Domestic violence and self-harm

Estimates of the rate of domestic violence against women range from 6% to 58% with the rates being much higher among psychiatric inpatients and even higher among inpatients with suicidal ideation. It is estimated that about 1% of the population engage in self-harm (e.g. cutting, hitting or scratching themselves) although again this rate is much higher among psychiatric inpatients. However, there has been little research into the links between domestic violence and self-harm. Researchers in America studied 113 women in psychiatric hospitals and found that a history of domestic violence was a statistically significant predictor of bodily self-harm even after controlling for age and marital status.

Sansone, Randy A., Chu, Jamie and Wiederman, Michael W. - Self-inflicted bodily harm among victims of intimate-partner violence Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy September-October 2007, 14, 352-357