Forty-five per cent of woman abuse results in physical injury. The psychological effects of this can be far-reaching: eighty-five per cent of abused women indicate that they have experienced some type of negative emotional effects including anger, fear, becoming less trusting, suffering from lowered self-esteem, depression, anxiety, shame and guilt. In order to combat these effects, twenty-five per cent of these women report having used alcohol, drugs or medication.

Physical Health Effects Include:
-broken bones
-burns
-stab wounds
-concussions
-perforated ear drums
-loss of hair
-chronic stomach/bowel pain or discomfort
-chronic joint or muscle pain
-palpitations
-firearm wounds
-bruises
-cuts/abrasions
-bites
-sprains
-chipped or lost teeth
-internal injuries
-chronic headache
-high blood pressure
-detached retina
-substance abuse issues

Sexual Health Effects Include:
-sexually transmitted diseases
-chronic genital or pelvic pain
-bruising or tearing of the vagina or anus
-frequent pregnancies
-fear of sexual intimacy
-miscarriages
-chronic vaginal or urinary track infections
-female genital mutilation
-painful intercourse
-infertility

Psychological Health Effects Include:
-low self esteem
-difficulty in forming/maintaining relationships
-anxiety
-lack of appropriate boundaries
-self degradation
-chronic stress
-uncontrolled or rapid anger response
-memory loss
-loss of concentration or productivity
-self-abusive behaviour
-problems with parenting children
-frequent crying
-passivity
-unusual fear response
-increased watchfulness
-sleep disturbances
-phobias

Psychiatric Health Effects Include:
-depression
-eating disorders
-obsessive compulsive disorder
-suicidal thoughts
-post-traumatic stress disorder
-dissociation

This information on health effects is from the Final Report of the Task Force on the Health Effects of Woman Abuse, 2000.