THE SELF OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS SERVING VICTIMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE

Abstract

Physicians who offer attention to sexual violence victims become receptors of painful and cruel abuse stories. If this contact maintains a fluent and daily implication, it could generate the development of the burnout syndrome, emotional re-impact and/or develop their own violence experiences; their integral health would suffer serious consequences, including disadvantage implications during labor performance and interpersonal relations. A self-care program becomes a priority in order to preserve the physicians’ general health and in parallel maintain effective and excellent quality of attention to people and victims of sexual violence and other kinds of violence who obviously require help, support and confidence when they come to their services.