By: Arezoo Roa, Sr. Prevention & Strategic Partnerships Director
Relationship violence is often hidden in plain sight. It shows up in emergency rooms as unexplained bruises, in clinics as chronic pain, and in therapy sessions as anxiety that never quite goes away. Yet for too long, it has been treated as a private matter, something outside the scope of healthcare. That must change.
Every survivor who walks into a healthcare setting carries more than physical injuries. They carry fear, shame, and often a deep sense of isolation. And yet, these same settings, doctors’ offices, hospitals, and counseling centers, can be the first places where healing begins. When a provider asks the right question, listens without judgment, and offers a path to safety, it can be life-changing. Sometimes, it can be life-saving.
In my work, I’ve seen how powerful it is when healthcare professionals recognize relationship violence as a public health issue. I’ve seen the difference it makes when a nurse gently asks, “Do you feel safe at home?” or when a doctor pauses to say, “You don’t deserve this.” These moments matter. They plant seeds of hope.
But recognizing relationship violence as a healthcare issue isn’t just about individual interactions. It’s about systems. It’s about training providers to see the signs, equipping clinics with resources, and building partnerships between hospitals and advocacy organizations. It’s about understanding that trauma doesn’t end when the bruises fade and that healing requires more than medicine.
I remember one survivor who told me, “The miracle isn’t that I left. The miracle is that I survived long enough to try.” That sentence stays with me. It reminds me that behind every statistic is a story. Behind every policy is a person. And behind every act of violence is a community that can choose to respond with compassion, accountability, and care.
Relationship violence is a healthcare issue because it affects the body, the mind, and the spirit. It is a healthcare issue because it shortens lives, burdens systems, and fractures families. But most of all, it is a healthcare issue because healing is possible, and healthcare can be the doorway to that healing.
If we want to build a world where everyone is safe, we must start where people go when they are hurt. We must start in the places where healing begins. If you or someone you know is experiencing relationship violence, please call our hotline at (877) 854-3594 or visit our website at www.humanoptions.org. We are here to help.
Relationship violence is a public health issue, and education is the first step toward change. At Human Options, our Prevention Education Team offers tailored presentations for healthcare providers, clinics, and community organizations to help recognize the signs, respond with compassion, and connect survivors to safety. Request a presentation today and be part of the movement to make healing possible, one informed conversation at a time.
