Women who are victims of sexual violence are at greater risk of developing respiratory diseases, epilepsy and even cervical cancer.
Sexual assault has major consequences for women’s health. Researchers from several Dutch university hospitals, in conjunction with the center for victims of sexual violence, found that women who had been sexually abused were at greater risk of developing diseases such as epilepsy.
THE’study, published in the scientific journal Acta Obstetricia and Gynecology Scandinava, shows that they are more likely to suffer from respiratory, circulatory and liver diseases. Another element, the authors of the study observed the prevalence of cervical cancer.
2501 Dutch women were followed, some of them had suffered sexual violence, others not. The medical records of the two groups of women were analyzed by the scientists. For victims of violence, researchers looked at their five medical records before and after the sexual assault.
Pain before and after the assault
Results, the disorders are significantly greater and more numerous in women victims of violence. Even more surprisingly, the somatic affections are present as much before as after the assault, which supposes that these women are in prolonged contact with their aggressor before he takes the act.
Sexually abused women consult their general practitioner more frequently than others, often for pathologies not directly linked to the violence suffered.
For the authors of the study, these results could help women to follow and begin better care. And for the doctors, to find an origin with certain somatic disorders.
.
