Mary Henry (Independent)

It is unfortunate to have to deal with such a Bill but following the ruling of the Supreme Court we all realised it was essential to amend the legislation at the earliest opportunity. The Leader was correct to ensure that all Stages of the Bill would come before the House today.

It is sad to think that violence against women can be judicial as well as domestic. On the Order of Business earlier, we heard Senator Leyden refer to the case in Nigeria where a woman who had a child outside marriage has been sentenced to be stoned to death. There is a serious incidence of violence against women throughout the world.

Domestic violence is particularly sad, of course, and apparently at this time of year it becomes worse than ever. As a doctor, I have often wondered if the medical profession could not do more to address the issue of domestic violence.

I wish to place on the record of the House some details of the splendid work undertaken by a colleague of mine, Dr. Fiona Bradley, who, sadly, died recently at the age of 41. She carried out some incredible research on domestic violence in this country, with reference to hospital patients and general practice. Dr. Bradley collaborated on the research project with Mary Smith, research nurse, Jean Long, lecturer in international health and development, and Professor Tom O'Dowd, professor of general practice. Their work was published in the British Medical Journal of 2 February 2002 and won the JMS Doctor award in the category of general practice. Sadly, the award was presented at a ceremony on the day of Dr. Bradley's funeral. However, her work is a great memorial to her interest in domestic violence.

We know that domestic violence is under-identified and there is considerable physical and psychological morbidity associated with it. Community surveys have indicated that up to one in four women in the United States experience domestic violence. However, according to various surveys carried out in the United States and Australia, some general practices are better at identifying domestic violence than others.

Dr. Bradley set about studying the situation here and obtained the co-operation of 22 practices from all over the country. From March 1996 to May 1997, for two weeks in each practice, the receptionist was asked to hand female patients, over the age of 16, a pack comprising a consent form, a study briefing, a questionnaire for self-completion and a return envelope.

The measure of domestic violence included in the questionnaire was adopted from various surveys on controlling behaviour, violent incidents and consequent injuries. The questionnaire also included questions as to whether general practitioners had ever asked if the women had suffered domestic violence, and if they felt it was right that a person's regular GP should ask such questions. Some 72% of patients responded to the survey, which is a good response rate, and the results were very interesting. The average age of the women who responded was 36.6 years. Some 75% of them were in a current sexual relationship and another 15% had been in such relationships formerly.