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Home > News > Too Many to Count: Brain Injury and Domestic Abuse at BABICM 2025
Dr. Annmarie Burns, Brainkind’s Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist, hit the second conference of her summer tour last week, representing Brainkind at healthcare events nationwide and raising awareness of our research on brain injury.
Last month, Dr. Burns spotlighted Brainkind’s Brain Injury Linkworker Service at One Brain 2025. She followed this up with a presentation at the British Association of Brain Injury and Complex Case Management (BABICM) annual conference, highlighting our research linking brain injury and domestic abuse.
The sold-out BABICM conference ran over two days, each packed full of presentations on everything from parenting after a spinal cord injury to advancing knowledge on complex care.
Dr. Burns spoke alongside Louise Chance, director of A Chance for Life and BABICM Chair, and Dr. Amit Chatterjee, Chief Medical Officer at Active Care Group. We spoke to Dr. Burns about Brainkind’s groundbreaking research into domestic abuse and brain injury, and how it’s already advancing care practices across the country.
Making the link
It all stemmed from research conducted with women in the criminal justice system – a 2016-2018 study with women in Drake Hall prison.
This study revealed that almost two-thirds (62%) of women surveyed had sustained a brain injury through domestic abuse. For Dr. Burns and her colleagues, this highlighted gaps in knowledge about the links between brain injury and domestic violence.
To help bridge these gaps, Brainkind launched Too Many To Count in 2024: a national study of 60 women who had experienced domestic abuse.
Too many to count
The results of the study are sobering. Over half (55%) of participants screened positive on the Brain Injury Screening Index. Meanwhile, 80% said they had experienced at least one significant blow to the head.
Correspondingly high numbers reported having symptoms of brain injury. For example:
· 70% said they had difficulties with memory.
· 63% said they had difficulty concentrating.
· 33% reported difficulties with their speech.
“We need to improve awareness of brain injury in the context of domestic abuse, from domestic abuse services to health and social care professionals,” Dr. Burns said.
“Those with lived experience deserve to know about signs of brain injury so they can better advocate for themselves.”
What’s next?
Brainkind’s work doesn’t end with data collection. “We must develop our clinical skills so we know how to talk to the people we support about brain injury in the context of domestic abuse,” Dr. Burns said. “That’s why we’re developing Brainkind Adapt”.
Brainkind Adapt is a web-based tool designed to help professionals in domestic abuse organisations have structured conversations with the people they are supporting about signs of potential brain injury.
Dr. Burns emphasised that “we still want to do more research and co-produce training to help survivors and those working in domestic abuse services – but Brainkind Adapt is an exciting first step”.
If you would like to find out more about Brainkind’s research and its impact, click here.
Domestic violence and abuse can happen to anyone. If you would like to speak to someone to get help, or if someone you know is affected by domestic abuse, click here to access a list of helplines and services.
