Justice Clearinghouse – An Introduction to Domestic Violence, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Strangulation (Ohio Focused)

Domestic violence often involves physical violence targeted at the head, neck, and face–through blows to the head or strangulation. Though this has been common knowledge for decades, brain injuries caused by this violence are unacknowledged, rarely identified, and almost never immediately treated. We will define and describe partner-inflicted brain injury and discuss the complicated and nuanced intersection of coercive control and domestic violence dynamics, the psychological trauma caused by domestic violence, and the neurological damage caused by brain injury. Partner-inflicted brain injury can cause physical, emotional, and cognitive consequences that can impact every area of a survivor’s life–including their ability to successfully access and participate in your agency’s services. This session will share what we have learned in Ohio about brain injuries from violence and the tremendous need to raise awareness of brain injury as a significant impact of domestic violence and prepare agencies that serve survivors to better understand brain injury.