Women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) are at higher risk of experiencing brain injury and mental health conditions, according to new research from Monash University.
New studies from Monash's School of Translational Medicine, published in the Journal of Neurotrauma and Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, show victim survivors presenting with conditions like concussion, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety as a result of IPV, which may contribute to difficulties accessing appropriate care because their cases challenge established diagnosis and treatment frameworks.
IPV affects one in three women worldwide, but remains overlooked and under-researched, resulting in diagnosis and treatment protocols that don't meet their needs, and ultimately leads to worse outcomes for victim survivors.
The Monash study published in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology found around half of the women who experienced IPV are more likely to experience mental health symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression.
This is a stark comparison to the general population, with the study finding PTSD, depression and anxiety in less than 10 per cent of women who had not experienced IPV.
Lead author Abigail Astridge, a PhD candidate studying neuroscience in the Monash School of Translational Medicine, said while the findings are dire, they did point to some clear opportunities for clinical intervention.
"We found recency to violence a strong predictor of probable PTSD, depression and anxiety, which suggests a critical time to implement resources and care for victim-survivors after they leave an IPV relationship," she said.
"However, an increased level of resilience lowered the risk of probable PTSD, depression and anxiety among victim-survivors in our study, suggesting enhancing resilience may be a beneficial avenue for future practice to support recovery.
"Easily accessible services and outreach for women leaving IPV relationships would result in better outcomes, and more work should be done to address the existing gaps in this area."
The Journal of Neurotrauma study found that women who experience IPV are strongly at risk of experiencing mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), also known as concussion.
The bulk of protocols and training for diagnosing and treating brain injury like concussion are geared specifically to sporting incidents, and are not easily applied in cases where incidents occurred in a non-sporting setting.
This often leaves victim survivors without adequate access to care.
Lead author Charlotte Copas, a PhD candidate studying neuroscience in the Monash School of Translational Medicine, said the health system needs to better cater to the vulnerability and needs of victim survivors of IPV experiencing brain injury.
"The sports world is doing a great job of finding practical ways of addressing the high risk of brain injury in a way that responds to the needs and priorities of their own settings, but IPV is a starkly different reality requiring a different response," she said.
"What is the same are the persistent post concussion symptoms being experienced by victim survivors, yet this has commonly been overlooked compared to co-occurring mental health conditions.
"This means symptoms are often put down to things like PTSD or substance use rather than recognising that symptoms like dizziness could be from an injury to the head.
"We need to find ways to address these symptoms, diagnose the condition, and provide treatment for people who are not elite sports players with a wealth of medical and other support services at their disposal."
Senior author on both studies, Dr Georgia Symons, a research fellow at Monash's School of Translational Medicine, said both studies highlight clear gaps in the medical response to some of the most vulnerable women in Australia.
"Our research shows victim survivors of IPV are still experiencing a variety of debilitating and often life-threatening neurological symptoms as a result of their trauma," she said.
"We need a lot more education and awareness about the links between IPV and brain injury in particular.
"And it's clear there are still significant gaps in our understanding of how best to care for victim survivors who experience conditions that are more visible in other populations like athletes."
Read the Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology paper: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-025-03024-w
Read the Journal of Neurotrauma paper: https://doi.org/10.1177/08977151261425216
