Compared to the general population, people with psychiatric experience have a significantly higher risk of experiencing physical and/or sexualised violence in their social environment in the course of their lives.

Experiences of violence (e.g. domestic violence) can have serious consequences for the mental health and individual recovery processes of those affected. Victimisation is one of the most pressing problems in the care of mentally ill people worldwide. At the same time, the topic has hardly been addressed in German-speaking countries. This is at odds with a socio-psychiatric perspective on mental illness, which emphasises the importance of social environmental factors in the treatment, care and support of people with severe mental illness. Measures to prevent and reduce the risk of victimisation in psychiatric care are only promising if the underlying mechanisms of violent experiences are understood.

The study is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) (project number 510625985).

The study aims to gain a better understanding of the frequency, forms and subjective meanings of experiences of violence among people with psychiatric experience. This should create a basis for the development of violence prevention programmes and needs-based interventions in dealing with people affected by violence.

Three interrelated sub-projects are being carried out:

In a representative sample of 500 patients receiving outpatient or (partial) inpatient treatment in psychiatric hospitals, we are surveying the frequency and forms of violence experienced (as well as self-inflicted) in the social environment, (self-)stigmatisation and barriers to disclosing experiences of violence in the psychiatric/therapeutic context.

Building on this, we are conducting qualitative interviews with around 40 people in order to better understand the subjective experience of violence and its social, biographical and institutional contextual factors.

In addition, we will use interviews, questionnaires and group discussions to ask mental health professionals about their experiences and attitudes as well as how they deal with the disclosure of experiences of violence by patients.

Who can take part?

• People aged 18 and over with experience of psychiatry
• Psychiatric professionals (from nursing, medicine/psychiatry, recovery counselling, psychology/psychotherapy, social work/social education)

What we offer in return

By taking part, you will make an important contribution to a better understanding of experiences of violence and thus to the basis for needs-orientated care for people affected by violence.

Participants will receive a voucher worth 30 euros for each personal interview and a voucher worth 15 euros for participating in a group discussion.

If you are interested in participating in the study or would like to receive further information about the study, please contact us directly:

Prof Dr Georg Schomerus

Director of the Clinic and Polyclinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Leipzig University Hospital

Melanie Pouwels (research assistant)

Hanna Rock (student assistant)

In July 2023, a cooperation with the association Vorurteilsfrei e.V. was launched as part of the research project in the sense of participatory research participation.

Further information and opportunities for participation can be found at:
www.vorurteilsfrei.org