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🇦🇺 Australia /Health & Science

Domestic violence survivors posthumously diagnosed with brain disease CTE

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Two Australian women have been posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) due to severe head trauma from domestic violence.
  • This diagnosis highlights that the impacts of intimate partner violence can extend beyond the relationship, affecting victims' long-term physical and neurological health.
  • Experts are calling for increased awareness of CTE as a potential consequence of domestic abuse, as it is often overlooked and misdiagnosed.

In a grim discovery, two Australian women, aged in their 30s and 40s, have been posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The analysis of their brains revealed the severe head trauma they endured was linked to brutal assaults by their partners, not high-impact sports as is commonly understood.

It really enforces [that] the impacts of domestic and family violence don't end when domestic violence ends.

— Samantha SchulteChief executive and founder of The Survivor Service, commenting on the posthumous CTE diagnoses.

Samantha Schulte, chief executive of The Survivor Service, emphasized that the effects of domestic and family violence can persist long after a relationship ends. "So many victim-survivors are continuing to live with the long-term physical and neurological impacts in their healing and recovery journey," she stated. The organization, based in Townsville, aims to support those affected by such trauma.

So many victim-survivors are continuing to live with the long-term physical and neurological impacts in their healing and recovery journey.

— Samantha SchulteHighlighting the lasting health consequences for survivors of domestic violence.

ConneCTErs Australia, an organization supporting individuals with suspected or probable CTE, is concerned that domestic violence survivors are being overlooked. "What we need to do is really move away from anyone just solely thinking that this is something that professional athletes can develop, because that's incorrect," said chief executive Sarah Willey. She stressed that victims of chronic physical domestic violence, even from childhood, are also vulnerable to developing the condition.

While there is a greater understanding of long-term impacts of domestic violence, we need to increase awareness across the broader community and also the community-service sector.

— Samantha SchulteCalling for broader public and sector awareness of CTE in domestic violence survivors.

Neurologist Craig Costello explained that CTE is a neurodegenerative condition, meaning brain cell loss, which can lead to dementia. The federal government has granted Dementia Australia $12.5 million to help tackle CTE. Willey noted that North Queensland, with its higher rates of violence, presents a demographic with more "causation areas of risk."

What we need to do is really move away from anyone just solely thinking that this is something that professional athletes can develop, because that's incorrect.

— Sarah WilleyChief executive of ConneCTErs Australia, urging a broader understanding of CTE causes.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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