Partner Violence Screening Wendy A. Lutz, MSW Brenda A

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Partner Violence Screening

• Wendy A. Lutz, MSW
• Brenda A. Miller, Ph.D
• Center for Development of Human Services
• Spring 2002

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Definition

• Partner violence is a pattern of assault and
  controlling behavior perpetrated by one partner
  against another.
• It can include
• Physical attacks.
• Sexual attacks.
• Psychological attacks.

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Prevalence of Partner Violence

• According to the National Crime Victimization
  Survey
• 7.7 incidents per 1000 women.
• 1.5 incidents per 1000 men.
• Among homeless it is estimated that 50 are
  fleeing abuse this population is not captured
  in any major survey.
• 37 of abused women require medical attention
• 40 of abused women live in households with
  children under the age of 12.

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Victim Characteristics

• African/American women experienced 35 more
  violence than White women.
• Women between the ages of 16-24 were victimized
  at the highest rate.
• Women living in poverty were victimized 3 times
  more than women in the highest income range.

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Victim Characteristics

• It is important to note that there is no
  profile of a battered woman.
• Partner violence cuts across all socioeconomic
  categories, ages and races.

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Child Welfare/Partner Violence Connection

• Perceptions divide the fields of partner violence
  and child abuse.
• Current systems divide responses to each of these
  issues.
• Integrating our response would be in the best
  interest of the family.

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Child Welfare/Partner Violence Connection

• Child abuse and partner violence co-occur at a
  rate of approximately 50.
• The most chronically violent husbands had a
  nearly 100 probability of physically abusing
  their male children.

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Screening Considerations

• The safety of the partner and the children is the
  primary consideration.
• Screening should be done in private without
  children or partners in the room.

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Screening Considerations

• Brief enough to conduct in the context of the
  total interview.
• Thorough enough to gather the appropriate
  information in order to make a fully informed
  referral if needed.
• Instruments should require little or no training
  to administer.

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Screening Considerations

• Screening instruments should be easily scored.
• Instruments should give clients an opportunity to
  disclose abuse beyond physical violence.

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Child Welfare Considerations

• A comprehensive assessment of domestic violence
  includes
• The indicators of danger
• The impact of the domestic violence
• The mothers history of seeking help
• The communitys (formal and informal) response

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Screening Instruments

• There are research-based instruments that can be
  18 or more questions long.
• One example is the Conflict Tactics Scale
  (Straus, 1996)
• Although the CTS is very accurate and provides a
  wealth of information, its length makes it
  difficult to use in a child welfare interview.

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Screening Instruments

• Most short screen instruments have sprung from
  the medical field but can be used in child
  welfare. Short screens include
• American Medical Association 10 questions1
• Partner Abuse Inventory (PAI)2
• Partner Violence Screen3
• Colorado BRFSS4

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Barriers to Disclosing Partner Violence

• Fear is the overriding barrier for most women
• Cultural differences
• Dependence on the abuser
• Feelings of failure
• Promises of change or hope from the abuser

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Overcoming Barriers

• Listen non-judgmentally
• If appropriate, explain the cycle of violence
• Ask the client what resources she may have
  available to her (friends, family, churches)
• Be prepared with other resources
• Discuss options for the womans and the
  childrens safety
• Acknowledge the difficulty in disclosing

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Recognizing and Treating

• Alpert et al., 1998 uses the acronym RADAR to
  help professionals deal with domestic violence
• Remember
• Ask
• Document
• Assess
• Review

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Recognizing and Treating

• Remember to routinely ask clients about partner
  violence.
• Ask direct and specific questions
• Document effects on woman and/or children
• Assess the safety of the woman and children
• Review possible options with the woman

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Conclusion

• Partner violence is prevalent in many womens
  lives.
• There is a significant relationship between
  partner violence and child abuse and neglect.
• By screening for partner violence in a child
  welfare setting, we can better protect parent and
  child and potentially, avoid further injury to
  the family.