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Can family doctors help abused women: Lessons from the WEAVE project

WEAVE tests the effect of brief counselling by family doctors for abused women. Around 13% of 6000 women attending 55 Australian doctors were fearful of their partner or ex-partner in the last 12 months. Some of these women (272) participated in a randomized trial. We found that trained family doctors inquired more about safety of women and their children, and that depressive symptoms were better for women invited to attend counselling, with no detectable effects on women's quality of life.