Violence and Victimization of People with Severe Mental Illness: Socio-Psychiatric Perspectives on Vulnerability and Structural Challenges

Little is known about people with severe mental illness (SMI) and their experiences of violence. People with SMI have a significantly higher risk of experiencing physical and/or sexualized violence in their social environment during the course of their lives. Experiences of violence (e.g. domestic violence) can have serious consequences for the mental health and the individual recovery process of those affected. Victimization is one of the most pressing problems in the care of people with mental health issues worldwide. However, the topic has hardly been addressed in German-speaking countries. This is at odds with a socio-psychiatric perspective on mental illness, which emphasizes the importance of social environmental factors for the treatment, care and support of people with SMI.

The ongoing research-project EVIO (Experience of Violence), based in Germany, is investigating the prevalence of experiences of violence (last 12 months) of people with SMI. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study collects both quantitative and qualitative data. Surveys are used to measure the prevalence of physical and sexual violence, and in-depth interviews provide personal narratives to contextualize these experiences of service users and mental health professionals.

This presentation gives insights in the ongoing analysis of the data, e.g. the challenges people with SMI face regarding experience of violence and (re-)victimization as well as the dimensions of disclosure inside and outside of mental health structures.