A psychosocial approach to violence against women in an emergency medical department in the COVID-19 context: challenges and limitations.

Summary: During the COVID-19 pandemic, a "shadow pandemic" emerged: a sharp rise in violence against women. This article highlights a troubling case study of a woman who went to an Emergency Department seeking help for injuries and psychological distress caused by her partner. Despite reaching out for medical care, she faced a system full of cracks—legal hurdles and safety gaps that left her vulnerable to being victimized again. Recognizing these failures, the authors combined lessons from her story with international guidelines to create a new, robust hospital protocol. This proposed plan guides doctors and nurses on how to properly assess, diagnose, and treat survivors, ensuring the Emergency Room becomes a true safe haven rather than another dead end.