DOMESTIC VIOLENCE / INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE REPORTING

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INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE
LCDR LEILA WILLIAMS

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Intimate Partner Violence

• IPV
• Domestic Violence
• Defined as a pattern or behavior resulting
  physical, emotional/psychological abuse, economic
  control, and/or interference with personal
  liberty directed toward a person

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IPV Victim

• Current or former spouse
• Person with whom the abuser shares or has shared
  a child in common.
• Current or former intimate partner with whom the
  abuser shares or has shared a common domicile

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Halpern, Hayes, et al. J. Trauma 2006

• It is estimated that between one to two million
  women experience IPV annually
• 2 important features of this estimate
• --The rate is high but it is also unclear how
  high it is.
• --The wide range for this estimate says a great
  deal about the secrecy of IPV and difficulty
  determining who has been subjected to IPV

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Macmillan, Jamieson, et al. Approaches to
screening for IPV in health care settings

• N2,602. Randomized trial
• Patients are often reluctant to disclose IPV to
  their physicians
• Self-completed screening, versus face-to-face
  screening, for IPV appears to be preferred by
  women

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Bureau of Justice Statistics

• IPV made up 20 of all nonfatal violent crime
  experience by women in 2001
• 1,247 women and 440 men were killed by an
  intimate partner in 2001

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Previous Reporting Policy

• Minimal confidentiality
• Chaplains Privilege All others must report
  assault
• Medical treatment initiated investigation
• Victim had no control over the release or
  management of their personal information

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DOD RESTRICTED REPORTING POLICY

• An option for IPV Victims to receive medical
  treatment and Victim Advocacy services without
  requiring notification to law enforcement or the
  victims or alleged offenders commander when
  they report such abuse to one of the following
  individuals Health Care Provider or Victim
  Advocate /Supervisor

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Health Care Providers (HCP)

• Health care professionals who are credentialed to
  provide health care services (Including Clinical
  Social Workers)

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Victim Advocate (VA)

• A person who has been designated to respond,
  offer advocacy and support and provide the victim
  information and clarification on restricted and
  unrestricted reporting options

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Purpose of Victims Reporting Options

• Ensure victims receive medical, counseling and
  advocacy services
• Build victims trust in system to increase
  reporting
• Remove barriers

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Barriers

• Perceived lack of privacy/confidentiality
• Embarrassment/stigma
• Fear of reprisal from offender
• Lack of confidence in chain of command

• Fear of repercussions regarding collateral
  misconduct
• Concern about how report will affect their
  career, unit, and the mission

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Limitations of Restricted Reporting

• Alleged offender remains at large
• Victim cannot receive a Military Protective Order
  (MPO)/No Contact Order
• Victim may continue to have contact with alleged
  offender.
• Victim unable to discuss the assault with other
  service members

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Exceptions to Confidentiality and Limitations on
Use

• The victim consents in writing
• Serious threat to health/safety of victim or
  others
• Child Abuse involvement
• Fitness for duty/Disability retirement
• To supervise direct victim services adequately
• When ordered by a court or required by law

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• The victim should acknowledge in writing his/her
  election and understanding of the benefits and
  limitations of the reporting options

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• Abuse and violence are at the heart of a plethora
  of emotional and physical problems. We must be
  accepting and willing to listen to our patients,
  we must be ready with the resources when our
  patients are ready to ask for help

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