Hide Transcript Show Transcript

WEBVTT IT HAS MINIMAL SIDE EFFECTS ANDNO TOXICITY.THE STATISTICS ARE STARTLING.ONE IN THREE WOMEN IS A VICTIMOF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.THE LONG-LASTING IMPACT OF ABUSECAN BE SIMILAR TO THE BRAINTRAUMA FOOTBALL PLAYERSEXPERIENCE.EMILY TELLS US IN SOME CASESSURVIVORS ARE NOT THE -- ARE NOTBEING ASKED THE RIGHT QUESTIONSTO GET THE HELP THEY NEED.>> HE'S TAKING ATRAY, SMASHINGINTO JAGGED PIECES ANDHOLDING IT AGAINST YOUR NECK.>> GRACE DESCRIBES ONE INSTANCEABUSE.SHE HAS ASKED US TO CONCEAL HERIDENTITY.SHE SUFFERS FROM PTSD ANDSTRUGGLES WITH BASIC TASKS.>> IT'S HARD TO PUT MY THOUGHTSTOGETHER SOMETIMES.>> GRACE IS NOT ALONE.SURVIVORS AND MILD TRAUMATICBRAIN INJURIES.>> YOU ARE NOT NECESSARILYUNCONSCIOUS FOR DAYS.YOU COULD LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS.REPORTER: ACCORDING TO RESEARCH,75% SUFFERED AT LEAST ONE TBI.50% SUFFERED MULTIPLE TBI'S.THE WOMEN ARE OFTEN NOT AS--ASKED QUESTIONS BY FIRSTRESPONDERS TO DETERMINE IF THEYMAY HAVE SUFFERED A CONCUSSION.>> THEY MAY SEE A WOMANDISORIENTED, GIVING ANINCONSISTENT STORY, THEY MAYTHINK, SHE IS LYING.LOOK AT HER STORY.REPORTER BECAUSE OF A LACKOFRESEARCH IN THIS AREA THEY DON'TKNOW THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS INTHESE WOMEN.>> SHE HOPES HER RESEARCH WILLINCREASE AWARENESS.POTENTIALLY COULD HELP EMERGENCY

Advertisement Research finds traumatic brain injuries common in domestic violence survivors Share Shares Copy Link Copy

The statistics are startling. One in three women is a victim of domestic violence. According to a new study, in some cases, they're not being asked the right questions to get them the help they need. "He is throwing you across a room, taking this teakwood tray, smashing it into jagged pieces and holding it aside your neck," said Grace, a domestic violence survivor who asked NewsCenter 5 not to use her real name. Grace suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and struggles with basic tasks. "It's hard for me to even put my thoughts together sometimes," Grace said. According to research by Dr. Eve Valera at Massachusetts General Hospital, Grace is not alone. Valera studies domestic violence survivors and mild traumatic brain injuries or TBIs. "What that means is you're not unconscious for days and you don't have post-traumatic amnesia for more than 24 hours but you still could lose consciousness," said Valera. According to her research, of the 99 women they examined, 75 percent had suffered at least one TBI. 50 percent suffered multiple TBIs. Valera's research showed the women exhibited long term impacts like memory loss and diminished cognitive function. Valera also found the women are often not asked questions by first responders or by emergency department staff to determine if they may have suffered a concussion. "They may see a woman who's disoriented. They may see a woman who's giving an inconsistent story. Instead of thinking, she may have a TBI, they may think "Oh, she's lying because she said one thing a minute ago and now she's saying something else," Valera said. Valera said because of a lack of research in this area, the long term effects of TBIs in these women is not known. She hopes her research will increase awareness about TBIs in domestic violence survivors, potentially helping emergency rooms, police officers and even the courts make changes in how they respond.