Police-reported Intimate Partner Violence Research Articles

Cigarette Smoking in Women Victims of Police-Reported Intimate Partner Violence: The Role of Childhood Maltreatment, Type of Partner Abuse, and Psychological Distress Symptoms

ABSTRACT Existing research on the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and cigarette smoking primarily involves low-risk, physical IVP-focused studies on community women. As a result, the risks associated with cigarette smoking in women victims of severe IPV have not been fully explored. This study examined the association between exposure to different forms of childhood maltreatment, exposure to physical, psychological, and sexual IPV, and current psychological distress symptoms with cigarette smoking in a high-risk sample of women victims of police-reported severe IPV. Participants included 162 women victims of police-reported severe IPV recruited in shelters for domestic violence and Child Protective Services in Portugal. Participants provided self-reports on childhood maltreatment physical, psychological, and sexual violence), physical, psychological, and sexual IPV, psychological distress symptoms (anxiety, depressive, somatic, and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms), and daily cigarette consumption. Results revealed significant associations between daily cigarette consumption and exposure to IPV, physical abuse during childhood, psychological IPV, and anxiety symptoms in women experiencing police-reported severe IPV. Childhood maltreatment may increase vulnerability for emotion dysregulation, promoting addictive behaviors to regulate distress. Smoking can be an unhealthy regulating strategy to reduce the distress related to chronic exposure to psychological IPV. Future effective health promotion interventions in women facing severe forms of IPV may target emotional regulation and incorporate a trauma-focused approach.

Predictors of Family Engagement in Child Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Screening Following Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence.

Children's exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) has numerous negative short- and long-term impacts on children's development, mental health, physical health, and adult functioning. While community-based organizations have an array of interventions aimed to increase survivor safety and prevent the development of, or treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), many families experiencing IPV never enter the doors of community-based organizations. To address this gap, there is an increasing number of partnerships between community-based organizations and first responders to increase support to families experiencing IPV. The Child Trauma Response Team (CTRT) is an innovative model that provides a coordinated, immediate, trauma-informed, and interdisciplinary response to families exposed to IPV. Given the lack of research on coordinated community interventions, the research questions for this study were as follows: (a) What are the family sociodemographic factors, crime factors, and program services most associated with family engagement in child PTSD screening following exposure to IPV? (b) What are the family sociodemographic factors and crime factors most associated with children screening positive for PTSD following exposure to IPV? The data for this study consist of 244 families with 352 children identified by the pilot CTRT. The results of this study suggest that a collaborative intervention designed to address caregiver and children's safety and well-being after a police-reported IPV incident is a promising model. Overall, more than 70% of children identified by the CTRT team completed a child PTSD screen, and 74.3% of children who completed the screens were screened positive for PTSD. The safety assessment service provided by the CTRT team was a predictor of the families' engagement in child PTSD screens. This is a critical finding and suggests the importance of developing program models that comprehensively address the needs of caregivers and children exposed to IPV.

Victim Participation in Intimate Partner Violence Prosecution: Implications for Safety.

Are intimate partner violence (IPV) victims safer if they use the criminal justice system? Concerns about perpetrator retaliation, in the face of data that protection orders can reduce future harm, make it important to understand how victim utilization (calling 911, talking to the prosecutor, and proceeding with prosecution) affects subsequent safety. We hypothesized participation would improve victims' safety, measured by decreases in subsequent IPV-related 911 calls and/or emergency department visits. Findings support contact with the prosecutor's office was associated with reduction in police-reported IPV, regardless of the victim's wish to proceed. Policy implications support pro-prosecution strategies coupled with victim contact.

Intimate Partner Violence and Neighborhood Income

This investigation used a longitudinal design to examine the relationship between neighborhood-level income, individual-level predictors, and police-reported intimate partner violence in 5,994 urban couples followed over 2 years. At the baseline abuse incident, intimate partner violence rates were highest in the poorest neighborhoods (13.8 per 1,000 women in the lowest income quartile, followed by 12.1, 8.2, and 5.0 in the respective higher income quartiles). However, in the longitudinal analysis, weapon use at the baseline abuse event was a much stronger predictor of repeat abuse (incident rate ratios ranging from 1.72 for physical abuse to 1.83 for non-physical abuse) than neighborhood income.

Racial and ethnic disparities in police-reported intimate partner violence perpetration: a mixed methods approach.

The objectives of this study were to examine racial and ethnic disparities in perpetrator and incident characteristics and discrepancies between police charges and reported perpetrator behaviors in police-reported intimate partner violence (IPV). This cross-sectional study used standardized police data and victim narratives of IPV incidents reported to the police in Dallas, Texas in 2004. The sample included non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic male perpetrators who were residents of Dallas (N = 4470). Offense charges were prioritized in descending order: sexual assault, aggravated assault, simple assault, kidnapping, robbery, and intimidation. Textual data from the victim narratives were coded, based on the revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS), and categorized in descending order of priority: sexual (severe, minor), physical (severe, minor), and psychological (severe, minor) assault. Perpetrators were more likely to be Black and Hispanic. Perpetrator and incident characteristics varied significantly by race/ethnicity, particularly age, age difference between partners, marital status, injury, and interracial relationships. Qualitative data revealed that greater proportions of Black and Hispanic men perpetrated severe physical, but not sexual violence, compared with White men. The greatest disparity between CTS categories and police charges occurred among those cases identified by the CTS as severe physical IPV; 84% were charged with simple assault. Significant differences by race/ethnicity were found only for simple assault charges, which were coded as severe physical as opposed to minor physical IPV more often among Black (69% and 31%) compared with White (62% and 38%) men. The disparities revealed in this study highlight the need to enhance primary and secondary prevention efforts within Black and Hispanic communities and to increase linkages between police, community, and public health organizations.

Intimate Partner Violence in Interracial Couples: A Comparison to White and Ethnic Minority Monoracial Couples

The number of interracial couples in the U.S. is growing, but they often receive little support. Although previous studies have explored the relationship between low social support and decreased relationship satisfaction in interracial couples, there are few studies on intimate partner violence (IPV) in these couples. To better understand IPV in interracial couples compared to monoracial couples, all police-reported IPV events across a municipality were examined. Odds ratios showed differences between interracial and ethnic minority monoracial couples. Interracial couples were more likely to have a history of prior IPV (OR = 2.60), engage in mutual assault (OR = 2.36), and result in perpetrator arrest (OR = 1.71) than ethnic minority monoracial couples. Victims of IPV in interracial couples were also more likely to be injured (OR = 1.37). There were no significant differences between the couples in terms of substance use or children present during the IPV event. Differences between IPV in interracial and White couples also emerged. Interracial couples were more likely to have children present (OR = 1.84), to have a prior report (OR = 1.98), to result in victim injury (OR = 1.73), and to result in perpetrator arrest than White couples (OR = 2.18). Interracial couples were more likely to engage in mutual assault than White couples (OR = 2.94). However, interracial couples were about 50% less likely than White couples to use drugs or alcohol before or during the IPV event. Research is needed to better understand the unique challenges and needs faced by interracial couples to help them sustain healthy partnerships.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Police-Reported Intimate Partner Violence and Risk of Hospitalization among Women

We sought to examine racial and ethnic disparities in police-reported intimate partner violence (IPV) and hospitalization rates and rate ratios among women with police-reported IPV relative to those without such reports. This retrospective cohort study linked adult male-to-female IPV police records of non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White women residing in a south central US city with regional hospital discharge data. Rates and incidence rate ratios (IRR) were calculated and age-adjusted where the data allowed. Police-reported IPV rates were 2-3 times higher among Black and Hispanic women compared with White women. Overall, hospitalization rates were higher among Black and White victims and lower among Hispanic victims than their counterparts in the comparison group (age-adjusted IRR [aIRR], 1.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-1.41; aIRR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.19-1.79; and aIRR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54-0.86, respectively). Rate ratios were significant for victims among 1) White women for any mental disorder (aIRR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.30-3.13) and for episodic mood/depressive disorders in particular (aIRR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.33-3.59); 2) Black and White women for any injury-related diagnosis (aIRR, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.48-4.10 and aIRR, 3.20; 95% CI, 1.65-6.19, respectively); and 3) all women for intentional injury (IRR, 10.45; 95% CI, 3.56-30.69) and self-inflicted injury (IRR, 4.91; 95% CI, 2.12-11.37). Exposure to IPV as reported to police increases the rate of hospital utilization among Black and White women, but lowers the rate for Hispanic women. Screening for IPV in hospitals may identify a substantial number of IPV-exposed women. Primary and secondary prevention efforts related to IPV should be culturally informed and specific.

Female Victims of Domestic Violence: Which Victims Do Police Refer to Crisis Intervention?

Factors associated with activation of a volunteer-based crisis intervention services program for victims of police-reported intimate partner violence (IPV) were examined to determine if those for whom services were activated were representative of the overall eligible population. The study population comprised 2,092 adult female victims of male-perpetrated police-reported IPV. Crisis intervention services were requested by responding patrol officers in 415 (19.8%) of these incidents. Activation of crisis intervention services was more likely for victims who were married to their abusive partner, pregnant, or of Latina or Asian race/ethnicity and among IPV incidents involving physical abuse, visible victim injuries, and arrest of the abusive partner. Additionally, one of the city's five police precincts was less likely than the remaining four to utilize these services. Activation of crisis intervention services was associated with factors related to need and feasibility of service delivery, but differential activation at the precinct level was also found to be influential.

Police-Reported Intimate Partner Violence During Pregnancy: Who Is at Risk?

Police-Reported Intimate Partner Violence During Pregnancy: Who Is at Risk?

Police-Reported Intimate Partner Violence During Pregnancy: Who Is at Risk?

The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to determine risk factors for police-reported intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy among Seattle residents with a registered live birth or fetal death in Washington State. Logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals for the association between demographic, behavioral, and obstetric history risk factors and any, physical, and non-physical police-reported IPV. Significant risk factors for any police-reported IPV during pregnancy included unmarried status (aOR 2.36), public health program use (aOR 1.33), smoking or alcohol use during pregnancy (aORs 1.45 and 1.80, respectively), previous live birth (aOR 1.39), and previous spontaneous or induced abortion (aORs 1.39 and 1.34, respectively). Risk factors for physical IPV varied only slightly from those for any IPV, and fewer factors were associated with nonphysical IPV. Demographic, behavioral, and obstetric history risk factors are potential markers of IPV risk during pregnancy.

Police-Reported Intimate Partner Violence During Pregnancy: Who Is at Risk?

Police-Reported Intimate Partner Violence During Pregnancy: Who Is at Risk?

Police-reported intimate partner violence during pregnancy and the risk of antenatal hospitalization.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health problem and the abuse of women during pregnancy is of particular concern. Few studies have addressed the relationship between IPV and antenatal hospitalization. This study utilized a novel approach to examine the impact of IPV during pregnancy on antenatal hospitalization not associated with delivery. This retrospective cohort study included Seattle women residents 16-49 years of age. Exposed subjects were women with a police-reported IPV incident during pregnancy in the years 1995 through 1998 and who subsequently had a singleton live birth or fetal death. The unexposed group was composed of randomly selected residents with a singleton birth or fetal death and without a police-reported IPV incident during the study period. Linked hospital discharge files and birth records were utilized to determine study outcomes. Logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Women reporting any IPV during pregnancy were twice as likely as unexposed women to experience an antenatal hospitalization not associated with delivery (aAOR 2.39, CI 1.77, 3.24). Women with IPV were more likely to have been hospitalized with a substance abuse-related diagnosis (aOR 2.70, CI 1.52, 4.78) or a mental health-related diagnosis (aOR 1.93, CI 0.96, 3.91). Physical IPV was more strongly associated with antenatal hospitalization than nonphysical IPV or IPV overall. This study suggests that women hospitalized during pregnancy, particularly those with substance abuse and mental health-related conditions, may be at high risk for concurrent IPV.

Impact of Police-Reported Intimate Partner Violence During Pregnancy on Birth Outcomes

In Brief OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship of police-reported intimate partner violence during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes. METHODS We conducted a population-based, retrospective, cohort study in Seattle, Washington, using Seattle police data and Washington State birth certificate files from January 1995 through September 1999. Exposed subjects were women with an intimate partner violence incident reported to police during pregnancy and who subsequently had a singleton live birth or fetal death registered in the state of Washington. Unexposed subjects were randomly selected Seattle residents with a singleton live birth or fetal death in the same time period and who did not report an incident. The main outcome measures were low birth weight (LBW less than 2500 g), very LBW (VLBW less than 1500 g), preterm birth (20–36 weeks' gestation), very preterm birth (20–31 weeks), and neonatal death (before discharge). RESULTS Women reporting any partner violence during pregnancy were significantly more likely to have a LBW infant (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.70; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20, 2.40), a VLBW infant (aOR 2.54; 95% CI 1.32, 4.91), a preterm birth (aOR 1.61; 95% CI 1.14, 2.28), a very preterm birth (aOR 3.71; 95% CI 1.80, 7.63), and a neonatal death (aOR 3.49; 95% CI 1.43, 8.50). CONCLUSION Police-reported partner violence during pregnancy is significantly associated with an increased risk of adverse birth outcomes. There is a critical need to identify pregnancy among women with reported incidents and to provide women health and social service information and referrals, particularly referrals to high-risk pregnancy programs. Intimate partner violence during pregnancy is associated with anincreased risk of adverse birth outcomes, including low birth weight, preterm birth, and neonatal death.