Ohio research brings to light brain injuries from domestic abuse – Brain Health Education and Research Institute

Working with researchers from Ohio State University, the Ohio Domestic Violence Network’s CARE project discovered that a majority of survivors have lived through extensive violence directed at the head, neck and face, and through strangulation.

At ODVN’s Center on Partner-Inflicted Brain Injury, Director Rachel Ramirez said such injuries can be linked to brain trauma. According to Ramirez, with better data comes a better understanding, which will help providers better serve survivors. Ramirez explained that brain injury often is not diagnosed and not well understood by domestic violence prevention programs or survivors. It can manifest in such cognitive challenges as problems with attention or memory; such physical problems as headaches and fatigue; and emotional issues, including depression and anxiety.