In this HealthEd podcast, Lara Graves, psychologist and researcher for the Salvation Army, explores the complex presentation of brain injuries as a result of domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV). Graves discusses the barriers to diagnosing and managing brain injuries caused by violence, emphasising the overlap between symptoms of brain injury, experiences of trauma, mood disorders and other medical conditions. Graves also shares practical tips garnered from her own work supporting women’s safety and helping women maintain their confidence in healthcare services through discussions of mandatory reporting obligations.
The podcast covers:
- Domestic abuse and mechanisms for brain injury
- Injury patterns caused by hits to the head and strangulation
- When to suspect a brain injury
- Screening approaches and simple questions GPs can use
- Know who to refer to and how to support safe disclosure
- Explore management and recovery to guide patient care and safety
This podcast will be useful to GPs and other healthcare workers, including sexual health, prehospital care, and allied health practitioners. GPs and healthcare providers can receive CPD points for listening to this podcast on the HealthEd website after creating an account.
Suggested citation
HealthEd. (2025). Unseen damage: Recognising brain injury in domestic abuse. Women’s Health.[PODCAST]. https://www.healthed.com.au/podcasts/unseen-damage-recognising-brain-injury-in-domestic-abuse/