Quick links:
- Service managers and commissioners
- Midwives, GPs, Practice Nurses
- Voluntary sector workers and managers
- Advice and guidelines on responding to gender-based violence
National advice and guidelines stress the importance of creating supportive environments where women can safely disclose their abuse. Everyone who works with women must:
- take individual responsibility for acting on disclosures and any suspicions they may have
- not assume that someone else will act
- know their responsibilities and their organisation's protocols around disclosures
Access to appropriate interpreting and language support services to assist disclosure is essential. Family or friends should never be used as a substitute. See also Communication Support Needs and Inequalities in Pregnancy.
Service managers and commissioners
Ensure that:
- all staff are trained in issues around gender-based violence and protocols for dealing with disclosures, information-sharing and ensuring safety and child protection
- relevant information resources on supportive services are available in places where they can be safely accessed by women without the knowledge of their abusers
- services are accessible and relevant to women and consistent with public sector policy commitments
Establishing referral pathways to specialist service providers and other sources of support for abused women, including voluntary sector agencies, is vital. Please also see Responding to domestic abuse: a guide for health professionals (external link).
Midwives, GPs, Practice Nurses
These disciplines are often a first point of contact and are in an excellent position to help.In line with the recommendations of the Confidential Enquiry report 'Saving Mothers' Lives 2003 – 2005 (external link) midwives are tasked with routinely asking women whether they are experiencing abuse. This can be done in the context of the Scottish Women Held Maternity Record which supports direct enquiry by the midwife.
In general:
- make sure you are fully familiar with current guidelines and local procedures on responding to gender-based violence
- ensure all women under your care have opportunities to talk to you alone and in private
- if you do not routinely ask about abuse but suspect it's happening, ask directly
- make sure women understand the limits of confidentiality and your responsibility to act to keep everyone safe
- ensure information about national and local helplines and support services for domestic abuse are routinely provided to all women
Voluntary sector workers and managers
Although aimed at healthcare professionals, much useful guidance can be found within NHS guidelines on responding to gender-based violence. In general, ensure that:
- all staff are familiar with your organisation's policies and protocols for dealing with disclosures, information sharing and ensuring safety and child protection
- information about supportive services and details of national and local helplines are available in places where women can access them safely and discretely women have opportunities to talk to workers alone and in private
- if abuse is suspected, the woman is asked directly about in a private, safe environment
- workers are clear about the limits of confidentiality and their responsibility to act to keep everyone safe
- early contact with a GP or midwife is encouraged
Advice and guidelines on responding to gender-based violence
- Care during the perinatal period for women who are victims of sexual abuse - Guidance for professionals (external link).
- Responding to domestic abuse: Guidance for general practices (external link)
- short guidance and accompanying resources for maternity team practitioners from Healthcare Improvement Scotland: What health workers need to know about gender-based violence (external link)
- guides on domestic abuse, harmful traditional practices, rape and sexual assault, and childhood sexual abuse are also available from NHS Scotland
- A Refreshed Framework for Maternity Care in Scotland (external link)
- A Pathway of Care for Vulnerable Families (0-3) (external link)
