One in five women supported by Jewish Women’s Aid comes to the service with a diagnosed mental health condition, the charity has reported.
Heads of JWA, which supports women and children affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence, said that at least 20 per cent of their clients were struggling with a mental health condition, including post-traumatic stress disorder.
In addition to this, 30 per cent of JWA clients reported symptoms of poor mental health, such as anxiety and depression, which are often directly linked to the abuse they have experienced, they said.
Karen Lewis, JWA's director of client services, said: “Mental health struggles are not a side effect of domestic abuse; they are part of the abuse itself. For some women, the trauma of abuse triggers serious mental health conditions. For others who are already living with mental illness, abuse can worsen symptoms and make recovery far more difficult.”
