferrari et al. 2016). This is because prolonged stress and anxiety leads to elevate the level of cortisol known as stress hormone along with reduce production of serotonin and other neurotransmitters on the brain such as dopamine that are linked to develop depression (Weger and Sandi, 2018). The women facing domestic abuse from the partners are often seemed to have low self-esteem. This is because of their lack of feeling of value for themselves out of incapability and failure to take action for protection from domestic abuse. The low self-esteem often leads the women to avoid interacting in the society as they lack confidence in interacting with others which also worse depression and other mental health issues among them (Bahadir-Yilmaz and Öz, 2018). This is because they wish to hide their wounds and feel there are none who can help them overcome the vulnerable situation. It leads the women to get further abused as no individuals in the society such as their family members, friends, collegues or others are aware of the physical turmoil faced by the women, making them incapable to help the women in accessing assisting services to stop abuse towards them (Barr and Christian, 2019).

The hindered mental health condition such as depression, stress and others due to domestic abuse by partners on women, in turn, makes them vulnerable to develop sleeping and eating disturbances. This is because hindered emotional health of women under domestic abuse makes them avoid taking required diet or nutrients needed for their body. Moreover, fear of harm from their partners leads women unable to be calm and face sleeplessness (Matos and Gonçalves, 2019). As argued by Hassanian-Moghaddam et al. (2016), depression due to domestic abuse towards the women leads them to develop psychological weakness in managing their emotions which creates vulnerability for them to develop suicidal thoughts. This is because out of depression from the abuse the women feel dying is the best way to overcome the situation which eventually leads them to develop though of suicide to end their life. As criticised by Munro and Aitken (2020), women suffering domestic abuse from their partners are seen to be vulnerable towards showing impulsiveness in involving with substance abuse. This is because women feel that taking drugs, tobacco, alcohol and other addictive substances would help them to overcome their hindered emotional condition along with lower perception of pain from the abuse.

Multi-professional Intervention and its outcomes for managing domestic abuse

The involvement of nurses, general practitioners, psychologist and other health professionals creates an effective multi-professional intervention to protect and enhance health of women under domestic abuse from their partners. As mentioned by Hegarty et al. (2020), nurses in collaboration with general practitioners are seen to provide regular physical health assistance as intervention to women facing domestic abuse. This leads to enhance the women’s physical health and avoid unnecessary negative consequences to their well-being such as death by succumbing to injuries, developing disability out of untreated wounds, hindered health out of bleeding from wounds and others. As argued by Orang et al. (2018), the general health practitioners act along with psychologist by referring women with domestic abuse to them for assessment of their mental health condition and allowing the patient avail effective counseling for their mental health improvement. This is because psychologist has the ability to assess the extent of disturbed mental health of the abused women along with have efficiency to use appropriate therapeutic techniques to enhance deteriorated mental health of the individuals. Thus, through multi-professional working of general practitioners and psychologist, effective mental health intervention required for managing depression, stress, anxiety and others regarding women domestic abuse victims are arranged. It affects the women under domestic abuse to have better mental condition and avoid being isolated.

The wounds caused due to domestic abuse on women are seen to be detected appropriately in most cases by the nurse and health practitioners. This is because they understand the pattern of the wounds and have clinical understanding of the probable way it could happen, in turn, making them detect domestic abuse victims (Patra et al. 2018). The detection of the women domestic abuse victims by the nurses and general practitioners leads them to intervene in reporting the incidence to police on behalf of the patients who face barriers in disclosing violence on them out of fear, depression or low self-esteem. This leads concerned authorities to take appropriate actions to ensure protection of the individuals from the abuse, in turn, allows controlling deteriorated health impact due to abuse on the individuals (Westmarland et al. 2018). Moreover, it is seen that in general practice centres there are certain code available to be used by women under domestic abuse to inform healthcare staffs or nurses if the abuser is with them without awareness of the abuser. This leads the nurses to intervene effectively in arranging protective services for the women through detection and handing over of the abuser to the police with the help of law authorities (Snyder, 2016). It impacts the women facing abuse to get relieved and develop calm and enhanced mental health out of effective protection (Snyder, 2016).

The police act to take legal steps in by arresting and isolating the abusers or partners of women involved in domestic abuse towards them. This leads to effective intervention for the women facing domestic abuse from their partners to develop peace and support which eventually enhances their health out of feeling of value and protection. In the UK, the police and law enforcement manages an emergency helpline number for individuals to help them report any form of domestic abuse at any time so that the law authorities can be aware to take actions immediately (met.police.uk, 2019). This intervention by the police and law authorities in the UK is helpful to assist women suffering domestic abuse from their partners in avoiding feeling of helplessness and report to avail protection required by them. The non-profit organisations or charitable organisation are seen to intervene in providing refugee to the women victims of domestic abuse by arranging separate places for them to stay away from the abusers (Moffat, 2017). For instance, the organisation in the UK such as Women's Aid are seen to provide life-saving services to women facing domestic abuse to report against their abusers along with support in their upliftment (womensaid.org.uk, 2019).

The support services for women facing abuse acts to make them feel secured and valued, which in turn, gradually promotes them to overcome stress and depression previously experienced due to fear of living with their abuser (reducingtherisk.org.uk, 2019). Moreover, the charitable organisations supporting women facing domestic abuse are seen to arrange assistance for women to help them take their abuser to court and receive justice for the harm done to them (womensaid.org.uk, 2019). This leads the women under abuse acess justice and avoid further incidence of abuse towards them. The non-profit organisations are seen to take intervention in advertising their services for protection against domestic abuse for women through posters, leaflets, website content and others (womensaid.org.uk, 2019). This leads to create enhanced opportunity for reaching the women who have isolated them in their homes out of fear of the abusers to connect with the authorities in accessing support for their protection by viewing the contents (womensaid.org.uk, 2019). The charitable organisations also provide confidential assistance to women as well as others who are victims of domestic abuse and unwilling to reveal their identity in society. Thus, the intervention creates enhanced opportunity for the victims to live a valuable life apart from abuse (womensaid.org.uk, 2019).

Conclusion

The above discussion informs that the vulnerable group focussed in the essay is women who are facing domestic abuse from their partners. The vulnerability present for the women under domestic abuse includes facing intense physical injury which may cause bleeding, disability and others along with worst cases create fatal consequences. Moreover, women under domestic abuse are vulnerable to develop stress, anxiety and depression which may lead them to withdraw from society and live in isolation that eventually further worsen the mental health of the individuals. The domestic abuse on women leads them vulnerable to develop suicidal thoughts and involved in substance abuse to cope with the mental stress and physical pain of the abuse. The women facing domestic abuse also develop low self-esteem out of their fear and incapability to take actions against their abuser to lead a healthy life. The domestic abuse also leads women face vulnerability as disturbed sleeping and inappropriate intake of nutrition.

The multi-agencies and multi-professionals to be involved in protecting women facing domestic abuse from partners include nurses and healthcare practitioners, psychologists, police and the charitable organisation. The nurses and healthcare practitioners are seen to judge from the wound patterns of the patients if they are under any form of abuse and take action in reporting the incidence to the police. This leads the women under domestic abuse of their partners who fear to report their harm to be saved from further abuse. Moreover, the health professionals by examining the health of the women under domestic abuse refer them for psychological counselling to the psychologist. This affects to enhance the mental and emotional health of the individuals in leading a happy life. The police in the UK are seen to arrange helpline number for reporting domestic abuse which is advertised through various media as intervention to take actions in protecting individuals from abuse. This is effective to lead the women take legal actions with the help of the police against their abuser. The charitable organisations are seen to arrange services in providing holistic aid in form of support services, employment support and others to the women under domestic abuse. This affects the women to feel support in creating a new life by overcoming the abusive environment to have enhanced well-being.

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