Domestic Violence

Hotlines | What is Domestic Violence?

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Presidential Proclamation
Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch Delivers Remarks at Justice Department Event in
Recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Acting Associate Attorney General Stuart F. Delery Delivers Remarks at Justice Department
Event in Recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Hotlines
National Domestic Violence Hotline [external link]
1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
1-800-787-3224 (TTY)

What is Domestic Violence?

We define domestic violence as a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by
one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Domestic
violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of
actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate,
humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone.
Physical Abuse: Hitting, slapping, shoving, grabbing, pinching, biting, hair pulling, etc are types
of physical abuse. This type of abuse also includes denying a partner medical care or forcing
alcohol and/or drug use upon him or her.
Emotional Abuse: Undermining an individual's sense of self-worth and/or self-esteem is
abusive. This may include, but is not limited to constant criticism, diminishing one's abilities,
name-calling, or damaging one's relationship with his or her children.
Economic Abuse: Is defined as making or attempting to make an individual financially
dependent by maintaining total control over financial resources, withholding one's access to
money, or forbidding one's attendance at school or employment.
Psychological Abuse: Elements of psychological abuse include - but are not limited to - causing
fear by intimidation; threatening physical harm to self, partner, children, or partner's family or

friends; destruction of pets and property; and forcing isolation from family, friends, or school
and/or work.
Domestic violence can happen to anyone regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or
gender. Domestic violence affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education
levels. Domestic violence occurs in both opposite-sex and same-sex relationships and can
happen to intimate partners who are married, living together, or dating.
Domestic violence not only affects those who are abused, but also has a substantial effect on
family members, friends, co-workers, other witnesses, and the community at large. Children,
who grow up witnessing domestic violence, are among those seriously affected by this crime.
Frequent exposure to violence in the home not only predisposes children to numerous social and
physical problems, but also teaches them that violence is a normal way of life - therefore,
increasing their risk of becoming society's next generation of victims and abusers.
Sources: National Domestic Violence Hotline, National Center for Victims of Crime, and
WomensLaw.org.

Advocacy interventions to reduce or eliminate violence and promote the physical

and psychosocial well-being of women who experience intimate partner abuse.
Rivas C1, Ramsay J, Sadowski L, Davidson LL, Dunne D, Eldridge S, Hegarty K, Taft A,
Feder G.
Author information
Abstract
BACKGROUND:

Intimate partner abuse is common worldwide, damaging the short- and long-term physical,
mental, and emotional health of survivors and children. Advocacy may contribute to reducing
abuse, empowering women to improve their situation by providing informal counselling and
support for safety planning and increasing access to different services. Advocacy may be a standalone service, accepting referrals from healthcare providers, or part of a multi-component (and
possibly multi-agency) intervention provided by service staff or others.
OBJECTIVES:

To assess the effects of advocacy interventions within or outside healthcare settings in women
who have experienced intimate partner abuse.

SEARCH METHODS:

In April 2015, we searched CENTRAL, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and 10 other databases. We
also searched WHO ICTRP, mRCT, and UK Clinical Research Network (UKCRN), and
examined relevant websites and reference lists with forward citation tracking of included studies.
For the original review we handsearched six key journals. We also contacted first authors of
eligible papers and experts in the field.
SELECTION CRITERIA:

Randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials comparing advocacy interventions for women

with experience of intimate partner abuse versus no intervention or usual care (if advocacy was
minimal and fewer than 20% of women received it).
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS:

Two review authors independently assessed risk of bias and undertook data extraction. We
contacted authors for missing information needed to calculate statistics for the review and looked
for adverse events.
MAIN RESULTS:

We included 13 trials involving 2141 participants aged 15 to 65 years, frequently having low
socioeconomic status.The studies were quite heterogeneous in terms of methodology, study
processes and design, including with regard to the duration of follow-up (postintervention to
three years), although this was not associated with differences in effect. The studies also had
considerable clinical heterogeneity in relation to staff delivering advocacy; setting (community,
shelter, antenatal, healthcare); advocacy intensity (from 30 minutes to 80 hours); and abuse
severity. Three trials evaluated advocacy within multi-component interventions. Eleven
measured some form of abuse (eight scales), six assessed quality of life (three scales), and six
measured depression (three scales). Countries and ethnic groups varied (one or more minority
ethnic groups in the USA or UK, and local populations in Hong Kong and Peru). Setting was
associated with intensity and duration of advocacy.Risk of bias was high in five studies,
moderate in five, and low in three. The quality of evidence (considering multiple factors such as
risk of bias, study size, missing data) was moderate to low for brief advocacy and very low for
intensive advocacy. Incidence of abuse Physical abuseModerate quality pooled data from two
healthcare studies (moderate risk of bias) and one community study (low risk of bias), all with
12-month follow-up data, showed no effect on physical abuse for brief (< 12 hours) advocacy
interventions (standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.00, 95% confidence interval (CI) - 0.17 to
0.16; n = 558). One antenatal study (low risk of bias) showed an association between brief
advocacy and reduced minor physical abuse at one year (mean difference (MD) change - 1.00,
95% CI - 1.82 to - 0.18; n = 110). An antenatal, multi-component study showed a greater
likelihood of physical abuse ending (odds ratio (OR) 0.42, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.75) immediately
after advocacy (number needed to treat (NNT) = 8); we cannot exclude impact from other
components.Low to very low quality evidence from two intensive advocacy trials (12 hours plus

duration) showed reduced severe physical abuse in women leaving a shelter at 24 months (OR
0.39, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.77; NNT = 8), but not at 12 or 36 months. Sexual abuseMeta-analysis of
two studies (n = 239) showed no effect of advocacy on sexual abuse (SMD - 0.12, 95% CI - 0.37
to 0.14), agreeing with the change score (MD - 0.07, 95% CI - 0.30 to 0.16) from a third study
and the OR (0.96, 95% CI 0.44 to 2.12) from a fourth antenatal, multi-component study.
Emotional abuseOne study in antenatal care, rated at low risk of bias, showed reduced emotional
abuse at 12-month follow-up (MD (change score) - 4.24, 95% CI - 6.42 to - 2.06; n = 110).
Psychosocial health Quality of lifeMeta-analysis of two studies (high risk of bias) showed
intensive advocacy slightly improved overall quality of life of women recruited from shelters
(MD 0.23, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.46; n = 343) at 12-month follow-up, with greater improvement in
perceived physical quality of life from a primary care study (high risk of bias; MD 4.90, 95% CI
0.98 to 8.82) immediately postintervention. Depression Meta-analysis of two studies in
healthcare settings, one at high risk of bias and one at moderate risk, showed that fewer women
developed depression (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.65; n = 149; NNT = 4) with brief advocacy.
One study at high risk of bias reported a slight reduction in depression in pregnant women
immediately after the intervention (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.20 to 1.29; n = 103; NNT = 8).There was
no evidence that intensive advocacy reduced depression at 12-month follow-up (MD - 0.14,
95% CI - 0.33 to 0.05; 3 studies; n = 446) or at two years (SMD - 0.12, 95% CI - 0.36 to 0.12; 1
study; n = 265). Adverse effectsTwo women died, one who was murdered by her partner and one
who committed suicide. No evidence links either death to study participation.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS:

Results suggest some benefits from advocacy. However, most studies were underpowered.
Clinical and methodological heterogeneity largely precluded pooling of trials. Therefore, there is
uncertainty about the magnitude of benefit, the impact of abuse severity, and the setting.Based on
the evidence reviewed, intensive advocacy may improve short-term quality of life and reduce
physical abuse one to two years after the intervention for women recruited from domestic
violence shelters or refuges. Brief advocacy may provide small short-term mental health benefits
and reduce abuse, particularly in pregnant women and for less severe abuse.
Update of

Advocacy interventions to reduce or eliminate violence and promote the

physical and psychosocial well-being of women who experience intimate
partner abuse. [Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009]

PMID:
26632986
DOI:
10.1002/14651858.CD005043.pub3

Domestic violence
Violence At Home
A Lawyer Teaches Police How To Deal With Victims
June 30, 1991|By Norma Libman.

98

Domestic violence occurs between parents and children, between young people and their
aging relatives, between caretakers and the young children in their charge. But most cases
occur between people in marriage and long-term relationships.
In fact, 94 to 97 percent of such crimes occur between intimate partners with the woman as
victim, said lawyer Joseph N. DuCanto, a partner in the Chicago and Lake Forest firm of
Schiller, DuCanto and Fleck, who has started a training program for police officers who
handle domestic violence calls.

DuCanto, a training consultant to the Office of the Sheriff of Lake County, said he became
interested in domestic violence some years ago when he noted that most states have laws
establishing specific procedures for processing domestic-violence cases.
``I was amazed to find that approximately 20 percent of police time in the industrialized
states and in the major cities is effectively taken up with dealing with domestic violence
problems,`` he said. In addition, DuCanto noted, police officers are vulnerable to physical
attack when handling domestic calls.

``Because of the volatility of the call and the problem of escalation of hostilities upon the
appearance of police, the threat of death and serious injuries is there all the time,``
DuCanto said.
Complaints from women clients that the police don`t enforce the laws motivated DuCanto
to put together a program to train police officers to handle domestic violence calls more
effectively. His domestic violence training sessions, which began in November 1990, also
train officers to provide support for victims and inform them of pertinent legal rights.
DuCanto approached the Cook County Sheriff`s Office with his program last year. Although
then-sheriff James O`Grady was interested, the program never got off the ground, DuCanto
said.
He then approached Clinton O. Grinnell, sheriff of Lake County. Grinnell was very
interested and agreed, DuCanto said, ``to institute the program and supervise it from the
top down.``
DuCanto said his training program is an attempt to turn around the attitude of police, who
tell DuCanto that they regard domestic violence calls as ``nuisance`` calls and wastes of
time. ``They get terribly frustrated when they get into a volatile situation and then it gets
turned around on them and they`re in danger and they`re often being vilified as well,``
DuCanto said.
``Then, after all that danger, the complaining witness often refuses to show up in court or to
enforce the court order.``
The officers also have told DuCanto they find it hard not to show their feelings at the scene.
``When they walk into someone`s home, they`re an invading force, and they have to be
sensitive to what that can do to the volatility of an already-sensitive situation.``
Susan Abderholden, director of resource development for A Safe Place, a comprehensive
shelter in Lake County that also provides counseling and advocacy services to victims of
domestic violence, concurs that officers need to know the options and rights of victims and
to inform them thereof.
``According to the Illinois Domestic Violence Act (of 1986),``
Abderholden said, ``the officer must offer the victim transportation to a safe place if she
wants it. It`s critical that the officer appreciates the victim`s rights and how to help her in
the most appropriate way.``
The course has been presented three times since last November, once for the supervisory
personnel of the sheriff`s department and representatives of the state`s attorney`s office
and twice for officers on the beat.
Approximately 40 individuals attended each of the four- to six-hour training sessions, at
which DuCanto and an assistant state`s attorney speak, then take questions from the group.

Because the speakers volunteer their time to the program, it is presented free to
participating departments.
``We`re concerned about domestic violence, not only the victim but also the liability of the
officer who is out there doing what is right,`` Sheriff Grinnell said. ``I think there`s a real
need to keep abreast of the domestic- violence laws and law enforcement`s responsibility.
``It`s my hope that this is going to make every one of my officers who`s on the street aware
of the responsibility that we have to these victims and give these officers the tools to serve
these people better. I think we`ve taken a great step forward with this program.``
Grinnell said he has had positive responses from officers. Deputy Sheriff Bob Byerly said it
is a great refresher on the Illinois Domestic Violence Act, which defines both the rights of
the victims and the responsibilities of the officers.
Lt. Steve Towns-End, director of training for the Lake County Sheriff`s Office, said, ``The
course enlightens officers in a little-trained aspect of family law and domestic violence. ...
(It) takes us beyond the Domestic Violence Act itself, which is a very complicated act, and
broadens our focus so we are able to look at the people aspect of the crime.
(Page 2 of 2)

Violence At Home
A Lawyer Teaches Police How To Deal With Victims
June 30, 1991|By Norma Libman.
``We`ve been able to understand better the seriousness of the crime and to refer these
people, in an intelligent manner, to the legal and other support services they need. It has
also helped us to prepare our cases for presentation in court so that they will be less likely to
result in dismissal.``
Towns-End said anyone who has contact with domestic violence calls should take the
course, ``even dispatchers who radio the call and have to know how to talk to the victim and
what to ask. We want to create a teamwork effort where every division that has contact with
the victim works as part of the team. We want everyone in every division to understand
every aspect of domestic violence, not just the officer who goes to the scene.`` Grinnell said
he will continue the program until all sworn deputies and dispatchers have participated.

Meanwhile, DuCanto said McHenry County officials have approached him about starting
courses in their sheriff`s department. DuCanto would like to see his program expanded
statewide.

Abstract

The traditional role of the pediatrician, which consisted primarily of making diagnoses and prescribing
treatments for specific disease entities in children, has expanded dramatically to include psychosocial aspects
of health care as well as problems that are primarily psychological, emotional, or social in nature and that
extend in various ways to the family and to the child's environment. One of these problems has been identified
as the manner in which witnessing domestic violence, a significant and relatively commonplace event for
many children today, affects child development and behavior. This paper reviews our existing knowledge of
such events and explores how exposure to conflict and violence plays a major role in how children learn to
relate to others, how they develop their self-concept and self-control, and how they interact with dating and
marital partners in the future. We conclude with a discussion of the role of the pediatrician in interviewing
children and other family members and in identifying appropriate avenues for prevention and treatment.
Major recommendations derived from this paper include: decreasing the attitudinal barriers to exploring this
issue; increasing sensitivity to clinical features and behavioral symptoms of children who witness domestic
violence; and increasing knowledge of available resources for treatment and prevention.

Copyright 1994 by the American Academy of Pediatrics