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Abstract: 

Sharon Owen says her ex-husband was “creative.” He made sure he left no bruises when he was physically abusive. Five years ago, Sharon was prompted to drive herself and her three children to an emergency shelter after she found herself responding negatively when her doctor asked her: “When you go home, do you feel safe?” This conversation with a trusted medical professional is being repeated nationally this year thanks to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (otherwise known as the Affordable Care Act or ACA for short). Despite victim advocates’ longstanding knowledge of the connection between victimization and poor health, it was only as part of the Affordable Care Act that federal policymakers agreed to make domestic violence prevention a part of basic primary preventive health care. It was time and the evidence is clear. This article summarizes some of those components.

Keywords: women who were victimized experienced significant short- and long-term health impacts; higher risk associated with adverse childhood experiences; domestic violence screening and counseling as basic preventive health care; comprehensive annual well wo

Affiliations:  1: Futures Without Violence; 2: Futures Without Violence.