title: Domestic and sexual violence against patients with severe mental illness.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Domestic and sexual violence are significant public health problems but little is known about the extent to which men and women with severe mental illness (SMI) are at risk compared with the general population. We aimed to compare the prevalence and impact of violence against SMI patients and the general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and three randomly recruited psychiatric patients, in contact with community services for ⩾ 1 year, were interviewed using the British Crime Survey domestic/sexual violence questionnaire. Prevalence and correlates of violence in this sample were compared with those from 22 606 general population controls participating in the contemporaneous 2011/12 national crime survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Past-year domestic violence was reported by 27% v. 9% of SMI and control women, respectively [odds ratio (OR) adjusted for socio-demographics, aOR 2.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7-4.0], and by 13% v. 5% of SMI and control men, respectively (aOR 1.6, 95% CI 1.0-2.8). Past-year sexual violence was reported by 10% v. 2.0% of SMI and control women respectively (aOR 2.9, 95% CI 1.4-5.8). Family (non-partner) violence comprised a greater proportion of overall domestic violence among SMI than control victims (63% v. 35%, p < 0.01). Adulthood serious sexual assault led to attempted suicide more often among SMI than control female victims (53% v. 3.4%, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared to the general population, patients with SMI are at substantially increased risk of domestic and sexual violence, with a relative excess of family violence and adverse health impact following victimization. Psychiatric services, and public health and criminal justice policies, need to address domestic and sexual violence in this at-risk group.
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences,UCL (University College London),UK.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khalifeh
authors.affiliation: Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry,King's College London,UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.affiliation: Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry,King's College London,UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Borschmann
authors.affiliation: School of Psychiatry,UNSW and Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network,NSW,Australia.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.affiliation: Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry,King's College London,UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.affiliation: Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry,King's College London,UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hogg
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences,UCL (University College London),UK.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Osborn
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences,UCL (University College London),UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry,King's College London,UK.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Howard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: victim