Treatment of victims of domestic violence

Domestic violence differs from the nonrecurring trauma e.g. in the context of rape by a stranger in different aspects, emphasising the complexity of the victim's reaction and the enmeshment of the perpetrator The violence takes place in an established system of an intimate relationship which the woman was contracting voluntarily. Violence happens repeatedly and often several individuals (partner, children are directly and indirectly involved, which abide a relationship with the perpetrator Therefore the treatment of the posttraumatic stress disorder outstands in several aspects. The victims initially shows difficulties in talking about the experienced violence and are afraid to become unloyal; a therapeutic approach is often possible only after a fairly long time. Most authors agree that trauma therapy consists of the three phases (1 security and protection, psychoeducation and stabilisation, (2 trauma confrontation and (3 reintegration. Establishing a secure environment and intrapsychic stabilisation are a requirement for the therapeutic confrontation with the traumata in order to avoid re-traumatisation. Working with domestic violence victims is complex and demanding, experience in the work with trauma victims and regular supervision are fundamental.