Introduction

In a little over nine seconds an elite male sprinter can run 100 meters. From the time his lightening speed propels him from the starting block to the time he breaks through the tape at the finish line, one woman is being beaten and assaulted in the United States of America. The same urgency that a sprinter feels to run a race from start to finish, is the same urgency that America should feel on having a serious discussion on domestic abuse. However to frame the dialogue effectively, the women and men who are on the front lines of combating violence against women must be thoroughly educated. Doctors, counselors, law enforcement officials, and lawyers are the gatekeepers when it comes to identifying abuse. To raise an even higher level of consciousness of violence and assault against women in America, these gatekeepers must learn to operate within the proper framework in order to share with the public the proper information of her plight. One may think that the onset of labor in a pregnant woman would be the top cause of emergency room visits by women. Unfortunately, according to the Women’s Rural Advocacy Programs, domestic violence is the number one cause of emergency room visits by women. Broken bones, lacerations, and gunshot wounds are just some of the injuries that are seen in women in hospital emergency rooms. Besides treating the patient for her injuries, what else should be examined during the initial contact in the emergency room?