Domestic violence: its relevance to psychiatry

Summary Domestic violence is a major public health problem because it is common and associated with physical and mental health morbidity. It is more common in psychiatric patients but is underdetected by mental health professionals. Routine enquiry increases detection but needs to be introduced in the context of comprehensive training, and only where referral and care pathways have been developed. High-risk patients should be referred to multi-agency risk assessment conferences for multidisciplinary assessment and safe management.