Many Brain Injuries caused by Domestic Violence remain Untreated

Many, in fact most people, believe that Head Injuries are caused by Road Accidents, construction sites, bomb blasts and collisions on the sports field. One cause of injury mostly to women and children that is vastly unreported or under-reported is Domestic Violence. Though there is hardly any research and evidence based data on this subject, it is well known that such violence is widely prevalent in India and even more so, in our rural areas. Signs of concussion and TBI, like headaches, memory loss and bouts of confused thinking remain a mystery among the populace and they resort to treatment through Quacks, unqualified medical practitioners, faith healers, Vaids, etc. Further, due to family honour and domestic pressure, the actual cause of injury is rarely disclosed. The husband or in-laws or sometimes parents escape unscathed and the women and children are made to suffer in silence. The good news is that more and more people are reporting such matters to the police and keeping their Doctors informed. The media is doing a great job in helping to bring out the skeletons locked away in the cupboards for decades.
One woman when interviewed stated that her husband would get drunk almost every day and repeatedly beat her and her son who he suspected to be illegitimate. She stated that he would hit them mainly in the head or the back of the head so that nobody would see the injuries and bruises. The abuse took a heavy emotional toll and even though her husband sometimes knocked her or her son unconscious, she didn’t think that her brain might have been damaged. She said “When I look back, I realize there are so many gaps in my memory; in fact my memory is really gone.”
There has been no serious research in India to determine the number of women, children and men who may have suffered serious injuries due to domestic violence. However, an iterative estimate indicates that over 40-45% of women, 10 to 15% children and about 5% men have experienced severe physical assaults by a partner or parent or an in-law in their lifetime. Some of the women suffer a daily violent session if their husbands or parents consume alcohol. This includes hitting, punching, being beaten by a stick or blunt object, being slammed against something hard or pushed down stairs. In the US we have a better evidence based analysis of this problem. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, about 25% women and 10% men suffer serious injuries. Head and neck injuries are among the most common, and data suggests that domestic assaults may cause traumatic brain injuries in at least 60 per cent of survivors. Traumatic brain injuries can result from even a single sudden blow to the head. The symptoms may be short-term or long-lasting, and repeated assaults increase chances for permanent neurological damage. Studies have found that such brain injuries are more common in below poverty line and homeless people than in the general population. Traumatic brain injuries don’t always cause loss of consciousness or damage that can be detected on imaging scans. Symptoms may not occur immediately but can develop over time, thus often making it difficult to link them with previous physical abuse.
Survivors of domestic violence and regular physical abuse often don’t seek immediate medical attention, and when they do, they often fear disclosing what caused their injuries. Some wait years, by when, troublesome symptoms emerge, and by then, many victims and doctors are unable to connect the problems with domestic abuse, according to Jacquelyn Campbell, a professor at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing.
The State and Central Govts, various NGOs, concerned social groups, various societies for prevention of violence against women and children and good Samaritans in India need to advise our populace, especially women and children to report such crimes immediately and also see a Doctor and disclose the cause of the inflicted injuries. Children could also inform their teachers and other close relatives in whom they may have confidence.