Things They Don't Tell You Or Ever Talk About

[Lucycat]

Sadly sometimes hospital staff turn "a blind eye" When I was rushed into ER almost dying needing a blood transfusion and a major OP. It was never reported.

I guess what I was meaning is not that 'they' - the hospital staff should report it, but that the patient might be more likely to confide in staff about what had happened and why they had ended up in hospital with such an injury. I suppose I am wrong with this premise.

Their job is to treat peoples injuries, not to psychologically evaluate people or judge if a crime has been committed.

Actually I think you are wrong here. Medical staff - especially in an accident and emergency centre- are supposed to act holistically. That means seeing the whole patient and not just the presenting broken finger.

Of course we are all familiar with the concept of Child Protection. In the UK if any child presents to any medical staff and that staff member has an inkling that the child is at risk then they are duty bound to report it. More recently this has also been expanded so we must report any 'vulnerable adult' deemed to be at risk. These are times when confidentiality - by need- can be breached. In fact SHOULD be.

I am surprised in these times of enlightenment that victims of sexual assault with significant physical injuries are not offered opportunities, by the medical & nursing team to report the crime if they choose to do so. Most police forces have special teams to sensitively deal with the victims and all A & E departments will have details and leaflets etc.

Going back to the original post, you suggest that discussing the physical injuries is taboo. I wonder if that is right or just a preconception.

In the past I would have resisted any information about child sex abuse - because TO ME it was taboo. However since starting therapy I have discovered, not only this forum, but very many leaflets, books, websites all brimming with information that I had just not wanted to see before. The discussion is there - I had just been too frightened to participate.

 

[Anna]

Times have changed, what happened to me, happened almost 20 years ago.

 

[Lady of Longbourn]

I am surprised I don't hear more about people getting STD's from rape and sexual abuse. I am sure people get them from abuse but I don't hear it talked about often. Only once that I remember someone came forward that they got herpes.

I don't hear it talked about probably becasue it's so taboo.