A new project in the Okanagan is studying traumatic brain injury in survivors of domestic violence.

The study will be conducted by UBC Okanagan associate vice-principal for research Paul van Donkelaar and his team, along with the Kelowna Women91裸聊视频檚 Shelter, the Elizabeth Fry Society, and the Kelowna Friendship Society.

The organizations will be recruiting participants for the study.

Van Donkelaar has studied concussions in athletes, but this will be a new venture for UBCO.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 accessing, in a most objective way possible, some of the behavioural and psychological changes that may occur (in survivors)91裸聊视频�, said van Donkelaar.

The idea of the study is to determine how many cases of brain injury have occurred with survivors of domestic violence and then allowing organizations to study different resources and training to help the survivors recover.

Van Donkelaar will present the project during the Okanagan Symposium on Brain Injury, June 1, at the Ramada Hotel and Conference Centre.

Van Donkelaar will be applying some of the same tactics he used while studying sports91裸聊视频� concussions to the study he will be initiating next month.

The project will be one of the first of its kind in North America, said van Donkelaar, and he hopes to have some data collected by June.

The Kelowna Women91裸聊视频檚 Shelter is excited to be a part of the project.

91裸聊视频淓arly research, which there is little of, shows concussions are quite high in women who have been in intimate-partner-violence situations,91裸聊视频� said executive director Karen Mason.

91裸聊视频淲e see women every day who have experienced violence from a partner and the impacts of it. Which makes sense if you think about it. If your partner beats you and knocks you down the stairs or smashes you against the wall, chances are good that you might suffer a head injury,91裸聊视频� she said.

Mason also talked about the impacts and challenges women face when recovering from domestic violence.

91裸聊视频淭he impacts of a concussion on a person91裸聊视频檚 ability to function is adding one more barrier for women who have experienced intimate partner violence,91裸聊视频� she said.

Intimate partner violence is still a stigmatized and under-reported topic said Mason, but she isn91裸聊视频檛 sure why there haven91裸聊视频檛 been more studies on concussions and intimate partner violence.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 great that there91裸聊视频檚 going to be some attention on it,91裸聊视频� she said.

Elizabeth Fry Society executive director Michelle Novakowski agrees.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 huge. All of our programs work with survivors 91裸聊视频� and we see a lot of women who have had their head slammed into a wall or that have been hit in the face and we also see similar effects to post-traumatic stress,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淚 think it can help agencies be more supportive and understanding. I think it can make a huge difference for survivors.91裸聊视频�