How to enquire and respond to domestic violence and abuse in sexual health settings

Domestic violence and abuse (DVA) is a violation of human rights with profound physical, emotional and socioeconomic costs to the individual, families, communities and society as a whole. In the UK, 28.3% of women and 14.7% of men had experienced any domestic abuse since the age of 16.1 DVA costs the National Health Service £1.7 billion annually, excluding mental health costs; the estimated overall annual cost of DVA in the UK is £15.7 billion.2 The prevalence of all DVA is higher among women than men. Women also experience much more sexual abuse, as well as more severe and repeated physical abuse and more coercive control.1 The majority of epidemiological and intervention research on DVA has been in women in heterosexual relationships not men or lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities, though they are also affected by DVA.