Deseret News | ER doctors told to look for signs of abuse

Reader comments
ER doctors told to look for signs of abuse

Greg | 6:12 p.m. Oct. 7, 2009

It should be mandatory to ask all female incoming patients if they have a safe place to go home to..This is sickening to me.. Utah has its fair share of abusive men.. That are for some reason very insecure with themselves.. Pathetic losers Grow up!!!!!

rafael ortiz | 7:51 p.m. Oct. 7, 2009

that's a great idea and should be implemented not only to suspected abused woman but also childrens and man as well it is a shame that only man still stigmatized as abusers when there is evidence that woman can be abusers too! and a lots of times complices in child abuse! by their boyfriends or stepfathers. so it will be great only if it's apply in a equal manner regarding of the gender or religious affiliation!........

Unfortunately | 8:36 p.m. Oct. 7, 2009

in many states, Montana being one of them--I don't know about Utah--beating your wife or girlfriend is a misdemeanor--so the guy gets overnight in jail and comes out and beats the woman even more severely. Why should domestic violence assault be less serious than assault of a stranger?

Comments continue below

Dave | 7:44 a.m. Oct. 8, 2009

As hospitals charge for everything, how much is this going to cost? Up goes the premiums,

Not Just Emergency Rooms | 9:52 a.m. Oct. 13, 2009

Domestic violence is so common that ALL doctors--not just emergency room doctors--should be trained to look for signs of abuse. The question "Are you safe at home?" should be part of every routine physical and office visit.

Anonymous | 10:10 a.m. Oct. 13, 2009

Unfortunately, many abuse victims are terrified to tell anyone about their abuse, for fear of retaliation by the abuser. As a child, I was threatened with my life if I ever told and so I never did until I was an adult. It wasn't just physical abuse, but emotional abuse as well. In some ways that was worse because it was relentless and mean and left no visible injuries, just painful scars.

uncannygunman | 10:23 a.m. Oct. 13, 2009

I don't see the need to turn every doctor's visit into a domestic violence inquisition. The article gets it about right--if doctors see something that concerns them, they can ask about it.

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