Domestic Violence Outreach Manual 2013

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Domestic Violence Manual

A collection of information from a variety
of sources available to the general
public which will be very useful to those
ministering in the area of domestic violence
and closely related areas.
Archdiocese of Chicago
OUTREACH
UPDATED 2013
2 17 2013
1
ArchdioceseofChicagoDomesticViolenceOutreach
DomesticViolenceManual

The Archdiocese of Chicago Domestic Violence (DV) Manual is a collection of information from a
variety of sources available to the general public free of charge. This manual will be very useful to
those ministering in the area of domestic violence and closely related areas. The manual is designed
to be a living document, which means that additions and subtractions may occur from time to time.
1. DomesticViolenceDimensions
1.1. Responding to Domestic Violence: An Interfaith Guide to Prevention and Intervention,
Chicago Metropolitan Battered Womens Network. This document provides an excellent
overview of domestic violence issues.
1.2. Cycle of Violence, Life Span, http://life-span.org/domestic-violence
1.3. Dos and Donts with a Battered Woman, Faith and Trust Institute
1.4. Dos and Donts with an Abusive Partner, Faith and Trust Institute
1.5. Why Domestic Violence Victims Dont Leave, Leslie Morgan Steiner. This is a first-
person video account.
http://www.ted.com/talks/leslie_morgan_steiner_why_domestic_violence_victims_don_t_le
ave.html
1.6. Power and Control Wheel, Domestic Violence Intervention Programs, see Wheel
Gallery, http://www.theduluthmodel.org/training/wheels.html
1.7. Safety Planning for Survivors, Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence
1.8. National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, 2010, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC). This survey measures the dimensions of intimate partner violence. It
does not distinguish between domestic violence and dating violence.
1.9. Ending Violence Against Women, Center for Health and Gender Equity, J ohns Hopkins
University School of Public Health. The presence of intimate partner violence varies greatly
from culture to culture around the world. Culture influences what children learn about
violence against women.
2. RespondingtoDomesticViolence
2.1. U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB): As pastors of the Catholic Church in the
United States, we state as clearly and strongly as we can that violence against women, inside
or outside the home, is never justified. Violence in any formphysical, sexual,
psychological, or verbalis sinful; often, it is a crime as well. The document below details
the USCCB position.
2.1.1. When I Call for Help: A Pastoral Response To Domestic Violence Against
Women, USCCB, http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-
family/marriage/domestic-violence/when-i-call-for-help.cfm
2.1.2. When I Call for Help, USCCB, PowerPoint
2.2. Speaking Out in Your Parish: Weekend and daily liturgies provide a unique opportunity
to reach victims, perpetrators, and witnesses to domestic violence. Many are reluctant to
speak out, but speak out we must.
2 17 2013
2
2.2.1. Suggestions for Preaching About Family Violence,
http://nccbuscc.org/laity/women/suggestions.shtml
2.2.2. Homilies samples, http://nccbuscc.org/laity/women/homilies.shtml
2.2.3. Homily of Father Chuck Dahm
3. SettingUpaDomesticViolenceMinistry
3.1. 12 Steps to Forming a Domestic Violence Ministry
3.2. Developing a Parish Ministry for Victims of Domestic Violence: Background Reading
3.3. Setting Up a DV MinistryAn Example
3.4. Qualifications for Ministers (under construction)
3.5. Incoming Calls to Parish
3.6. Call LogKeeping Track of Calls
4. DatingViolenceandSexualAssault
4.1. Dating Violence: Dating violence and domestic violence are forms of intimate partner
violence, and both may be part of the same continuum. They are often differentiated when
addressing particular audiences.
4.1.1. Love is Not Abuse, A Teen Dating Violence and Abuse Prevention Curriculum High
School Edition, Liz Claiborne
4.1.2. Love is Not Abuse, A Teen Dating Violence and Abuse Prevention Curriculum
College Edition, Liz Claiborne
4.1.3. Love Is Not Abuse Curriculum Video Supplement, see first-person video accounts of
teen dating violence, http://loveisnotabuse.com/video_supplement. Copy link into
browser.
4.1.4. Sexting in America: When Privates Go Public, MTV, see parts 1, 2, and 3; also, see
first-person video accounts of sexting and its impact,
http://www.mtv.com/videos/news/483801/sexting-in-america-when-privates-go-public-
part-1.jhtml - id=1631892
4.2. Sexual Assault
4.2.1. Ways to Reduce your Risk of Sexual Assault, Rape, Abuse & Incest National
Network (RAINN), see Avoiding Dangerous Situations," http://www.rainn.org/get-
information/sexual-assault-prevention
4.2.2. Types of Sexual Violence, Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), see
Was I Raped? and Acquaintance Rape, http://www.rainn.org/get-information/types-
of-sexual-assault
4.2.3. Acquaintance Rape 2010, Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, locate brochure,
http://www.icasa.org/index.aspx?pageID=103
4.2.4. Parent Pamphlet, Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, locate brochure,
http://www.icasa.org/index.aspx?pageID=103
4.2.5. Ways to Reduce your Risk of Sexual Assault, Rape, Abuse & Incest National
Network (RAINN), see "In a Social Situation, http://www.rainn.org/get-
information/sexual-assault-prevention
4.2.6. Reporting the Crime to Police, Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN),
see What Should I Do? and other topics, http://www.rainn.org/get-information/legal-
information
2 17 2013
3
5. PerpetratorsandtheLaw
5.1. Illinois Domestic Violence Act 1986
5.2. Illinois Partner Abuse Intervention Services,
http://www.ilcadv.org/get_help_now/abuser_services.asp?countyid=16
5.3. Fathering After Violence, Family Violence Prevention Fund (Futures Without Violence)
6. ViolenceAgainstWomanAct(VAWA)andHumanTrafficking
6.1. VAWA: VAWA is a 1994 federal law that responds to domestic violence, dating violence,
sexual assault, and stalking.
6.1.1. VAWA Background: http://www.thehotline.org/get-educated/violence-against-
women-act-vawa/
6.1.2. VAWA and Immigration Status: VAWA has a broad scope and it provides relief for
certain domestic and human trafficking victims who are not citizens of the United
States. http://icwclaw.org/services-available/violence-against-women-act-vawa/ and
http://www.ilrc.org/info-on-immigration-law/vawa
6.1.3. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: See Humanitarian for specifics.
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis
6.1.4. Battered Spouse, Children, and Parents:
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/
?vgnextoid=b85c3e4d77d73210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=b85
c3e4d77d73210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD
6.2. Human Trafficking: Human trafficking employs force, fraud, or coercion to enslave
women, men, and children for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labor or services.
Human trafficking is slavery. United States citizens are protected under U.S. law. Federal
law also offers protection and visas to non-citizen victims of human trafficking and other
crimes.
6.2.1. National Human Trafficking Resource Center, http://www.polarisproject.org/what-
we-do/national-human-trafficking-hotline/the-nhtrc/overview
6.2.2. Recognizing the Signs, National Human Trafficking Resource Center,
http://www.polarisproject.org/human-trafficking/recognizing-the-signs
7. Resources
7.1. Parish Bulletin Articles: Articles may be adapted for use in your parish bulletin.
7.1.1. Parish Bulletin Article 1
2 17 2013
4
7.2. Domestic Violence Handout Used for educating various ministries within a parish
community and reaching victims of domestic abuse.
7.3. Point of Contact Card For use in womens restrooms only.
7.4. Hotlines
7.4.1. National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-787-SAFE (7233) http://www.ndvh.org
7.4.2. Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
http://www.rainn.org/get-help/national-sexual-assault-hotline
7.4.3. National Trafficking Hotline, 1-888-373-7888 http://www.polarisproject.org/what-
we-do/national-human-trafficking-hotline/the-nhtrc/overview
7.4.4. National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline 1-866-331-9474 1-866-331-8453 TTY
You can also chat live on-line with a trained Peer Advocate from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. (CST)
daily. http://www.loveisrespect.org/
7.4.5. City of Chicago Domestic Violence Help Line, 1-877-863-6338
7.5. Services
7.5.1. Alexian Brothers Parish Services http://alexianbrothershealth.org/services/interfaith
7.5.2. Apna Ghar, Inc. http://apnaghar.org
7.5.3. Between Friends http://betweenfriendschicago.org
7.5.4. Catholic Charities Domestic Violence Services
http://www.catholiccharities.net/services/domestic_violence
7.5.5. Chicago Metropolitan Battered Womens Network
http://www.batteredwomensnetwork.org
7.5.6. Connections for Abused Women & their Children http://cawc.org
7.5.7. Crisis Center for South Suburbia https://crisisctr.org
7.5.8. Family Rescue http://familyrescueinc.org
7.5.9. Focus Ministries http://focusministries1.org
7.5.10. Holy Spirit Life Learning Center http://www.ssps-usa.org
7.5.11. Hope for Healing http://hopeforhealing.org
7.5.12. Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence http://www.ilcadv.org
7.5.13. Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault http://www.icasa.org
7.5.14. Life Span http://www.life-span.org
7.5.15. North Side Community Resources http://www.northsidecommunityresources.org
7.5.16. Mujeres Latinas en Accion http://mujereslatinasenaccion.org
7.5.17. Pillars http://pillarscommunity.org
7.5.18. Providence Family Services http://spsmw.org/guerin-outreach-ministries/providence-
family-services/
7.5.19. Sarahs Inn http://sarahsinn.org
7.5.20. St. Pius V Parish H.O.P.E http://stpiusvparish.org/en/hope
7.5.21. WINGS http://wingsprogram.com
7.5.22. Womens Law http://www.womenslaw.org
7.6. Information
7.6.1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) http://cdc.gov/violenceprevention
7.6.2. FaithTrust Institute http://www.faithtrustinstitute.org
7.6.3. Futures Without Violence http://www.futureswithoutviolence.org
2 17 2013
5
7.6.4. Liz Claiborne http://www.loveisnotabuse.com
7.6.5. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence http://www.ncadv.org
7.6.6. National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence http://www.ncdsv.org
7.6.7. United States Department of J ustice, Office on Violence Against Women
http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov
8. ClientForms
8.1. Database: Note that charitable funders require statistical data in order to grant financial
support. Record keeping is a must. The Illinois Criminal J ustice Information Authority
(ICJ IA) provides InfoNet, a web-based database, which is used by many domestic violence
programs in Illinois to collect and report data on their clients, services, and other activities.
The database may be used at no charge as long as the data entry rules are followed. Client
information is anonymous. For additional information, please contact J ennifer Hiselman at
ICJ IA, 312-793-8689.
8.2. Forms: A selection of professional data collection forms is provided. They may or may not
be useful for your parish community. The forms may be modified to fit your needs. Forms
were developed by ICJ IA.
8.2.1. Explanation of Your Right to Confidentiality
8.2.2. Rights of the Client
8.2.3. Adult Client Intake
8.2.4. Screening Request for Services
8.2.5. Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Disclosure Agreement
8.2.6. Client ID Assignment
8.2.7. Service Plan
8.2.8. Counseling Progress Notes
8.2.9. Closure Summary
8.2.10. Counseling Evaluation
8.2.11. Counseling Service Review Contact Sheet
8.2.12. Community Service Log

THE CHICAGO METROPOLITAN BATTERED WOMENS NETWORK
Interfaith Committee Against Domestic Violence
Elaine J. Alpert, MD, MPH
Reverend Al Miles
Vickii Coffey, MSA
A Project Supported by Little Angel Foundation
Responding to DomesticViolence:
An Interfaith Guide to Prevention and Intervention
Elaine J. Alpert, MD, MPH
Reverend Al Miles
Vickii Coffey, MSA
A Project Supported by Little Angel Foundation
Responding to DomesticViolence
An Interfaith Guide to Prevention and Intervention
Copyright 2005 Chicago Metropolitan Battered Womens Network
For additional copies or for permission to print copies of this publication, please contact:
203 N. Wabash, Suite 2323
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: (312) 750-0730
Fax: (312) 750-0733
TTY: (312) 750-0735
www.batteredwomensnetwork.org
Preface
The Chicago Metropolitan Battered Womens Network (CMBWN) is a coalition of more than 100 individuals and
agencies providing domestic violence services throughout Cook County. Speaking as the collective voice of the
Chicago-area domestic violence service community, the Network is dedicated to improving the lives of survivors
of domestic violence and their children. Founded in 1980, CMBWN provides a forum for information exchange and
collaboration; facilitates education and training to increase individual, family and community awareness; and advocates
for system change focused on preventing abuse in all forms.
Faith community leaders interact on a regular basis with congregants who have experienced or witnessed domestic
violence, or who have family members or other loved ones who have been affected. This guidebook is intended to
be the first step in a comprehensive domestic violence information and resource tool-kit for the faith community.
It provides up-to-date, practical information that can enable clergy, faith and spiritual leaders, and others whose
work represents the faith community to respond more effectively to the needs of victims and survivors, and to
serve as allies in prevention.
Specifically, this guidebook will:
provide clergy and other faith and spiritual leaders with basic information about domestic violence;
outline passages from selected religious texts that have been misused to justify violence;
highlight passages from selected religious texts that can be used to promote non-violence;
help clergy and other faith and spiritual leaders identify and assist survivors of abuse in their congregations
and communities;
provide guidance on how to engage individuals and congregations in efforts directed toward prevention; and
offer an up-to-date directory of local and national resources for help and referral.
Clergy and other faith and spiritual leaders are often the first and sometimes the only individuals in whom survivors
of domestic and other forms of violence may confide. These leaders can play a crucial role in breaking the cycle
of violence and in promoting safe and healthy congregations. In recent years, religious and spiritual institutions
across the nation have begun to reach out by creating dialogue within their congregations and by building alliances
with community-based domestic violence service agencies. We at CMBWN feel honored to have heard the call
from the faith community in Chicago. Our first step in answering this identified need is to offer this guidebook,
which we hope will serve as a practical and specific resource to help model and promote standards for safe, effective
and prevention-focused spiritual-based responses. This guidebook is an important first step in what we hope will
be a dynamic dialogue that will foster health and safety among all members of our collective communities of faith.
1
We are excited to be a part of the road we must travel together.
Acknowledgments
This guidebook would not have been possible without the sponsorship and support of the Little Angel Foundation.
We are grateful beyond words. We applaud and thank the numerous anonymous participants of our domestic
violence survivor and faith-based community focus groups who shared their experiences, expertise and moving
personal stories of survival and healing. The invaluable leadership of Vickii Coffey and the expertise of the Chicago
Metropolitan Battered Womens Network Interfaith Guidebook Advisory Committee is gratefully acknowledged.
Joyce Calvin served ably as Project Coordinator. Elaine J. Alpert, MD, MPH provided both content expertise and
writing/editorial leadership. We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Reverend Al Miles, who provided both
text and direction on theological perspectives. Sections of this guidebook are adapted, with permission, from the
Massachusetts Medical Society publication entitled, Partner Violence: How to Recognize and Treat Victims of Abuse
a Guide for Physicians and Other Health Care Professionals, 4th edition. Special thanks go to the Archdiocese
of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, MN for its kind permission to use its reference material: When You are Called For
Help A Guide for Clergy on Responding to Domestic Violence Situations. Najma M. Adam, PhD, LSW; attorney
Jan Russell; Amy Maizel Seeherman, PhD; Theresa Zingery and a host of Chicago domestic violence advocates are
among the many local, regional and national experts who reviewed the manuscript and offered invaluable critique and
insight, helping to shape the tone and content of the guidebook. Finally, we honor and acknowledge the input and
perspectives of the countless survivors who opened our eyes not only to the devastating effects of abuse, but also to
the incredible power of love, faith and human resilience as these courageous women, children, and in some cases,
men, reclaim their dignity and march forward toward futures free from abuse. What an amazing, incredible team!
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION 7
CHAPTER 1 9
What is Domestic Violence?
Defining Abuse
What Causes Domestic Violence?
Myths and Facts about Domestic Violence
How Prevalent is Domestic Violence?
The Dynamics of Domestic Violence
Who is at Greatest Risk?
Characteristics of Abusers
Tactics of Coercive Control
Obstacles to Leaving an Abusive Relationship
CHAPTER 2 18
Domestic Violence in Diverse Populations
Adults
Youth
Elders
CHAPTER 3 21
Theological Issues
A Message to Religious Leaders and Faith Communities
Domestic Violence and Religious Beliefs, Practices,
Teachings, and Traditions
CHAPTER 4 23
Action Steps for Clergy and Other Spiritual Leaders
(Part I): Individual Assessment and Assistance
Guiding Principles
Who Should Be Asked About Domestic Violence?
Beginning the Conversation
How to Ask About Domestic Violence
When a Congregant Discloses Abuse
Dos and Donts
Is the Situation Dangerous?
Managing Your Time
How to Help
Safety Planning
Past Abuse, Current Pain
Identifying and Connecting with Community Resources
CHAPTER 5 31
Action Steps for Clergy and Other Spiritual Leaders
(Part II): Congregation and Community-Wide Steps
to Address and Prevent Domestic Violence
CHAPTER 6 34
Talking with Children and Teenagers
CHAPTER 7 35
Perpetrators in Your Congregation
Identifying the Abuser
How to Act and What to Say
CHAPTER 8 37
Domestic Violence Laws and the Illinois
Domestic Violence Act
The Illinois Domestic Violence Act
Mandatory Reporting
CHAPTER 9 41
Preventing Domestic Violence: A Spiritual Calling
Creating a Climate for Prevention in Your Congregation
Clergy and Other Spiritual Leaders as Change
Agents in a Larger Community Response
CHAPTER 10 42
Help for Clergy, Other Spiritual Leaders
and Their Families
ENDNOTES 43
Local and Statewide Resources
National Resources
Statistics and Research
General Bibliography
Specific Citations Referenced in the Text
Introduction
This guidebook is written for members of the faith
community: clergy and others who work in religious and
spiritual care. It is designed to help clergy and other
spiritual leaders recognize and respond more effectively to
members of their congregations who are at risk for, or are
affected by, domestic violence. This guide contains helpful,
practical information and resources that can be used in
your day-to-day work with congregants. It is meant to be a
starting point for further inquiry and for lifelong learning
not an all-inclusive reference text. This guide does not
supply rote answers but rather offers guidelines, support
and consultation for some of the most complex and
challenging situations faced by the faith community today.
Historically, domestic violence has been treated as a
private family matter throughout all sectors of society,
including faith-based, religious and community settings.
Though considerable efforts have been made to change
this public perception, many women (and in some cases,
men) still face considerable challenges to achieving
safety and well-being for themselves and their children
in the face of domestic violence. True primary prevention
is even more elusive.
Domestic violence is exceedingly common, occurs in
many forms and has a universally adverse impact on
survivors, witnesses, members of the community at-large,
and even perpetrators. According to recent research,
nearly one in every three U.S. women reported being
physically abused by a spouse or boyfriend at some
point in her life.
2, 3
Between 3.3 million and 10 million children are exposed
to abuse in their homes every year.
4,5,6
Young people
of all ages, including babies, can be adversely affected
when their mothers are abused, even if they themselves
do not see the abuse occur and are not directly physically
harmed.
7,8
Even unborn children can be affected by
domestic violence when their mothers are denied
appropriate medical care or nutrition during pregnancy.
To many who work in the field, the terms victim and
survivor carry distinct connotations with the term
victim referring to someone actively being harmed,
helpless, or at the mercy of another; and the term
survivor implying a greater degree of distance,
resilience, and self-determination. While respecting the
work of both scholars and survivors, and acknowledging
ongoing discourse about the use of language and
terminology in the field, the terms victim and survivor
are used interchangeably throughout this guidebook.
Because the vast majority of victims of domestic violence
are women abused by men, the victim/survivor is referred
to as she and the perpetrator as he, throughout.
That said, domestic violence is not exclusively a womens
issue. Although abuse of a woman by a man is by far
the most common form of domestic violence, abuse
also occurs in same-sex relationships and in a small
proportion of cases in which the woman is the
perpetrator and the man is the victim.
Research and experience tell us that although most
abusers are men, most men are not abusers. The vast
majority of men care deeply about their intimate female
partners, and also their sisters, mothers, daughters, friends
and neighbors, and stand side by side with women in
our combined efforts to combat domestic violence. We
are grateful for the support of all who care sisters and
brothers who are linked arm in arm to promote peace in all
human relationships and in our relationships with God.
This guide contains up-to-date, practical information
based on respected research and gathered from the
experience of those who work with domestic abuse victims
and survivors: community service providers; physicians
and other healthcare providers; police and others who
work in law enforcement and in the courts; and clergy
and other spiritual leaders who have worked closely for
many years with women, men and children affected by
abuse in relationships. Most importantly, the voices of
survivors themselves have been listened to, respected,
and included in this guidebook. We honor survivors of
domestic violence for their will to survive, their courage
and determination, and their ability to carry on in the
face of what often are unbearable conditions.
7
Defining Abuse
Domestic violence (also known as spouse abuse, partner
violence, intimate partner violence, battering, and numerous
other terms) is a pattern of coercion used by one person
to exert power and control over another person in the
context of a dating, family or household relationship.
9
The spectrum of domestic violence includes much more
than physical assault. Domestic violence encompasses
a constellation of controlling behaviors that include:
actual or threatened physical harm;
psychological abuse;
forced sexual contact;
economic control;
social isolation;
destruction of a victims property, keepsakes
or personal possessions;
abuse of animals / pets;
misuse of divine beings or religious beliefs,
practices, teachings and traditions; and
asserting male superiority and attributing
abusive behavior to cultural traditions.
These behaviors can occur in any combination,
sporadically or chronically, over a period of up to
several decades.
Most victims of domestic violence are women in hetero-
sexual relationships. Men in heterosexual relationships
can also be victims of domestic violence, as well as both
women and men in same-sex relationships. Regardless
of culture, race, religion, or socio-economic class,
approximately 90% of reported domestic violence
cases involve men who abuse women.
The short answer to this often asked question is, no
one really knows. Research over time and around the
world has shown us that domestic violence has existed
for thousands of years, and has been documented in
nearly every national, religious and cultural group
worldwide. From a secular perspective, some
researchers view domestic violence in terms of
evolutionary biology, with aggressive and controlling
behavior explained as the evolutionary remnants of a
distorted yet effective means of survival in a world
replete with threats. Others see a biological tendency
for males of many species to act aggressively in a bid
to exert dominance over a group, or over selected
females, for competitive or reproductive advantage.
Some conclude, fatalistically, that domestic violence
has been wired into the human behavioral repertoire;
therefore, nothing of substance can be done to
address it or prevent it.
Regardless of how factual or politically correct the
theories and explanations are, they no longer apply in
twenty-first century U.S. civil society. As an intelligent
and technically advancing species, we have the capacity
to override base survival and dominance impulses and
to communicate laws, regulations and non-violent
methods of addressing conflict worldwide, often within
seconds. Although laws are finally changing both in
the U.S. and worldwide, some cultural traditions and
customs have been evolving more slowly. We have
come a long way in just a few decades, but we still
have a long road ahead before we can achieve true
respect and non-violence in relationships.
CHAPTER 1
9
Domestic violence is learned, purposeful behavior and
is a manifestation of the abusers need to achieve and
maintain power and control over the victim. Abusive
behavior is learned and reinforced:
through observation;
through experience;
in culture and in society;
in the family;
in communities including schools and
peer groups;
in faith, religious, and spiritual institutions; and
through our failure to hold batterers accountable
for their actions.
Domestic violence is not caused by:
illness;
genetics or biology;
alcohol and drugs;
out-of-control behavior;
anger;
stress;
the victims behavior or actions
problems in the relationship;
children;
pets; or
Satan, other demons or evil influences.
Simply put, There is no excuse for domestic violence.
i
Myths and Facts about
Domestic Violence
Myth: Domestic violence is a private family matter.
Fact: Domestic violence is everyones business.
Keeping domestic violence secret helps no one, has
been shown to harm children, incurs substantial
costs to society, and serves to perpetuate
abuse through learned patterns of behavior.
Myth: Most of the time, domestic violence is not
really that serious.
Fact: Domestic violence is an illegal act in the U.S. and
is considered a crime with serious repercussions.
Although there are aspects of domestic violence
(e.g., emotional, psychological, spiritual abuse)
that may not be considered criminal in a legal
sense, serious and long-lasting physical, emotional
and spiritual harms can, and often do, occur.
Each and every act of domestic violence needs
to be taken seriously.
Myth: Victims provoke their partners violence.
Fact: Whatever problems exist in a relationship, the
use of violence is never justifiable or acceptable.
There is NO EXCUSE for domestic violence.
Myth: Domestic violence is an impulse control or
anger management problem.
Fact: Abusers act deliberately and with forethought.
Abusers choose whom to abuse. For example,
an abuser will selectively batter his wife but not
his boss.
Myth: No one would beat his pregnant wife or girlfriend.
Fact: Domestic violence may begin or escalate
during pregnancy.
Homicide is the single most frequent cause of
maternal death during pregnancy and in the
first year after giving birth.
10
i
Phrase coined by The Family Violence Prevention Fund.
Myth: Women are just as violent as men in relationships.
Fact: Some women report striking their male partners
during the course of conflict, often in self-defense.
Women, however, rarely commit deliberate acts
that result in fear, injury, rape or death.
Myth: Domestic violence is bad, but it happens
elsewhere. It doesnt happen in my community,
my neighborhood, my culture, my religion or
my congregation.
Fact: Domestic violence happens to people of every
educational and socio-economic level.
Domestic violence happens in all races, religions
and age groups.
Domestic violence occurs in both heterosexual
and same-sex relationships.
Myth: It is easy for a victim to leave her abuser, so if
she doesnt leave, it means she likes the abuse
or is exaggerating how bad it is.
Fact: Fear, lack of safe options, and inability to survive
economically prevent many women from leaving
abusive relationships. Threats of harm, including
death to the victim and/or children keep many
battered women trapped in abusive situations.
The most dangerous time for a battered woman
is when she attempts to leave the relationship,
or when the abuser discovers that she has
made plans to leave.
Myth: Children generally are neither aware of, nor
affected by, their mothers abuse.
Fact: Nearly 90% of children who live in homes in
which there is domestic violence will see or
hear the abuse.
Children as young as toddlers can suffer from
the effects of exposure to abuse.
Children exposed to violence and other forms
of trauma may have permanent alterations in
brain structure, chemistry and function.
Myth: Domestic violence can occur in older women,
but it is quite rare.
Fact: Approximately half of all elder abuse in women
is thought to be domestic violence grown old.
Older battered women are less likely to seek
and receive help.
Myth: Anger management programs are briefer, more
cost effective than, and just as successful as
certified batterer intervention programs.
Fact: Although briefer and less expensive than certified
batterer intervention programs, anger management
programs are not effective to address the deep-
rooted issues of batterers.
Myth: Since domestic violence is a problem in the
relationship, marriage or couple-focused
pastoral counseling is key to restoring tranquility
in the family or relationship.
Fact: This type of counseling often increases the risk
of violence to the victim.
Faith and religious community representatives
can promote safety and restore personal
integrity and self-esteem to the victim, and can
suggest batterer intervention services for the
abuser, but should not engage in couples
counseling unless the long-term safety of the
survivor, and of staff, can be assured.
Myth: Services for victims are staffed by people angry
at traditional society who want to break up the
family unit.
Fact: Programs that help battered women and their
children, and counselors who provide assistance,
are concerned first and foremost with the safety
of the survivor and her dependent children.
The goal of counseling and other survivor
services is not to break up the family unit but
to preserve the safety of all its members.
Achieving this goal, unfortunately, may mean
that some relationships may need to end.
11
Myth: Since our religion doesnt condone divorce, an
abusive man should speak with the religious
leader to mend his ways.
Fact: Although some religions do frown on divorce,
no religion advocates abuse. Some abusers
misinterpret or intentionally misuse religious
writings to justify violence against their partners
and children or to prevent a marriage even one
wracked by violence and abuse from dissolving.
Helpful conversations with a batterer, even if
conducted carefully by a religious leader, may
bring short term relief, but cannot take the
place of qualified batterer intervention services,
and may even pose a safety risk for the victim
and her children.
How Prevalent is Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence is common in American society
so common, that the statistics are, frankly, quite alarming.
10
In the United States, between one quarter and one-third
of all women report being physically or sexually abused
by a husband or boyfriend at some time in their lives.
2,3,11
Every year, between 1 and 3 million women are abused
12
and over 1,700 individuals are murdered by an intimate
partner.
13
Children are our most precious resource, yet
up to 10 million children are exposed to domestic
violence in their own homes every year.
4,5,6
Further,
approximately 50% of men who frequently assault their
wives also report frequently assaulting their children.
14
It is hard to imagine a child of any age who does not
suffer as a result of witnessing his or her mothers or
other primary caregivers abuse.
The Dynamics of Domestic Violence
Listed below are features that highlight the dynamics
seen in many abusive relationships:
15
The overall aim of the abuse is to assert power
and maintain control.
Abusive relationships generally are not violent
when they begin, but become increasingly so
over time, as the perpetrator exerts more and
more control over the victim.
Abuse can be physical, sexual, psychological,
verbal, economic and/or spiritual.
Abuse is generally one-way, although victims
may strike back in self-defense.
Survivors of violence in relationships often dont
look battered. There may be no physical
evidence of abuse at the time of your encounter
with the congregant.
Physical violence is often cyclical and recurrent.
Apologies and promises of hope and change
often follow a violent episode. There is then a
variable period of increasing tension, culminating
in a subsequent episode of violence.
Especially following an episode of violence, the
survivor may feel hopeful that caring behavior,
apologies, and promises herald an end to the
abuse, and that the situation will improve.
The survivor may be reluctant to disclose
information about current or past abuse even when
specifically asked because of embarrassment,
shame, or fear of retaliation by the perpetrator.
She may also believe that clergy and other spiritual
leaders do not know about or understand this
problem, may not take the situation seriously,
may not believe her, or may even blame her.
12
Who is at Greatest Risk?
Any person, anywhere, can be a victim of abuse.
Domestic violence affects both women and men, and
cuts across all age, racial, ethnic, religious, educational,
and socioeconomic strata. Available research, however,
indicates that domestic violence does appear to be
more prevalent in certain groups:
16,17
women, including those who are single,
separated, married or divorced;
teens and young adults;
women who lack access to their own financial
resources;
women who abuse alcohol or other drugs, or
whose partners do;
women who are pregnant and have been
previously abused; and
individuals whose partners are excessively
jealous or possessive.
There is no universal profile of an abuser. Perpetrators
of domestic violence can be young or old, male or female,
professional or unskilled, educated or illiterate, rich or
poor, religious or secular, or of any race or ethnicity.
Abusers run the gamut of psychological diagnoses,
ranging from perfectly normal to psychotic. However,
abusers tend to:
objectify their partners (i.e., treat them as a
category or object, not as a full human being);
feel entitled to get their needs met without
regard to the needs or feelings of their partners;
use power (be it physical, emotional, political,
economic or spiritual) to make sure their agenda
is accomplished;
feel that coercion is an effective and acceptable
way to get their needs met;
have the opportunity to be abusive without being
held fully accountable; and
behave abusively with a particular victim.
Consciously or unconsciously, most batterers assume
a sense of privilege, which is used to gain and maintain
power, or the upper hand in the relationship. They
tend to believe their behavior is completely justified
and necessary to fulfill their role in the relationship as
the one who is in charge, in control, is the provider and
is king of the castle. They feel they have attained or
have been endowed with privilege to behave the way
they do, and do not believe what they are doing is
wrong in any way. They believe the role of their partner
is to do what she is told, and to further and support
the batterers agenda and needs. Examples of privilege
used as justification by batterers include: being male;
being physically stronger; being heterosexual, or
alternatively being a more experienced gay or lesbian;
being white; being a U.S. citizen or being documented
(if an immigrant); being the wage earner, or earning
more money if both are employed; being more highly
educated; being able-bodied; and being more religious
or observant, among others.
In addition, the following characteristics are often seen
in abusers:
18
Often, abusers will not clearly acknowledge that
their behavior is abusive or even hurtful, even if
they have been arrested and convicted of a violent
crime. For example, an abuser may tend to
focus on what she said that made him act in
a way that he considers to be justified and not at
all wrong. It often takes years for abusers to move
through a process of healing within themselves.
Following a discrete abusive incident, some
perpetrators may be truly sorry for their actions.
Some batterers are horrified that they have hit
their wives or girlfriends, are overcome with
remorse, and genuinely want to change. They may
apologize profusely and shower their partners
with gifts and extra attention. Unfortunately,
13
without professional help from a certified batterer
intervention program, the cycle of violence usually
begins anew, often with more dangerous
consequences in future assaults.
Abuse is likely to continue and to progressively
escalate if abusers do not address their violent
behavior. Voluntary or court-appointed professional
help is almost always necessary for a perpetrator
to change his behavior. Certified batterer
intervention programs take between one and
two years to complete.
Some abusers blame their violent acts on external
factors such as their partners behavior or
provocation, being drunk, coping with a medical
or psychological illness, or simply having a bad
day. Experts in batterer intervention are quick
to remind clients that they themselves must take
responsibility for their own behavior. There is no
excuse for domestic violence.
Finally, some abusers use the oppression of their
race or culture as an excuse for abusive behavior.
Cultural and racial issues may cloud or confuse
abusive actions; however, the use of violence against
another person, pet, or property is never acceptable.
Tactics of Coercive Control
Domestic violence is purposeful, deliberate behavior,
and abuse rarely is an isolated event. Violent behavior
generally begins insidiously, usually recurs, and tends
to increase in frequency and severity over time.
Although survivors may suffer serious physical injuries,
they often experience less visible emotional effects
that can be just as, or even more, debilitating.
The relationship usually begins with romance and promise,
only to gradually disintegrate into abuse. Typically,
progressive, incremental messages about who makes the
rules and who follows them begin almost imperceptibly.
Abusive episodes at first seem like confusing misunder-
standings, leaving the survivor wondering what she did
to create a problem. The victim may take responsibility
not because she actually did anything wrong, but
rather because of the abusers skill in placing the blame
on her for his own actions. These episodes build
incrementally on one another, setting the stage for future,
more severe abuse. The abusive tactics of the batterer
have a profound impact on the survivor. In some cases the
effects are physical; in many cases there is progressive
social isolation. In most cases there are psychological
effects that seem to defy definition and description, and
from which full recovery is exceedingly difficult, even
when physical safety is finally achieved.
Physical abuse: Physical abuse occurs in a minority of
cases, but when it does, it is always a red flag for serious
danger. The spectrum of physical assault includes
spitting, scratching, biting, grabbing, hair pulling, shaking,
shoving, pushing, restraining, throwing, twisting, slapping,
punching, choking, strangling, burning, and the use of
weapons. Not all assaults end in visible injury. Regardless
of the severity of physical trauma, all physical abuse
tactics result in fear and intimidation, and often are
accompanied by lasting psychological trauma for the
abused individual and her children.
Sexual abuse: Sexual assault, even within the context
of marriage, is often part of an abusive relationship,
although underreporting makes accurate prevalence
figures difficult to determine. Sexual assault includes
rape and other forms of coerced sexual activity, such as
forcing the victim to participate in or watch pornography
and reducing her dignity so that she feels like nothing
more than a sexual object.
Victims of rape and sexual assault suffer both short-
and long-term harm. Short-term effects include
physical injuries from being raped, such as vaginal or
anal bleeding, bruises or scratches. Survivors also
may experience a profound sense of isolation and
unreality following a sexual assault. Long-term effects
include a host of medical and psychological maladies,
including severe withdrawal, anxiety, depression and
suicide attempts.
14
Many survivors choose not to disclose sexual assault
because of embarrassment, self-blame or blame from
others, and fear. Some, however, will welcome the
opportunity to disclose to clergy and other spiritual
leaders if they feel respected and validated in the pastoral
setting. In some cases, women will disclose first (and
sometimes exclusively) to female clergy or to women who
are lay leaders in the religious institution. It is essential
for clergy and other religious community leaders to be
sensitive when interacting with congregants who have
been sexually assaulted. Following disclosure, in addition
to providing supportive pastoral care, clergy and other
spiritual leaders should seek guidance from community-
based sexual assault or rape crisis services, and encourage
survivors to make contact with these invaluable agencies
themselves, even if the assault took place months or years
ago. Within the limits of applicable laws, clergy and other
spiritual leaders should work to ensure that confidentiality
and privacy are maintained and that the dignity of survivors
is respected at all times. Approaches such as these have
been essential to recovery for many survivors.
Emotional/psychological abuse: As compared to
physical or sexual assault, emotional abuse is much
more difficult both to recognize, and to recover from.
Emotional abuse tactics are often used to break down
the victims sense of individuality and self-determination,
and to increase compliance with the batterers demands.
Emotional abuse may involve controlling and delimiting
the victims behavior in a capricious and isolating manner
(for example, dictating what she wears, where she can
and cannot go, with whom she can and cannot speak,
how much money she can spend and on what it can
be spent, and how she is expected to behave inside
and outside the home). The victims ability to be in
contact with the outside world also is often controlled
by the batterer. Victims of emotional abuse may not be
allowed to see or speak with family, friends, healthcare
providers or clergy and other spiritual leaders, and may
face derision, accusations of infidelity or even physical
or sexual violence if they break the rules. Additionally,
emotional abuse can involve implicit and/or explicit
threats to safety and security, such as attacks against
property, pets and keepsakes. Victims may be made
to feel ashamed about their value as parents, spouses,
lovers and community members. The victim may be
told that she is an unfit parent and that the children
can be taken away if the batterers commands are
not followed.
Abuse of scripture and religious writings: Victims may
be required to participate in rituals that are inappropriate,
or even abhorrent, to their values, or they may be
prohibited from participating in practices that are held
dear. They may be made to feel ashamed for the
beliefs and values that they have; or castigated for
being too observant, not observant enough, or for
believing (or not believing) a certain way. Abusers may
intimidate victims by selectively quoting or mischaracterizing
Scripture to assert male entitlement and privilege, to
provide justification for their actions, or as a rationale for
punishment. They may also convince victims that they
will be eternally damned because of their inadequacy as
spouses, partners, or as a person of faith. Clergy and
other faith and spiritual leaders can be vital partners in
breaking the cycle of violence and facilitating safety,
health and recovery for survivors of abuse by preaching
and reinforcing the value of females granted by divine
beings and sacred texts.
Economic abuse: Many victims of domestic violence,
regardless of their own employment or individual income,
lack access to readily available funds necessary to live
safely and independently. The batterer is often the sole
account holder for bank accounts, the deed on a house, or
the lease for an apartment, and may require the victim to
get permission to spend money, even for basic family needs
such as groceries and medications. Victims are often
excluded from taking part in decisions about how financial
resources are allocated and used. The victim may or may
not have a job, but even if she does, paychecks often go
into an account over which the batterer has sole control.
When a batterer controls access to family financial resources,
it is exceedingly difficult for a survivor to come up with
the resources needed to flee from abuse and to establish
safe and permanent housing, employment, childcare and
transportation. Such a situation can keep victims of
domestic violence trapped in abuse for decades.
15
Obstacles to Leaving
an Abusive Relationship
Many find it difficult to understand why anyone would
stay in an abusive or a violent relationship. Some
even believe that a woman who remains in an abusive
relationship likes being abused or is exaggerating or
lying about the abuse. Our experience with survivors
tells us that none of this is true.
There are many reasons why it is difficult for victims to
leave their abusers:
19
Fear: The victim may believe, realistically, that it is
more dangerous to leave than to stay in a violent
relationship. The batterer may threaten to hurt or even
kill the victim, or to take away or hurt the children if she
attempts to leave. Indeed, research tells us that more
battered women are murdered after obtaining orders of
protection or while in the process of leaving their abusers
than at any other time. Additionally, an immigrant victim
may fear deportation or fear losing custody of dependent
children, especially if she is not a legal U.S. resident.
Economics and logistics: Batterers often control the
financial resources of the household as well as access
to telephones, car keys, and even medication and food,
making it difficult for victims to leave because they cannot
(or believe they are unable to) independently support
themselves and their children. Victims may not know
how and where to seek safety and shelter, and may be
afraid to ask. Additionally, the victim may be relatively
unskilled in finding and retaining employment, managing
money and paying bills. She may not know how to make
ends meet without financial help from the batterer.
Social isolation: The batterer often constrains the
ability of the victim to communicate with friends and
family. Isolation leaves the victim less able to reach
out to others for support. Increasingly, she becomes
psychologically dependent on the batterer as the sole
source of social support. If the victim does not speak
English well, she may not be able to identify or access
agencies that can help. Clergy and spiritual leaders
can help create an atmosphere of support by making it
widely known that they are available to offer guidance
to congregants who may be affected by violence and
abuse, and to maintain both respect and confidentiality
in all dealings with congregants to the extent permitted
by local and state law.
Feelings of stigma, shame and failure: Many victims
have been made to feel, by the batterer as well as by
others, that they are failures and are responsible for
having brought on the abuse. Some may feel tremendous
shame and embarrassment about the partners abusive
behavior, and may view themselves as needing to figure
out how to help the batterer learn to be less abusive, or
to adapt or change in order to halt the abuse. Survivors
may believe that their children deserve a two-parent
family, even at the expense of their own safety. In
some cultures and religious traditions, the victim is
stigmatized and shamed for leaving a spouse - even
an abusive one - or for seeking a divorce. In such
instances, the victim may feel the additional pressure
of staying because her honor is at stake and she risks
humiliation of the entire family if she leaves.
Hope and promises of change: A survivor may
believe her batterers expressions of remorse about
having become violent and his subsequent promises
that it will never happen again. Some survivors also
feel it is somehow their responsibility to change or
redeem their batterers. The survivor holds out hope
that the abuser will change. The abuser, in turn, may
seek forgiveness from the victim and may persuade
her to believe that it is a godly duty to give him another
chance a chance for redemption. Many survivors
find that hope and promises of change are powerful
obstacles to leaving an abusive situation. It is clear,
however, that while some survivors may want the
relationship to continue, most are clear about wanting
the violence to stop.
16
Cultural messages and prior lack of intervention:
All too often, survivors of abuse are either blamed for
the violence or not taken seriously by family, healthcare
professionals, social service providers, law enforcement
authorities, and clergy and other spiritual leaders, leaving
them to feel even more helpless and vulnerable. The
survivor may receive advice from clergy and other
religious leaders, relatives, or friends encouraging her
to stay with the abuser in order to keep the family
together or to comply with religious directives. A
frequently cited edict in many religious traditions is:
Families must stay together at all costs. The truth is,
however, that some costs are too high for the physical
and emotional safety of survivors and their children.
17
Domestic violence, in and of itself, is a traumatic and
despairing life situation, saddling survivors and their
children and families with fear, confusion and a profound
sense of hopelessness about what life can offer. As
difficult as it can be for ordinary victims, there are
categories of survivors who face even greater obstacles.
This section outlines particular issues for adults, youth,
elders and other populations.
Adults
Pregnant women: Violence during pregnancy is a
serious problem, with major health and social welfare
implications for both mother and child. Homicide has
been found to be the most common cause of maternal
death, and a substantial proportion of homicide victims
are murdered by current or former male intimate partners.
Pregnant women should be routinely asked about new
or ongoing domestic violence and referred to agencies
that can help them through the pregnancy, delivery and
post-partum process with maximal attention to safety
and the health of the developing baby.
Immigrants: Domestic violence is prevalent in every
culture and in every segment of society. Immigrants
and members of minority cultures face extra hurdles
as they attempt to access available services to achieve
safety for themselves, their children and other dependents.
Members of different, usually minority, cultures may
hold belief systems and traditions that make it harder
for them to perceive their own danger, understand their
right to live in safety, know their legal rights and options,
or even speak to anyone about their situation. Survivors
whose native language is not English may find it especially
difficult to communicate with healthcare providers,
advocacy services and law enforcement. They may
also harbor legitimate fear of becoming homeless, of
losing their children, or of deportation, should their
abuse become known. In some cases, the abuser has
legal, documented status while the victim does not,
which translates directly into the abuser having near-
absolute power over the victim. The abuser may hide
his partners immigration paperwork and not allow her to
apply for her citizenship so that he can use deportation as
a tool of ongoing control. In some instances, a victims
familys sponsorship to this country or the marriage
prospects of her siblings depends on her remaining
in the marriage, even if it is an abusive one.
Recent immigrants and other members of minority
cultures may not be aware of how their clergy or other
spiritual leaders can help direct them toward safety,
and may thus suffer in silence. Clergy and other spiritual
leaders who are sensitive to the barriers and problems
that immigrants and members of diverse cultures face
can be in a better position to establish relationships of
confidentiality and trust with their congregants - crucial
steps toward recovery for those who are in danger.
Substance abusers: Recent research has taught us
that survivors of domestic violence can also suffer from
all forms of substance abuse, including alcoholism.
Indeed, alcohol and other substance abuse problems
are often responses to, rather than causes of, abuse.
Although most domestic violence survivors are neither
dependent on alcohol nor involved with other drugs,
those who are addicted can be doubly stigmatized.
They are often labeled as sexually promiscuous, unfit
mothers, unworthy partners, or just plain "crazy." They
are more likely to be blamed for causing or contributing
to the violence in their lives, making it more difficult to
find help for both problems. The success of safety
planning in domestic violence can be compromised by
ongoing drug use, and the success of addiction recovery
can be impeded by ongoing violence. Therefore, clergy
18
CHAPTER 2
Domestic Violence in Diverse Populations
and other spiritual leaders should assess for domestic
violence where there is evidence of substance abuse,
and ask about substance abuse where there is evidence
of domestic violence. Referrals to both domestic
violence and addiction treatment agencies can be made
simultaneously, and with respect, understanding and
compassion for all involved.
Same-sex relationships: Domestic violence in
same-sex relationships appears to be as common as
in traditional heterosexual relationships.
20
Many lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals do
not feel comfortable disclosing their sexual orientation
to clergy and other spiritual leaders, and are likely to
be even more reluctant to disclose battering. Lesbian,
gay, and bisexual victims of domestic violence encounter
the same spectrum of abusive behaviors as their
heterosexual counterparts. Additional obstacles specific
to LGBT survivors further reduce their opportunities to
discuss abuse. These obstacles include: homophobia and
resulting discrimination in society; social consequences
of revealing ones sexual orientation, such as loss of
children and other family relationships, loss of job, and
loss of congregation and community standing; fear of
police inaction; and further discrimination. There is
also a dearth of shelter space and support services for
battered gay men and transgender individuals. Lesbian
and bisexual women have the option of going to more
traditional domestic violence programs that accept
women, but many of these programs may not be
trained and/or sensitive to working with members of
the LGBT community. Transgender individuals face
huge barriers in getting help because service providers,
as well as the public in general, often understand even
less about gender identity and expression than they do
about sexual orientation.
21,22,23
Clergy and other faith
and spiritual leaders should therefore develop special
sensitivity to the difficult issues that battered LGBT
individuals face.
Youth
Children exposed to violence in the home:
Observing or hearing violence can be as damaging to
children as being abused themselves.
24
Even very
young children can be affected. Witnessing violence
affects childrens abilities to focus and learn in school, to
form healthy peer relationships, and to develop normally.
Child witnesses grow up with a distorted view of the
world, one that is not hopeful, welcoming, or safe.
They have a constricted view of their lives, in which
they cannot picture themselves as adults, or see a
happy or hopeful future for themselves. Children who
witness domestic violence are themselves also at
greater risk of being physically harmed, especially if
they attempt to defend or protect the victim, usually
their mother, during an assault. Children, like adults,
may find it difficult to talk to anyone about the violence
in their lives, and thus become silent victims.
25
Clergy and other spiritual leaders and institutions of
faith can be attuned to signals in at-risk children, and
can help the affected caregiver, usually the mother,
achieve personal and spiritual safety and stability.
Appropriate role modeling and intervention by clergy
and other spiritual leaders can help children learn that
violence perpetrated by anyone, especially by a family
member or loved one, is wrong, unacceptable and not
normal. Efforts such as these can serve as a crucial
link to help children realize their full potential and
develop into safe and healthy adults.
Teenagers: Teens may endure verbal and emotional
abuse, physical abuse, rape, and even homicide.
Some teens are battered by people with whom they are
in a dating relationship, while others may be adolescent
victims of parental abuse. Teens in dating relationships
often confuse jealousy with love, and lack experience and
perspective regarding what a healthy dating relationship
can be. Striving for independence, battered teens may
be especially reluctant to seek help from authority figures,
including clergy and other spiritual leaders. Clergy
and other spiritual leaders should reassure teenage
congregants about the confidential and supportive
19
nature of the clergy-congregant relationship. Clergy
and other spiritual leaders should inquire discreetly and
sensitively about abuse, remembering that the abuser
may be a parent, other family member, boyfriend, or
girlfriend. An abused teen particularly needs to be told
that the battering is not her or his fault and that help
is available. Mandated reporting requirements for
individuals under age 18 need to be followed.
Elders
Elder abuse encompasses physical, sexual, psychological,
and economic mistreatment or neglect, and can be
intentional or unintentional. Experts now believe that
at least half of elder abuse in women is domestic
violence in later life, or domestic violence grown old.
Even when not being abused currently, elder congregants
can suffer greatly from the after-effects of past abuse.
For independently living elders, fear of being placed in
a care home and losing autonomy may limit disclosure
of current abuse. Clergy and other spiritual leaders
who minister to elders often have developed long-
term, established and trusting relationships with their
congregants. Ministerial visits to the home can be
both revealing and therapeutic to a lonely, fearful elder.
Clergy and spiritual leaders should remain mindful of
their mandated reporter responsibilities as they
minister to elderly at-risk individuals.
20
A Message to Religious Leaders
and Faith Communities
It is the responsibility of clergy and other religious
community leaders to work together to bring Gods
peace to all who suffer. Since survivors of domestic
violence often seek assistance and counsel from clergy
and other spiritual leaders before turning elsewhere for
help, religious leaders can play a critical role in helping
survivors attain safety while maintaining, and often
strengthening, their faith.
By sharing the unequivocal message that God never
intends for any human being to be abused or oppressed
by another, and by linking victims with community
resources, clergy can support and strengthen the victims
faith in a loving and just God. This conviction can serve
as an important resource for victims as they undertake the
journey from an abusive relationship to a life of peace.
i i
It is vitally important for religious leaders to be proactive
in identifying and responding to domestic violence in
their congregations. Addressing domestic violence -
from the pulpit and in classrooms - as a pervasive and
painful problem, and by hosting programs, support
groups and advocacy efforts, can break the barrier of
silence and help survivors emerge from isolation and
despair. Conversely, when domestic violence is not
addressed by religious leaders, or is dealt with in a
well-intended yet uninformed manner, more pain and
suffering can be wrought upon survivors and their families.
Domestic Violence and Religious Beliefs,
Practices, Teachings, and Traditions
The overarching message proclaimed in the Christian
Scripture, Hebrew Torah, Islamic Quran, and Bah'
teachings in regards to females and males centers on
love and respect for all humankind. Allah/God grants
to men and women equal value.
Then God said, Let us make humankind in our image,
according to our likeness; and let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air,
and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the
earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon
the earth. So God created humankind in his image, in
the image of God he created them; male and female he
created them. (Genesis 1:26-28)
For in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through
faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer
Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is
no longer male or female; for all of you are one in
Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26-28)
O mankind! Be conscious of your Sustainer, who has
created you out of one living entity, and out of it created
its mate, and out of the two spread abroad a multitude
of men and women. And remain conscious of God, in
whose name you demand your rights from one another,
and of these ties of kinship. Verily, God is ever watchful
over you! (Srah al Nisa 4.1)
In proclaiming the oneness of mankind He [Bah'u'llh]
taught that men and women are equal in the sight of
God and that there is no distinction to be made
21
CHAPTER 3
Theological Issues
i i
From, A Message from the Boston Coalition Religious Community Task Force, in Responding to Domestic Violence: a Guide for Clergy
and Laity, Office of Attorney General Scott Harsbarger in cooperation with the Boston Coalition Religious Community Task Force. 1997.
between them. The only difference between them now
is due to lack of education and training. If woman is
given equal opportunity of education, distinction and
estimate of inferiority will disappear. The world of
humanity has two wings, as it were: One is the female;
the other is the male. If one wing be defective, the
strong perfect wing will not be capable of flight. The
world of humanity has two hands. If one be imperfect,
the capable hand is restricted and unable to perform
its duties. God is the Creator of mankind. He has
endowed both sexes with perfections and intelligence,
given them physical members and organs of sense,
without differentiation or distinction as to superiority;
therefore, why should woman be considered inferior?
This is not according to the plan and justice of God.
He has created them equal; in His estimate there is no
question of sex. The one whose heart is purest, whose
deeds are most perfect, is acceptable to God, male or
female." (Abdu'l-Bah, Promulgation of Universal
Peace, p. 174)
Despite the egalitarian nature of Allah/God as revealed in
sacred texts throughout history, religious beliefs, practices,
teachings, and traditions have been used to justify
violence against women and children. The use of sacred
texts and divine beings to encourage, excuse, or to
justify violence against women and children is a per-
version of divine teachings, contrary to the explicit
texts of the holy books of all religions, and a violation
of the trust reposed in those who are spiritual shepherds.
Suggestions that males have greater authority or more
value than females constitute a misinterpretation of
sacred texts and an affront to the overall teaching of
the divine.
22
This chapter addresses what to look for, what to say
and what to do when faced with individual congregants
who may be at risk for domestic violence, or who are
dealing with its effects. The next chapter deals with
congregation- and community-wide action steps that
can be taken by clergy and other spiritual leaders to
address, and ultimately prevent, domestic violence.
Guiding Principles
Regardless of whether you are assisting a single,
at-risk individual, or creating sermons, programs or
other larger-scale efforts designed to reach an entire
congregation or community, clergy and other spiritual
leaders should bear in mind four guiding principles
when addressing domestic violence with individual
congregants: 1) safety, 2) autonomy, 3) offender
accountability, and 4) advocacy for social change.
26
These guiding principles, originally developed by the
Family Violence Prevention Fund to guide healthcare
responses to domestic violence, are equally applicable to
faith community efforts as well as to others committed
to ending and preventing domestic violence.
Safety: Assessment, assistance and follow-up must be
conducted with utmost concern for the immediate and
long-term safety of the survivor and her dependent
children. Clergy and other spiritual leaders should ask,
Is what I am asking/saying/recommending/doing/
going to help my congregant become safer, or at least
not place her at risk for further harm?
Autonomy: Abused individuals have had their freedom
to make informed, independent choices about their
(and their childrens) lives restricted by the batterers
controlling and intimidating behavior. Facilitating your
congregants ability to make her own choices is key
to restoring a sense of purpose and well-being for
survivors of domestic violence, and can facilitate an
individuals readiness to take steps toward safety.
Offender accountability: It is important to reframe
the violence as occurring because of the perpetrators
behavior and actions, not the victims. It thus follows
that the problem of violence in the relationship, and
thus, the need to take definitive steps to end the
violence, is the perpetrators responsibility. This guiding
principle assumes the importance of victim safety, but
rejects victim-blaming and other excuses offered by
the offender as explanations for abusive behavior.
Advocacy for social change: Clergy and other
spiritual leaders acting alone simply cannot meet all
the needs of survivors of domestic violence. As the
faith community and other sectors of society grapple
with the complex issues involved in understanding
and responding to domestic violence, the need to
collaborate with others, including those who work in
advocacy, healthcare, law enforcement, education,
and society-at-large, becomes clear. Clergy and other
spiritual leaders can be important catalysts for social
change so that domestic violence can be more
effectively identified, and ultimately prevented.
22
CHAPTER 4
Action Steps for Clergy and
Other Spiritual Leaders (Part I):
Individual Assessment and Assistance
Who Should Be Asked
About Domestic Violence?
The simple answer is, nearly everyone. Although red
flags, for example, bruises; clothing that covers areas
out of keeping with custom or climate; substance abuse;
HIV/AIDS; depression; marital or relationship issues; or
a partner who is overbearing or constantly present, can
be indicators of current or past abuse, research tells us
that domestic violence can and does happen to
all kinds of people. Thus, everyone (old, young, married,
unmarried, female, male, rich, poor, red flags or not)
should be asked. Keeping in mind the first guiding
principle of safety, however, is critical. No one should
be asked about domestic violence unless the setting is
private and the climate is respectful and confidential. In
addition, before engaging in conversations about domestic
violence, clergy and other spiritual leaders must first be well
connected to service providers within their communities.
Beginning the Conversation
Most clergy and other spiritual leaders are deeply spiritual
on a personal level, and in addition are intensely dedicated
to their congregations as well as to each congregations
individual members. Beginning a conversation about
domestic violence can be challenging, especially if the
clergy member or spiritual leader has limited experience
with the topic. Spiritual leaders, in general, prefer to
be facilitative rather than directive, allowing disclosure
to occur rather than proactively seeking it out. These
laudable qualities, shared across religious traditions,
should be acknowledged and celebrated. That said,
congregants in general want to be asked about domestic
violence and in some cases are literally praying that
the subject will come up in a private conversation with
their religious leader. It is generally believed that sur-
vivors of domestic violence are more likely to disclose
a history of abuse to their pastor, rabbi, imam or other
religious leader, and to benefit from the support and
assistance of clergy and other spiritual leaders, if the
spiritual leader is perceived to be knowledgeable,
nonjudgmental, respectful and supportive. In this
regard, it is important that spiritual leaders critically
examine their own views and biases about women,
men, relationships, and womens roles within family
and society, in order to provide the best assistance
possible to women in crisis.
The gender of the clergy member or spiritual leader can
potentially influence the willingness of some survivors
to disclose or discuss abuse. Some women have been
socialized to believe that validation received from a man
is more meaningful than that received from a woman,
and thus may feel more affirmed after disclosing to a
male clergy member or other male spiritual leader.
Other women may have been so traumatized by men
during childhood or adulthood that they cannot trust
any men, and feel more comfortable disclosing to a
woman. Still other women may feel they are prohibited,
by religious or cultural tradition, from speaking with a
man about private or intimate issues, particularly if
sexual violation has occurred. Regardless of gender,
clergy and other spiritual leaders should be aware of
the myriad complexities surrounding disclosure. Every
attempt should be made to be open, accepting,
respectful and sensitive to the needs of women who
disclose histories of abuse. Male clergy and other spiritual
leaders should make sure that women congregants are
aware that they may speak freely with female clergy or
lay leaders, should this be their preference.
How to Ask About Domestic Violence
It is easiest to begin a conversation about domestic
violence if posters, literature, sermons, discussion
groups or other congregation-wide initiatives are
already in place (see Chapter 5). If this is not yet the
case, it is still quite easy to broach the subject to
individual congregants the vast majority of whom will
welcome such an overture by their respected spiritual
leaders. Clergy and other spiritual leaders can frame
questioning about domestic violence by referring to
sermons, posters, literature or programs, if available,
or by simply stating:
24
As you may know, abuse by a partner a spouse,
date or even an ex-partner is unfortunately
very common in our society, including in our own
congregation. Because of this, I am now asking
every female congregant if she is safe at home
and in her relationships.
Once the stage is set with an appropriate framing
statement, accompanied by respectful yet actively
engaged body language and eye contact appropriate
to the congregants culture, any one (or more) of the
following simple, direct questions can be posed:
At any time (or, in the past year, or currently)
have you been hit, slapped, punched, strangled,
threatened, made to feel afraid, or hurt in any way
by a current or former partner/husband/date?
Every couple has conflicts - what happens when
you and your partner disagree? Do conflicts ever
make you fearful or turn into physical fights?
I see congregants who are being hurt or threatened
by someone they love. Is this happening to you?
Do you ever feel afraid of your partner?
Do you feel safe in your home and around your
spouse or intimate partner?
Domestic violence is indeed prevalent throughout the
world, but by no means directly affects a majority of
congregants. Statistically speaking, therefore, the
answer to an initial screening question is likely to be
no. Even so, most congregants are grateful to have
been asked, as routine inquiry about domestic violence
indicates a level of caring and compassion that so many
seek and appreciate from clergy and other spiritual
leaders. There are cases, however, in which a congregant
may be in an abusive relationship, but may not be
ready to disclose to anyone, including spiritual leaders.
Such individuals are likely to offer a half-answer to a
screening question, such as, My husband loves me,
or she may simply turn away and say nothing. Should
this be the case, it is appropriate to gently follow up
with an additional question, such as:
When I speak with someone with a situation/
sadness/problem such as yours, it is sometimes
because someone has hurt her. Has someone
been hurting you?
When a Congregant Discloses Abuse
Should a congregant disclose that she has been battered,
asking the following specific questions in a safe and
confidential setting can help to determine the extent
of abuse and the possible danger:
Would you like to speak with me or with
someone else about what happened?
Has this happened before?
When did it first occur?
How badly have you been hurt in the past?
Have you ever needed to get emergency help
because of an assault?
Have you ever been threatened with a weapon,
or has a weapon ever been used on you?
Have you ever tried to get an Order of Protection
against a partner?
Have your children ever seen or heard you being
threatened or hurt?
Have your children ever been threatened or
hurt by your partner?
Do you know how you can get help for yourself
if you were hurt or afraid?
25
Dos and Donts
Specific interventions by clergy and other spiritual
leaders should include:
listening to the survivor, and believing and
validating her account, without asking for proof
or verification that she has been maltreated;
reframing the abuse as spiritually and morally
unacceptable, and even criminal;
communicating concern for the congregants safety;
acknowledging how difficult and courageous it is
for a survivor to disclose abuse;
placing responsibility for the violence unequivocally
on the perpetrator;
assuring confidentiality to the extent possible
under the law;
evaluating the need to file a mandated report to
the appropriate agency for children, elderly, or
disabled persons;
making referrals to local or national hotlines and
community-based domestic violence programs;
conveying ongoing concern and assuring follow-up;
letting the survivor set the pace for action
and healing;
providing the survivor with religious texts or
passages appropriate to the denomination or
congregation that promote love, healing, hope,
strength, courage, trust, blessings, and access
to spiritual healing; and
striving to make the congregation a safe haven,
in which domestic violence is not tolerated or
supported, and in which survivors can find
Gods/Allahs peace.
As important as it is to ask the right questions, it is
equally important to refrain from asking questions in a
manner that might frighten or intimidate the congregant,
increase the sense of humiliation and shame about the
violence, or be interpreted as blaming the victim for her
situation. Here are some pitfalls to avoid:
Most survivors do not identify themselves as
abuse victims per se because of the perception
of shame, helplessness and worthlessness
associated with such a value-laden term.
Therefore, avoid using labels such as victim,
or battered when speaking with congregants.
Instead, use resilience-promoting terms like
survivor whenever possible.
Do not inquire about abuse in the presence of
the partner, friends, or family members.
Do not break confidentiality by disclosing
information, discussing your concerns or
providing advice to the abuser without the
victims explicit consent.
Never ask a congregant what she did to
provoke the abuse. There is no excuse for
domestic violence.
Do not ask why she has not terminated the
relationship or left her partner.
A survivor may leave an abusive relationship only
to return at a later date. If this is the case, avoid
asking why she has returned to the batterer.
Listen attentively, but do not ask a survivor of
any type of sexual violence to provide you with
more details than she feels comfortable offering.
Is the Situation Dangerous?
Once a congregant has disclosed being in a threatening
or violent relationship, clergy and other spiritual leaders
can play an invaluable role in helping assess the level of
risk, initiating a discussion about the need for a safety plan,
and making referrals to appropriate, usually community-
based services.
The most important determinants in assessing risk are
the survivors level of fear, and her own appraisal of her
immediate and future safety needs. However, since
congregants may misread, minimize or deny the danger
of their situations, the following indicators of escalating
risk should be explored:
26
an increase in frequency or severity of the abuse;
increasing or new threats of homicide or suicide
by the partner;
the presence or availability of a firearm or other
weapons; and
new or increasingly violent behavior by the
perpetrator outside the relationship.
Disclosure of domestic violence may herald a particularly
dangerous period for both survivor and children.
Therefore, once disclosure is made, particular attention
must be paid to the safety and well-being of children
and others living in a home in which domestic violence
is occurring.
Some victims decide to reconcile with their abusive
partners out of fear of being hurt further or killed if they
remain separated, losing the children, becoming home-
less, being stigmatized as a victim, or living alone. Other
victimized women love their husband or partner, and only
wish the abuse not the relationship to end. Still
others wish to reconcile if there is true hope of forging
a healthy, non-violent union. Should a survivor wish to
reconcile with her batterer and there is reasonable certainty
that her abuser has engaged fully in batterer intervention
and is no longer violent or even a potential threat, clergy
and other spiritual leaders can take cautious steps toward
reconciliation in collaboration with domestic violence
advocates, provided survivor safety can be assured.
Managing Your Time
Some spiritual leaders may be reluctant to inquire
about abuse because of concerns about having
insufficient time to respond in a careful and patient
manner, given the multiple responsibilities and time
pressures that they face in their daily work. Sensible
time management, however, will allow clergy and other
spiritual leaders to take the time needed to screen for
abuse, and to set aside time to delve into the spiritual
and logistical issues that may arise from disclosure.
Asking about domestic violence in the context of
meeting with an individual congregant should take no
more than one minute yet should have a dual beneficial
effect: the spiritual leader will be reassured that the
congregant is not at risk for domestic violence (or
that the individual, if affected, is not ready or able to
disclose at that time); and the congregant will be made
aware that her imam, pastor or rabbi is concerned,
knowledgeable and able to respond should domestic
violence become an issue at any time in the future.
Despite dealing with a difficult, often wrenching, issue,
many congregants who disclose are not in acute danger
at the time they meet with their spiritual leader. Should
the congregant disclose domestic violence, clergy and
other spiritual leaders should conduct a brief danger
assessment (see previous section), offer information
and hotline numbers (see resource section at the end
of this guide), convey concern and support for the
congregant, and arrange to see the person in a follow-
up meeting to offer more in-depth support and to pro-
vide resource and referral options. A conversation of
this nature should take no more than five minutes.
Only rarely will the spiritual leader be confronted with
a congregant who has pressing needs or who is in
extreme danger. In this situation, urgent and at times
lifesaving action will need to be taken, for example,
encouraging a survivor to call 911, or offering to make
this call for her.
How to Help
Domestic violence issues may come to light in the
context of routine inquiry, or, in the context of meeting
about what seems to be an issue unrelated to possible
abuse. In addition, particularly in a congregation that is
viewed as domestic violence literate, in non-crisis
situations, congregants may approach spiritual leaders
specifically for spiritual or logistical help regarding their
own abuse, or to help a family member. Alternatively,
the congregant herself may be in an acute or crisis
situation. This section outlines questions that can be
asked, actions that can be taken, and issues to keep
in mind, once domestic violence has been disclosed.
27
27
Questions to ask following disclosure: When a victim
of domestic violence seeks help following disclosure, the
following questions, all of which deal with immediate
safety, should be asked in a private setting:
Is it safe for you to talk freely?
Are your children safe and cared for right now?
Where is your abuser?
Do you feel you need to flee immediately for
your safety?
Do you have somewhere safe to go? Where
would you go?
Do you have injuries? Do you need medical
attention?
Do you have an Order of Protection against
your abuser?
Would you like to call 911? Would you like me
to make the call with you or for you?
Actions to take: When a victim contacts you for help,
take the following actions:
Assure the victim that she is not responsible or
to blame for the abusers actions.
State clearly and repeatedly that she does not
deserve to be treated this way.
Listen attentively and respectfully, and offer support.
Provide names and phone numbers of area
shelters, programs and services. Ask if she
would like to contact any of these now.
Abusers often search their victims belongings.
Before giving any written materials to the victim,
ask her if she feels it is safe for her to take
materials with her.
If she is ready to leave or feels she must leave,
ask her if she would like someone to provide
moral support or help care for her children on a
short-term basis.
Ask her if she needs help getting to a safe place
or to a medical facility. Assist with emergency
transportation arrangements if necessary.
Discuss childcare plans and provide assistance
when needed.
Ask her to call you back after contact has been
made with a community service provider to let
you know how things went.
Issues to keep in mind:
Consider the immediate safety needs of all family
members involved.
Believe what the survivor is telling you and
convey your belief to the congregant.
Understand that leaving takes tremendous effort
and courage on the survivors part.
Be alert and compassionate to related issues
such as drug and/or alcohol abuse.
Understand that the danger for the survivor
increases when she begins disclosing the abuse
to others or attempts to leave her offender.
Understand that the victim may be isolated and
have limited financial and emotional resources.
Know that your role is to support the survivors
decision, even if you dont agree with it.
Be aware that the survivor may choose to stay at
this time because she believes it is safer to stay
than to leave the offender.
Understand that individuals from non-privileged
races, cultures and lifestyles face special barriers.
Ask survivors from immigrant and minority
communities if they wish to have someone from
their own community help them or if they prefer
their situation to remain private, in which case an
interpreter or representative from another community
can be called upon to provide support.
Acknowledge again and again that no one
deserves to be abused and that she deserves better.
For reasons of safety, time management and
treatment, do not attempt to speak with or counsel
the abuser in an acute or volatile situation.
Do not recommend or attempt couples or
marriage counseling.
28
Do not try to fix the relationship or the family.
Healing comes later, and will be facilitated by
your quiet, steady support. Safety for the
survivor and her dependents must always be
your primary concern.
Do not expect or encourage immediate
reconciliation or instant forgiveness. Without
sincere remorse on the part of the abuser,
accompanied by actual changes in attitude and
behavior and a commitment to engage fully in
a batterer intervention program, forgiveness
may not be feasible and reconciliation can even
be dangerous.
Make sure the survivor is aware that local
domestic violence programs provide free and
confidential services, and that experienced
advocates from these programs can provide
information regarding legal rights, police and
court procedures for protective orders, shelter
availability, support groups, and other critical
support resources.
If the survivor is an immigrant on a visa, assure
her that seeking assistance for being a victim of
abuse will not cause her to be deported.
Be aware that, for many reasons, people from
minority cultures may be mistrustful of mainstream
resources or government assistance.
Encourage, but do not force, a survivor to phone
the police, a local domestic violence hotline, or
the City of Chicago Domestic Violence Help Line
(877) 863-6338 for further information. Should
she choose to make one or more of these calls,
provide a private, safe space for her to do so.
Quite often, the same information needs to be
provided more than once to a survivor.
The survivors role is to decide when it is safe to leave and
when the spiritual, economic and emotional resources
to support this decision are in place. The spiritual
leaders role is to provide the survivor with options,
support, and information about resources in a manner
that is compassionate, concerned, and nonjudgmental.
A survivor who remains in a dangerous or potentially
dangerous relationship should not be labeled as a
spiritual failure or disobedient. Choosing not to leave
usually reflects the limited resources available to the
victim, or her reasonable assessment of available
options and safety needs. Deciding to stay may also
reflect fear of being ostracized by ones own family or
of having the children lose a parent, or may represent
an unwillingness to risk losing a significant relationship
with someone who once seemed to be a loving and
caring partner.
Safety Planning
A safety plan is an individually-developed protocol that
a survivor can use to get and stay safe. Even though
there are booklets, pamphlets and sheets of paper that
are called safety plans, it is important to understand
that safety planning is a process, not a thing.
Although spiritual leaders should know the elements
and importance of a good safety plan, the specific
details of each plan ideally should be worked out by
the survivor, with the guidance of an experienced
domestic violence advocate. To develop a safety plan,
the survivors level of danger and the specific resources
needed to flee suddenly and to maintain violence-free,
independent living, must be addressed. The plan
should include:
a safe place to go along with an alternative place
if possible (friends, family, shelter or safe house);
a list of necessary items to take, including cash,
drivers license or other identification, car keys,
medications, and a change of clothing for the
survivor and her children;
a list of important personal records to take
and/or keep secure, such as birth certificates,
visas, passports, Social Security numbers,
prescriptions, bank account numbers, credit
card numbers, other financial information,
school records, and work history or resum;
29
contact information for friends, relatives, spiritual
leaders and healthcare providers;
a copy of the survivors Order of Protection,
if one has been issued; and
other items as deemed necessary when the
safety plan is being developed.
Past Abuse, Current Pain
Some congregants, male and female alike, may be
living with current pain from prior victimization, usually
as a child witness to domestic violence, or as an adult
survivor of child sexual abuse. Even if the abuse
occurred decades ago, the pain can be as intense as if
it occurred just yesterday. Congregants who approach
you in personal pain from prior abuse should receive
pastoral support and the utmost of compassion for
their plight. Clergy and other spiritual leaders should
seek out the advice and support of colleagues who
have had experience in providing spiritual assistance
for adult survivors of domestic violence or child sexual
abuse, and should also refer congregants to area
domestic violence and/or rape crisis programs.
Identifying and Connecting with
Community Resources
It always helps to be prepared. Each parish or
congregation should create and maintain a resource
and contact list of local agencies and programs to
which congregants can be referred. These agencies
and programs can become natural partners with the
faith community, working together towards a sustained
coordinated community response to domestic violence.
Examples of local resources that can be of value to
clergy and other spiritual leaders include local police
departments; domestic violence service, advocacy and
intervention agencies; batterer intervention programs;
social service agencies; programs and services offered
by different religious communities; local government or
county court offices; culturally-specific agencies, programs
and community centers; schools and other educational
institutions; health center or primary medical care facilities;
political and community opinion leaders; and local
companies that address violence in the workplace.
Specific Chicago-area, state and national resources
can be found in the Endnotes.
30
Reverend Walters looks out from the pulpit at members
of the congregation he has served as senior pastor for
the past two decades. His words are spoken in a gentle,
yet matter-of-fact tone. Sisters and Brothers, this
morning we are going to discuss an issue weve not
previously talked about, he says. In fact, I myself
must confess that my early years in ministry were spent
attempting to deny the existence of this problem within
our own congregation and community. Were going to
focus today on situations of domestic violence occurring
within the homes of some religious couples.
In the weeks leading up to this sermon, Reverend Walters
and his entire congregational leadership team enrolled
in a 40-hour course on domestic violence awareness.
The workshop was facilitated by local community service
providers. On the Sunday the homily was delivered,
the senior pastor invited the same service providers to
set up tables in the narthex of the sanctuary to display
information and resource materials related to their
respective agencies. Advocates, batterer intervention
counselors, law enforcement officers, legal professionals,
shelter workers, and victim-witness assistance personnel
were all in attendance.
The benevolent nature of divine beings was the primary
theme of the sermon. All the great spiritual teachers
down through the centuries have had as their core values
love and respect for ones self and all others, Reverend
Walters said. Thus, if we are to live spiritually healthy lives,
we can never perpetrate any acts that are emotionally,
physically, psychologically, sexually, or spiritually abusive
or violent toward another person. We must also never
violate pets, plants, or property. Such behavior is always
sinful and an insult to divine principles. In many
instances, the acts are also criminal.
Following the service, more than fifty congregants,
victims-survivors and perpetrators alike, sought guidance
and support from the community service providers,
and from the congregational leadership team and
Reverend Walters.
Our focus on domestic violence as a spiritual issue is in
keeping with the efforts of others who work to deliver
the important cultural message that it is morally and
spiritually wrong, and against the law, to address conflict
by the use of intimidation and violence. Clergy and
other spiritual leaders can communicate this important
message effectively and successfully in the course of
their work. When clergy and other spiritual leaders,
and their staff, model competence and concern about
domestic violence, congregants can face these difficult
issues with courage, determination, and the knowledge
that they are not alone in despair. In addition to clergy
and other spiritual leaders establishing a tone of dignity
and respect in the faith setting, the entire congregation
can work together toward healing for affected individuals,
and towards healthy congregations, healthy communities
and healthy societies for all.
30
CHAPTER 5
Action Steps for Clergy and
Other Spiritual Leaders (Part II):
Congregation and Community-Wide Steps to
Address and Prevent Domestic Violence
There are many ways to raise awareness about
domestic violence on a congregation- or community-
wide level:
Sermons can include and discuss relevant texts
and passages on the value and respect that
should be shown towards women, and can also
deal explicitly with the unacceptability of domestic
violence or any other tactics of coercion in
relationships. Sermons and special programs
can be timed to coincide with Domestic Violence
Awareness Month (every October) and with
Sexual Assault Awareness Month (every April).
Frank discussion with individual congregants
about how to develop and sustain healthy
relationships, respect for the autonomy of others,
and nonviolent means to address conflict should
be encouraged.
Educational offerings during Sunday School and
adult and premarital education that focus on defining
the characteristics of healthy families that are
free from abuse can be developed and delivered.
Posters and brochures can be displayed prominently
in public rooms throughout the congregation,
and in private areas such as bathrooms.
Clergy, other spiritual leaders and office staff can
participate in training programs offered either by
the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Womens
Network (CMBWN) or by other groups to become
more knowledgeable about domestic violence
dynamics, referral resources, protocols, and
safety procedures.
Clergy, other spiritual leaders and office staff can
develop and maintain a resource and referral list
that can be used to tailor recommendations for
education and help for individual congregants.
Many useful resources are included in the
Endnotes section of this guide. Names and
contact information for psychologists, social
workers, congregants whose residences can be
used as a temporary safe homes, translators,
attorneys and others who can be of assistance
to survivors can be included.
Clergy and lay leaders alike can host separate
coffee chats or tea times for women and
men during which topics of safety, family health,
and ultimately domestic and sexual violence can
be discussed in a safe and supportive setting.
Such discussion groups should have generic,
non-threatening names that speak to general
health and wellness for women and men. For
example, for women, discussion groups on womens
health, healthy families, healthy relationships,
and whats on your mind? can invite discussion
on topics that include, but would not be limited
to, domestic violence. This type of approach
would not necessarily threaten male partners. For
men, discussion groups on mens health, family
safety, men as allies in the quest to end violence,
and whats on your mind? can be offered.
Separate-sex discussion groups for teenagers
can be offered to discuss healthy relationships
and what to do if a friend needs help.
Congregants, with support from their parish or
congregation, can become involved in community-
wide volunteer projects to promote domestic
violence awareness and prevention. Examples
include holding book, toiletry and household
product drives for women and children in or
emerging from shelter; organizing homework
supervision and enrichment programs for
children living in shelter; and participating in
fundraising walks and other activities to benefit
local shelters or other support agencies.
An individual congregation can adopt an entire
shelter or agency to assure that its evolving
needs are met on an ongoing basis. Congregants
can then participate in an expansive range of
helpful initiatives defined collaboratively with
shelter staff.
Individual families can adopt a woman in shelter
(and/or her children) to make sure they have
tangible necessities such as school supplies,
clean clothes and winter jackets, hats and gloves,
mentoring and support for job training, and
education and spiritual support to help them
32
attain long-term safety, independence and freedom
from abuse.
A safe home network can be developed
either within an individual congregation, or in
collaboration with a nearby congregation or
domestic violence agency. Safe homes provide
short-term, emergency refuge for women and
children in crisis and allow them breathing space
to define next steps while working with advocates
from a local domestic violence agency. A flexible,
high-quality safe home network is necessary
because battered womens shelters are almost
always filled to capacity.
Congregants can be encouraged to receive
training to become volunteer advocates and hotline
staff for local domestic violence programs, and
to bring their new knowledge back into the
spiritual setting.
The congregation can participate in joint efforts
with local agencies, police, schools, healthcare
providers, and with other congregations to
foster a true coordinated community response.
Collaborative efforts are crucial to create effective
long-term prevention.
CMBWN and other local agencies and colleagues can
provide invaluable assistance and support in developing
and conducting each of the above initiatives.
33
Children themselves can become victims of domestic
violence directly by being physically or sexually hurt, or
indirectly by witnessing violence or living in an abusive
household. Children even very young ones are
deeply affected by what transpires in their environment,
and can sustain severe emotional and psychological
trauma from being exposed to domestic violence. It
is wise to invest in the future by believing the stories
children share, having compassion for and taking care of
children who have been affected, and taking proactive
steps to prevent exposure to violence and abuse.
When dealing with children exposed to domestic
violence, pay attention to what they say and do. A
baby or toddler even one who is pre-verbal
may mimic abusive acts; react to noises, lights, and
changes in the environment; or react in an exaggerated
manner to ordinary separations from caregivers. A
preschooler may not be able or willing to talk about the
abuse she/he has witnessed, but may re-enact the
experience in the play setting. A latency-age child
may regress to bed-wetting, thumb sucking, or other
telling behaviors. A preteen may become sexually
active, start smoking, become truant, or act out in
other ways that appear on the surface to be bad
behavior. But, in reality, she/he may be manifesting
intense fear and anxiety. Teenagers may replicate what
they have learned at home, and become either victims
or perpetrators. At no age is abuse unnoticed by
children, and they are always adversely affected.
In addition to suffering the effects of witnessing
violence in the home, teenagers also may become
involved in abusive relationships themselves. It is
helpful to ask teenagers questions such as these
when screening for abuse:
Have you begun to date?
Has your boyfriend/girlfriend ever threatened to
hurt you, or have you ever threatened to hurt
him/her?
Are you ever afraid of your boyfriend/girlfriend
or of an ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend?
Have you ever had a pushing or shoving fight
with a boyfriend/girlfriend?
Have you ever gotten hurt from a fight with a
boyfriend/ girlfriend?
Have you begun to have sex?
Has anyone ever forced you to have sex when
you didnt want to?
Have you been able to talk to anyone else
about this?
When dealing with a child or teenager who has been
exposed to domestic violence, be a steady, firm, loving
and reassuring presence in his or her life. Realize that a
young persons misbehavior may be the result of being
abused, witnessing violence, or living in an abusive
household. Recognize related behaviors, such as
aggressive behaviors against themselves or others,
apathy, isolation, withdrawal, emotional outbursts,
depression, excessive weight gain or loss, poor school
performance, self-mutilation, and talk of suicide.
Reassure the young person (again and again) that the
abuse is not his/her fault. Listen carefully to the childs
perspective on the situation at home, or if the child is
younger, observe for the effects of child exposure to
abuse. Do what you can to ensure that the child is
safe, and make sure you adhere to your mandated
reporter responsibilities regarding child abuse and/or
neglect (see Chapter 8).
34
CHAPTER 6
Talking with Children and Teenagers
Identifying the Abuser
At every service and during every sermon, there will
be women and children present who are survivors, and
men sitting in the pews who are their perpetrators.
Clergy and other spiritual leaders should keep an eye
out for congregants who leave abruptly during a service,
or whose demeanor, body language or clothing raises
red flags for abuse. In addition, be aware that there may
be survivors who want to speak with you, yet dont know
how to initiate a conversation, or who are unable to seek
you out alone because the perpetrator is controlling
their actions, hovering around them or monitoring with
whom they speak and what they say.
How to Act and What to Say
Whenever a man, or in rare cases, a woman, comes to
you on his own because he wants to seek advice or to
talk about his relationship, always listen carefully for
possible clues of domestic violence. While keeping
safety for the possible victim, yourself and your staff in the
foreground, listen carefully, attentively and respectfully,
while making your stance clear about violence in any
form for any reason.
A male congregant who approaches you to talk about
domestic violence in his own current life will most
commonly claim that he, himself, is the victim, and
then rapidly turn the conversation to what she did that
made him do what he did. Although in some cases
men truly are the victims, experience tells us that
except for domestic violence in same-sex couples,
male victimization is the exception, not the rule. Offer
open-ended statements, such as, Help me under-
stand, or Please tell me more; listen carefully to the
congregants narrative; and remain composed, level
and respectful at all times. It may be difficult to dis-
cern who the perpetrator is, especially in relationships
that you are told include mutual combat, as is often
claimed. Since the hallmark of domestic violence is
power and control on the part of the abuser, and fear
and intimidation on the part of the victim, it is often
helpful to ask a male congregant claiming victimization
if he is afraid of his partner, or if he has ever been
injured or needed emergency help of any kind. In
general, perpetrators scoff at the notion that they
would be afraid, and deny any material injury.
In the uncommon situation in which a congregant
discloses that he has hit or hurt his partner, thank him
for choosing to disclose to you. Let him know that it
takes a big man to have the guts to admit behavior
that he knows is wrong, and that you will work with
him to help him find resources to help change his
behavior and to promote spiritual healing. Referral to a
certified batterer intervention program is a critical next
step. Offer to stand by as the initial call is made and
to support his enrollment in and completion of a
recognized program.
In some cases, a man who approaches you to talk
about domestic violence may want to unburden himself
about having committed abuse in a past relationship.
Men who approach you to talk about prior perpetration
may be seeking help to prevent violence in a potential
future relationship, or may be in a current relationship
that is at risk for violence. In either case, it is critical to
acknowledge the courage it took to approach you about
such a sensitive topic, to recommend, in the strongest
terms, enrollment in a certified batterer intervention
program, and to provide ongoing spiritual care.
35
CHAPTER 7
Perpetrators in Your Congregation
36
In all cases, it is important to convey your respect for
the individual congregants dignity even if he is an
abuser while not condoning his abusive behavior. It
is important to emphasize your and your congregations
belief, that violence whether verbal, emotional, physical,
or sexual is always wrong, that the precepts of your
religious faith do not condone behavior of this sort,
and that no one deserves to be mistreated. Emphasize
that it is the abusers responsibility not the victims
to find a way to stop his violent behavior. Inform
the abuser about appropriate steps to take, particularly
enrolling in a certified batterer intervention program.
Provide one or more phone numbers for referral. Offer
to have the abusive congregant make the call himself
with you present. Do not offer or agree to provide
couples or marriage counseling.
37
Although clergy and other spiritual leaders may not
be directly involved in the legal procedures described
below, it is important to know of their existence and
purpose. Your role, when abuse is identified, is to refer
the survivor to a trained advocate who will help explore
options, assist with safety planning, and make other
appropriate referrals.
The Illinois Domestic Violence Act
What is the Illinois Domestic Violence Act?
The Illinois Domestic Violence Act (IDVA) is a
comprehensive law that protects victims of domestic
violence by creating Orders of Protection and by requiring
the police to perform certain functions. In some cases,
violation of an Order of Protection can be charged as a
criminal offense.
Who is covered by the Illinois Domestic Violence Act?
The IDVA protects victims of domestic violence who
are related to the abuser in one of the following ways:
related by blood or by present or prior marriage;
share or formerly shared a common dwelling
(apartment or home);
have or allegedly have a child in common;
share or allegedly share a blood relationship
through a child; or
have or have had a dating or engagement
relationship.
The IDVA also provides the following specific provisions:
An adult with disabilities can obtain an Order of
Protection against his/her personal assistant.
Any person who lives in the petitioner's household
can be listed as a protected person on the
petitioners Order of Protection, whether or not
the person has a family or household relationship
with the respondent.
Anyone can file for an Order of Protection on
behalf of a person who is prevented by age,
disability, health or inaccessibility from filing on
their own behalf. An Order of Protection filed in
this manner cannot be extended over the objection
of the victim.
Definition of Abuse: Abuse under the IDVA includes
physical abuse, harassment, interference with personal
liberty, intimidation of a dependent, willful deprivation,
neglect and exploitation.
Order of Protection: An Order of Protection (OP) is a
court order that prohibits the abuser from committing
certain behaviors or orders him to perform certain acts.
To obtain an OP, the victim must prove that abuse has
occurred in the past. In some cases, violation of an OP
can result in an arrest for the crime of Violation of Order
of Protection, carrying a penalty of up to 364 days in jail.
If the abuser has prior convictions related to domestic
violence, the penalty can be up to 3 years in prison.
The following types of relief can be granted on an OP.
prohibit further abuse;
grant exclusive possession of the residence to
the victim and prohibit the abuser from entering
or remaining at the residence;
order the abuser to stay away from specific
locations, such as the victims place of employment
or the childs school, or to stay away from the
protected persons wherever they may be;
CHAPTER 8
Domestic Violence Laws and the
Illinois Domestic Violence Act
38
prohibit possession of firearms;
provide for the protection of minor children by
granting care of the children to the victim and
prohibiting child abduction;
provide for child or other support and require
reimbursement of certain expenses related to
the abuse;
grant the use of personal property and prohibit
the abuser from taking or destroying property;
and/or
order the abuser to attend counseling.
Where can an Order of Protection be obtained?
An Order of Protection can be obtained in civil court,
in criminal court or in juvenile court. In civil court, an
OP can be obtained with the assistance of an attorney;
as an independent proceeding; or as part of a divorce,
guardianship, probate or other civil proceeding. In
criminal court, an OP can be obtained in connection
with a criminal charge if the petitioner is the victim and
the respondent is the defendant in that case. An OP
can also be obtained in juvenile court, in connection
with a delinquency petition or a criminal prosecution.
What are the different types of Orders of Protection?
There are three types of Orders of Protection: an
Emergency Order, an Interim Order, and a Plenary
Order. There are no fees for filing or serving Orders
of Protection.
Emergency Order: An Emergency Order is valid for
14 - 21 days. It can be entered without notice to the
respondent under certain conditions. An Emergency
Order cannot grant counseling, temporary custody,
payment of support, monetary compensation, or
reimbursement of shelter costs, nor can the Order
prohibit possession of weapons.
Interim Order: An Interim Order is valid for up to 30
days. It is issued after the respondent has been served
or the petitioner has served notice on the respondent
and has satisfied the court that she or he is diligently
attempting to complete the required service of process.
An Interim Order may not include counseling, payment of
support or monetary compensation, shelter reimbursement
or weapons remedies unless the respondent has filed a
general appearance or has been personally served.
Plenary Order: Plenary Orders of Protection can be
valid for varying lengths of time. If entered in conjunction
with a divorce, a Plenary Order can remain in effect for
the life of the final decree. If issued in conjunction with
a criminal offense, a Plenary Order can run for the length
of the defendant's sentence plus two years. If entered
in conjunction with another proceeding, it can remain
in effect until the conclusion of the case.
Obtaining an Order of Protection: Orders of
Protection are available:
in civil court, usually with an attorney, as an
independent proceeding or as part of a divorce,
guardianship, probate or other civil proceeding; or
in criminal court, in connection with a criminal
charge if the petitioner is the victim and the
respondent is the defendant in that case.
In Chicago, victims of domestic violence may seek an OP
either in conjunction with a pending criminal case, or in civil
court unconnected to any other civil case, at the Centralized
Domestic Violence Court at 555 West Harrison.
Violation of an Order of Protection: Violation of an
Order of Protection is a Class A misdemeanor for the
first offense, carrying a penalty of up to 364 days in
jail. Second or subsequent violations can be charged
as a Class 4 felony, carrying a penalty of 1 to 3 years.
39
Law Enforcement Responsibilities Under the IDVA:
Every law enforcement agency must develop, adopt
and implement written policies, consistent with the IDVA,
regarding arrest procedures for domestic violence
incidents. Agencies are encouraged to consult with
other law enforcement agencies and with community
organizations, including clergy and other spiritual leaders
who have expertise in recognizing and handling
domestic violence incidents.
Responding police officers must make a written report
of any good-faith allegation of domestic violence, even
if an arrest is not made. The report must include the
disposition of the officers investigation, the victims
statements as to the frequency and severity of prior
incidents of abuse by the same offender, and the number
of prior calls for police assistance.
Whenever a law enforcement officer has reason to
believe that a person has been abused by a family or
household member, the officer must immediately use all
reasonable means to prevent further abuse, including:
arresting the abuser, when deemed appropriate;
seizing and taking any weapons used in the
commission of abuse;
accompanying the victim to his or her residence,
for a reasonable period of time, to remove
personal belongings or possessions;
offering a written summary of available procedures
and relief in a language appropriate to the victim;
providing the responding officers name and
badge number to the victim;
offering referral to an accessible domestic violence
service agency;
advising the victim about seeking medical
attention and preserving evidence, specifically
including: taking photographs of injuries or
property damage and retaining damaged
clothing or other property; and
arranging or providing accessible transportation
to a medical facility for treatment of injuries or to
a nearby place of shelter or safety. When a victim
chooses to leave the scene of the offense, it is
presumed that it is in the best interest of the
children or other dependents in the victims care
to remain with the victim or a person designated
by the victim, and not with the abusing party.
Criminal complaints: Criminal prosecution of abusers
plays an important role in stopping domestic violence.
It sends a clear message that there are consequences for
committing domestic violence and that such violence
is not just a private or family matter.
A criminal complaint is often initiated by the arrest of
the abuser following an incident of domestic violence.
When an arrest is not made, the IDVA requires officers
to inform the victim of steps that can be taken to file a
civil complaint.
In Chicago, after having made a police report, a victim
can seek criminal charges at the Centralized Domestic
Violence Court at 555 West Harrison. There, the victim
will be interviewed by an Assistant States Attorney
who will determine if criminal charges are appropriate.
If charges are filed, an Order of Protection will normally
be sought as part of that case.
If an arrest has been made in Chicago, the victim can
also come to the courthouse to obtain an Order of
Protection as part of that criminal case. Victims are
advised to arrive at the courthouse no later than 1:30
pm, Monday through Friday.
For crimes occurring in the suburbs or in other counties,
victims and other interested parties are advised to contact
a local domestic violence program or the Illinois States
Attorneys Office for further information.
40
Mandatory Reporting
Domestic violence against competent adults is a crime
under both federal law and Illinois state law, however, it
does not fall under any mandatory reporting statutes in
Illinois. In fact, reporting domestic violence to law
enforcement authorities without a womans explicit
consent breaches confidentiality and can be dangerous.
The survivor is the only person who should make the
decision to report domestic violence. Clergy are not
required to file any reports related to domestic violence
unless the issue involves children, incompetent elders
or disabled persons. Each of these three categories is
described in detail below.
Child abuse: If the spiritual leader suspects that there
might be physical, sexual or emotional abuse or neglect
of children, he/she, as a mandated reporter, is required
by law to contact the Illinois Child Abuse Hotline,
(800) 25-ABUSE [(800) 252-2873]. If a report to child
protective services (CPS) needs to be filed, the clergy
member or other spiritual leader should inform the CPS
caseworker that the mother (or other caregiver) is living
with domestic violence. The child protection team can
then consult with specialists in domestic violence to
take action geared to promoting safety for the mother
and children together. Clergy and other spiritual leaders
should explain clearly and compassionately to the
non-abusive parent/caregiver why it is necessary to
contact child protective services. Such a conversation,
although difficult to initiate, can help to establish a basis
of honesty and trust, and ultimately, to promote safety
for both mother and children.
Elder abuse: For individuals 62 years of age or older
and who are determined to be incapable of making
informed, competent decisions on their own behalf,
reports must be filed with an elder protective service
agency. To file a report of domestic violence against
an elder otherwise not capable of deciding to report
independently, contact the Elder Abuse Hotline,
(800) 279-0400.
Abuse of disabled persons: For persons with mental
or physical disabilities, reports must be filed with the
Illinois Hotline for Abuse of Adults with Disabilities,
(800) 368-1463.
In all cases, when a report must be filed to comply
with a legal mandate, every effort should be made to
communicate the reasons for filing to the congregant,
along with an affirmation of the survivors dignity, her
right to live free from abuse, and a pledge to stay in
close and supportive contact. In addition, it is wise to
help the congregant identify resources that will help to
ensure safety for herself and her family if there is a fear
of, or reason to suspect, retaliation by the perpetrator.
A spiritual leader or any other mandated reporter who
fails to comply with his/her mandated reporting
responsibilities may be subject to disciplinary action,
fines, or civil liability.
41
Creating a Climate for Prevention in
Your Congregation
Although identifying and addressing abuse that
affects individual congregants is a critical first step,
true primary prevention for the congregation and for
the community at-large is the ultimate goal. Clergy and
other spiritual leaders can be key in the quest for
prevention by supporting efforts by individual congregants
and by working in collaboration with clergy and spiritual
leaders from other congregations and from multiple
community agencies to view domestic violence prevention
as a spiritual calling. Clergy who take a leadership role
can set a tone and prepare the stage for a profound and
sustainable change in the way each and every congregant
views both healthy and unhealthy relationships. Every
time the words domestic violence, healthy relationships,
respect for women and children, and prevention are
mentioned in sermons, individual and group discussions,
publications and newsletters, and in communications
with the community at-large, a climate for prevention is
fostered and a legacy of peace and respect is sown.
Clergy and Other Spiritual Leaders
as Change Agents in a Larger
Community Response
Clergy and other spiritual leaders are in a position to
exert the leadership necessary to make a difference.
Leadership starts with providing and communicating a
vision and taking a stand against domestic violence.
Clergy and other spiritual leaders need to provide and
communicate this vision clearly through public statements,
messages in bulletins and newsletters, and interactions
with colleagues. Clergy and other spiritual leaders can
engage in ongoing communication that flows adequately
through organizational levels, thereby ensuring that the
rank and file remains attuned to key issues. In addition,
religious communities need to promote the availability
of viable domestic violence services that support and
nurture healing and helping. Finally, there is a critical
need for more female and male clergy and other religious
leaders to seek education and training in appropriate
domestic violence prevention and intervention strategies.
The spiritual leaders job should not be restricted to
the sanctuary or consultation room. Clergy and other
spiritual leaders are respected in the community, their
opinions are sought out and given great credence, and
their influence as role models and community leaders
is clear. Thus, it is crucial that spiritual leaders use
their positions of leadership and respect in joining
community coalitions; advocating for improved services,
laws, and practices; and modeling respectful, nonviolent
behavior. In short, spiritual leaders can very effectively
teach peace in the course of their professional and
personal activities.
28
The public role of the spiritual
leader as advocate and change agent is perhaps as
important as the private job of providing spiritual
care for individual congregants.
CHAPTER 9
Preventing Domestic Violence:
A Spiritual Calling
42
Although the lay public generally perceives clergy and
other spiritual leaders as being capable of remaining
calm even serene in the most tense or heart-
breaking of situations, spiritual leaders are human
beings, and as such possess the same strengths and
frailties as their congregants.
Individual clergy and other religious community leaders
may themselves have been victimized as children or as
adults, or may be in an abusive relationship currently
as a victim or a perpetrator. Those spiritual leaders
whose lives have been affected by abuse are urged to
seek help from a hotline or direct service organization;
or from a trusted colleague, therapist, family member,
or other source of support.
For emergency assistance, please call your local police
or 911 (where available), a local domestic violence
hotline, or the City of Chicago Domestic Violence Help
Line at (877) 863-6338.
CHAPTER 10
Help for Clergy, Other Spiritual
Leaders and Their Families
Local and Statewide
Resources
This listing includes many, but
not all, of the existing resources
in Illinois that provide support
and services for victims of
domestic violence.
For emergency help, dial 911.
Chicago-Area Resources
Domestic Violence
City of Chicago Domestic Violence
Help Line, 24-Hour Toll Free
Confidential Help Line
(877) 863-6338
Child Abuse
Illinois Department of Child
and Family Services
Child Abuse Hotline
(800) 252-2873
www.state.il.us/dcfs
Elder Abuse
Illinois Department of Aging
Elder Abuse Hotline
(800) 279-0400
Abuse of Disabled Persons
Illinois Department of
Human Services
Adults with Disabilities
Domestic Abuse Program
(800) 368-1463
Advocacy Organizations,
Service Providers and
Support Groups
Arab-American Family Services
(708) 974-8084
www.aafamilyservices.org
Between Friends
(800) 603-4357 (Crisis Hotline)
(773) 274-6508 TTY
www.betweenfriendschicago.org
Also offers civil/criminal advocacy
and counseling
Break The Silence Foundation
Fundacion Rompe El Silencio
(708) 795-3333
Community Crisis Center
(847) 697-2380
www.crisiscenter.org
Crisis Center for South Suburbia
(708) 429-7233
www.crisisctr.org
Family Rescue
Community Outreach Program
(773) 375-6863
www.familyrescueinc.org
Harris YWCA
(888) 293-2080
(773) 955-3100
Hull House Uptown
Womens Counseling Center
Jane Adams Association
(773) 561-3500
www.hullhouse.org/uc/dviolence.asp
Journey Home Ministries
(630) 852-5273
Korean-American Women in Need
(KAN-WIN)
(773) 583-0880
www.kanwin.org
Life Span
(847) 824-4454
www.life-span.org
43
Endnotes
Congregants being victimized or at risk of domestic
violence can benefit greatly from your support, under-
standing, and sensitive care. As a member of the faith
and spiritual community, you may be the only individual
in whom a congregant experiencing abuse confides, so
it is critical that you have the best available information
for yourself and for your congregants. For more
information to assist you in supporting and advocating
for individuals experiencing partner violence, please
contact the following resources:
Metropolitan Family Services
(773) 884-3310
www.metrofamily.org
Mujeres Latinas en Accion
(312) 738-5358
www.mujereslatinasenaccion.org
Neapolitan Lighthouse
(773) 722-0005
www.neopolitan.org
Pillars Community
Services/Constance
Morris House
Lagrange Park
(708) 485-5254
TTY: (708) 485-5257
Polish-American Association
(773) 282-8206
Rainbow House
(312) 762-6611
www.rainbow-house.org
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Women with Disabilities Center
(312) 238-7238
SHALVA
(773) 583-HOPE(4673)
St. Pius V Parish H.O.P.E. Program
(312) 226-6161
Sarahs Inn
708-386-4225
www.sarahsinn.org
South Suburban Family Shelter
(708) 335-3028, (877) 335-3020
www.ssfs1.org
Southwest Women Working Together
(773) 568-2733 Crisis Line
www.swwt.org
Universal Family Connection, Inc.
(773) 881-1711
Wellspring/Manantial
(847)-882-7580
WINGS
(847) 348-3001
www.wingsprogram.com
YWCA of North Shore
(847) 864-8780, (877) 718-1868
Emergency Shelters
Apna Ghar
(773) 334-4663 (24-hr hotline)
(773) 334-0173 (office)
http://www.apnaghar.org
Domestic violence shelter and
counseling services for South
Asian women and their children
A Safe Place
(847) 249-4450
Also offers childrens services,
legal support and counseling
Chicago Abused Women Coalition
Greenhouse Shelter
(773) 248-4566
www.cawc.org
Community Crisis Center
(847) 697-2380
www.crisiscenter.org
Also offers domestic violence
& sexual assault counseling &
court advocacy
Crisis Center for South Suburbia
(708) 429-7255
www.crisisctr.org
Also offers counseling, civil
& criminal legal advocacy
Constance Morris House/
The Pillars Community Services
(708) 485-5254
Also offers counseling
Evanston Shelter
(847) 864-8780
Family Rescue
Rosenthal Family Lodge
(773) 375-8400
(773) 375-8774 TTY
Also offers counseling and childrens
services. Accepts male teens
accompanying their mothers
House of the Good Shepherd
(773) 935-3434 Intake open
8:30am -5:00pm
Neapolitan Lighthouse Shelter
(773) 722-0005
(773) 826-2883 TTY
www.neopolitan.org
44
Rainbow House
(773) 762-6611
Safe Harbor/Puerto Seguro
(773) 342-1850
(708) 335-3028, (877) 335-3020
www.ssfs1.org
Also offers civil & criminal
legal advocacy
(773) 737-2500, (773) 568-2460
www.swwt.org
Also offers counseling, civil
& criminal legal advocacy
Transitional and
Second-Stage Housing
Bobbie E. Wright CCMHC
(773) 722-7900
Casa Central
(773) 645-2400
Crisis Center For South Suburbia
(708) 429-7255
www.crisisctr.org
Family Rescue
Ridgeland Transitional Living &
Day Care Program
(773) 667-0715
Korean American Women in Need
(KAN-WIN)
(773) 583-0880
24-Hour Crisis Hotline
www.kanwin.org
Matthew House
DV Services
(773) 536-2528
Sanctuary (SSFS)
(708) 283-1421
Southwest Women Working
Together Courage Homes
(773) 568-2733
www.swwt.org
United Human Services Center
(773) 373-3194
Sexual Assault Services
Chicago Citywide
24-Hour Hotline
(888) 293-2080
Alivio Medical Center
(773) 254 -1400
Mujeres Latinas en Accion
Sexual Assault Program
(312) 738-5358
Also offers legal support
New Hope Community
Services-Sexual Assault
(773) 737-0401
Pillars Community Services/
The Constance Morris House
(708) 741-4500
Focusing on the needs of
Arab-American women
Rape Victim Advocates
(312) 663-6303
Rape Crisis Hotline
(888) 293-2080
www.rapevictimadvocates.org
(773) 737-2500
www.swwt.org
YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago
(888) 293-2080
Services available at the following
locations: Harris Center, Loop, Rise
Childrens Center, and Logan Square
Childrens Services
Chicago Child Care
Society Project KIDS
(773) 256-2400
Also offers counseling services)
Between Friends
(800) 603-4357
(773) 274-6508 TTY
Heartland Alliance Womens Program
(773) 847-5602
Korean American Women in Need
(KAN-WIN)
(773) 583-0880
24-Hour Crisis Hotline
www.kanwin.org
45
Life Span
(847) 824-0382
www.life-span.org
(708) 798-7737
www.ssfs1.org
Batterer Intervention
Programs
Avance Domestic Abuse Batterer
Intervention Program
(773) 293-1770
Center for the Prevention
of Family Violence, Ltd.
(877) 218-3779
Crisis Center For South Suburbia
(708) 429-7255
www.crisisctr.org
Circuit Court of Cook County
Domestic Violence Program
Batterer Treatment
(773) 869-6056
La Familia Unida Batterer Treatment
(773) 522-7798
Salvation Army Family Services
Partner Abuse Intervention Programs
(773) 275-6233
(708) 798-7737
www.ssfs1.org
Westside Domestic Abuse Project
(773) 862-5408
Legal Advocacy/
Representation
Hull House Court Advocacy Program
(312) 325-9175
Chicago Legal Clinic Loop
(312) 726-2938
Other locations in Pilsen
and Southside
Family Rescue
Court Advocacy Program
(312) 325-9300
(312) 747-5493
Criminal, civil and felony
Legal Assistance Foundation of
Chicago-Project SAFE & Family Law
(800) 824-4050
Criminal and civil
Life Span-Legal Clinic
(312) 408-1210
Criminal and civil
Pro Bono Advocates
(312) 827-2420
Substance Abuse
Treatment/ Counseling
Services
Center for New Horizons
Counseling Program
(773) 924-1423
Counseling Center of Lakeview
Latino Counseling Services Program
(773) 769-6200
Hamdard Center For Health &
Human Services
(630) 860-2290/ 860-9132
Haymarket House Domestic
Violence Counseling Program
(312) 226-8048/226-7984
SHALVA
(773) 583-HOPE (4673)
Samaritan Community Center
Domestic Violence Services
(773) 761-5119
Wellspring
(773) 723-2119
Immigration Assistance
Healthcare Alternative Systems
BASTA! BASTA!
(773) 745-7107
Korean American Community
Services
(773) 583-5501
Life Span
(312) 408-1210
www.life-span.org
Midwest Immigrant & Human
Rights Center - a Program of
Heartland Alliance
(312) 435-4550, (312) 660-1370
46
47
National
Resources
Faith-Based Organizations
Christian Recovery International
www.christianrecovery.com
FaithTrust Institute
www.faithtrustinstitute.org
Family Refuge Center
www.familyrefugecenter.com
Family Renewal Shelter
www.domesticviolencehelp.org
Global Institute on Violence &
Exploitation (G.I.V.E.)
www.G-I-V-E.org
HOPE NOW
www.hopenow.net
Jewish Women International
www.jwi.org
Northwest Family Life Learning
& Counseling Center
www.northwestfamilylife.org
Shalom Bayit: Bay Area Jewish
Women Working to End Domestic
Violence www.shalombayit.org
Union Gospel Mission
Olympia Branch
www.ougm.org
World Evangelical Alliance
Commission on Womens Concerns
www.worldevangelical.org/cwc.html
National Non-Governmental
Resources
American Psychological Association
www.apa.org
Offers journals, articles and
information on the psychological
effects of family violence on men,
women and children.
Asian and Pacific Islander Institute
on Domestic Violence
(415) 954-9988
www.apiahf.org/apidvinstitute
Battered Womens Justice Project
(BWJP)
(800) 903-0111 ext. 1
www.bwjp.org
CAVNET (Communities Against
Violence Network)
www.cavnet.org
Interactive website for experts in
domestic violence, sexual assault
and other related fields.
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention: National Center for
Injury Prevention and Control,
Division of Violence Prevention
www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/dvp.htm.
Provides up-to-date information on
research and statistics related to
child maltreatment, intimate partner
violence, sexual violence, and suicide
and youth violence.
Family Violence Prevention Fund
www.endabuse.org
This is the national healthcare
resource center for family violence.
The endabuse.org website contains
comprehensive information and
resources for survivors and those
who are in the helping fields.
Institute on Domestic Violence in
the African American Community
(877) NIDVACC (643-8222)
www.dvinstitute.org
Minnesota Center Against
Violence and Abuse
www.mincava.umn.edu
An excellent website providing
access to research, education and
other violence-related resources.
National Center for Children
Exposed to Violence
www.nccev.org
A research and advocacy organization
addressing the consequences of
exposure to violence in children.
National Center on Elder Abuse
www.elderabusecenter.org
The National Center on Elder
Abuse (NCEA) is a national
resource for elder rights, law
enforcement and legal professionals,
public policy leaders, researchers,
and the public. The Centers mission
is to promote understanding,
knowledge sharing and action on
elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.
National Coalition Against
Domestic Violence (NCADV)
www.ncadv.org
Serves as a national information
and referral center for the general
public, media, battered women and
their children, allied and member
agencies and organizations.
48
National Domestic Violence Hotline
(800) 799-SAFE (7233)
www.ndvh.org
The National Domestic Violence
Hotline operates a 24-hour, toll free,
confidential hotline that provides
support and information for victims
of abuse and for friends and family
who are concerned about a victim.
National Latino Alliance for the
Elimination of Domestic Violence
www.dvalianza.org
Promotes understanding, initiates
and sustains dialogue, and generates
solutions toward the elimination
of domestic violence affecting
Latino communities.
National Organization for Women
www.now.org/issues/violence/
Provides information and links to
resources for promoting equality
and justice for women.
National Resource Center on
Domestic Violence
(800) 537-2238
www.nrcdv.org
National Sexual Violence
Resource Center
(877) 739-3895
www.nsvrc.org
National Training &
Technical Assistance Center on
DV Trauma & Mental Health
(312) 726-7020
www.dvmhpi.org
Promotes dialogue, builds capacity
and generates policy in response
to the trauma and mental health
needs of domestic violence
survivors and their children.
National Violence Against Women
Prevention Research Center
www.vawprevention.org
Provides useful information for
scientists, practitioners, advocates,
grassroots organizations, and other
professionals or lay persons interested
in current topics related to violence
against women and its prevention.
Nursing Network on Violence
Against Women International
www.nnvawi.org
The mission of NNVAWI is to
eliminate violence through advancing
nursing education, practice,
research and public policy.
Partnerships Against
Violence Network
www.pavnet.org
This website houses a virtual
library of information about
violence, representing data from
seven different Federal agencies.
Project DVORA: Domestic Violence
Outreach Response & Advocacy
www.jfsseattle.org
Rape, Abuse and Incest National
Network (RAINN)
National Sexual Assault Hotline
(800) 656-HOPE
www.rainn.org
The Rape, Abuse and Incest
National Network (RAINN) is the
nation's largest anti-sexual assault
organization. RAINN operates the
National Sexual Assault Hotline and
carries out programs to prevent
sexual assault, help victims and
ensure that rapists are brought
to justice.
Sacred Circle National Resource
Center toEnd Violence Against
Native Women
(877) 733-7263
www.sacred-circle.com
VAWnet
www.vawnet.org
An online resource for advocates
working to end domestic violence,
sexual assault, and other violence in
the lives of women and their children.
Violence Against Women Act
Outline and Links
www.urban.org/crime/
vaw-hglt.htm#highlights
Federal Agencies
Addressing Domestic
Violence Issues
Centers for Disease Control
http://www.cdc.gov/
National Criminal Justice
Reference Service
www.ncjrs.org
National Institute on Aging
www.nih.gov/nia/
National Institute on Alcohol
Abuse and Alcoholism
www.niaaa.nih.gov/
National Institute on Drug Abuse
www.nida.nih.gov/
49
National Institute of Justice:
Bureau of Justice Statistics
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/
welcome.html
National Institute of Justice,
Violence Against Women Office
(VAWO)
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo
National Institute of Mental Health
www.nimh.nih.gov/
U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services
www.dhhs.gov
U.S. Department of Justice Office
on Violence Against Women
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo
U. S. Department of State
http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/women/
violence/violenlinks.htm
Statistics and
Research
Costs Of Intimate Partner Violence
Against Women In The United
States, National Center For Injury
Prevention And Control, Centers For
Disease Control And Prevention,
Atlanta, GA: March 2003
www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/
ipv_cost/IPVBook-Final-Feb18.pdf
Crime And The Nations Households,
2003, Patsy A. Klaus, Bureau Of
Justice Statistics, Office Of Justice
Programs, U.S. Department Of
Justice, Washington, DC:
October 2004.
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/
cnh03.pdf
Economic Dimensions Of
Interpersonal Violence, World
Health Organization, Geneva,
Switzerland, 2004.
www.who.int/violence_injury_
prevention/publications/violence/
economic_dimensions/en
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual And
Transgender Domestic Violence:
2003 Supplement An Update
From The National Coalition Of
Anti-Violence Programs, New York,
NY: October 2004. National
Coalition of Anti-Violence
Programs. www.avp.org
Making The Local Case: New
Toolkit On The Status Of Women
At The County-Level News
Release, The Institute For Womens
Policy Research, Washington, DC:
November 15, 2004.
http://www.iwpr.org/States2004
Violence Against Women:
Identifying Risk Factors, Research
In Brief, National Institute Of Justice,
Office Of Justice Programs, U.S.
Department Of Justice, Washington,
DC: November 2004.
www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/197019.pdf
Violence Among Family Members
And Intimate Partners Section V,
FBI Special Report, Uniform Crime
Report Programs National Incident-
Based Reporting System, 1996-2001,
Federal Bureau Of Investigation,
U.S. Department Of Justice,
Washington, DC: October 25, 2004.
www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius_03/pdf/
03sec5.pdf
General
Bibliography
213th General Assembly
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Advisory Committee on Social
Witness Policy of the General
Assembly Council. Turn Mourning
into Dancing! A Policy Statement
on Healing Domestic Violence and
Study Guide. Louisville: Office of
the General Assembly, 2001.
Adams C, Fortune M. Violence
Against Women and Children: A
Christian Theological Sourcebook.
New York: Continuum, 1995.
Adams C. Woman-Battering.
Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1994.
Agtuca J. A Community Secret:
for the Filipina in an Abusive
Relationship. Seattle: Seal
Press, 1994.
Alwani Z, Abugideiri S. What Islam
Says About Domestic Violence: A
Guide for Helping Muslim Families.
Herndon, VA: Foundation for
Appropriate and Immediate
Temporary Help, 2003.
Chicago Metropolitan Battered
Womens Network. Domestic
Violence 40-Hour Training.
Chicago, IL: 2005.
Chicago Metropolitan Battered
Womens Network. Proposed
Objectives for the Chicagoland All
Faiths Against Domestic Violence
Project Project Overview.
Chicago, IL: 2005.
Clarke RL. Pastoral Care of
Battered Women. Philadelphia:
The Westminster Press, 1986.
Cooper-White P. An Emperor
Without Clothes: The Churchs
Views About Treatment of
Domestic Violence. Pastoral
Psychology 45, no. 1 (September
1996): 3-20.
Fortune M. The Transformation of
Suffering: A Biblical and Theological
Perspective. Violence against
Women and Children: A Christian
Theological Source Book. Ed.
Carol J. Adams and Mary M.
Fortune. New York: Continuum
Publishing, 1995, 85-91.
Illinois Coalition Against Domestic
Violence. Handbook for Domestic
Violence Victims. Springfield, IL: 2001.
Jewish Women International.
Embracing Justice: A Resource
Guide for Rabbis on Domestic
Abuse. Washington, DC: 2004.
Gardsbane D, Ed. Healing and
Wholeness: A Resource Guide on
Domestic Abuse in the Jewish
Community. Washington, DC: 2004.
Livezey LG. A Christian Vision of
Sexual Justice: Theological and
Ethical Reflections on Violence
Against Women. I n Gods Image
10.1 (1991): 18-31.
Livezey LG. Sex and Power
Politics: A Theological Reflection.
Working Together 19.2 (1999): 1-4.
Miles A. Domestic Violence: What
Every Pastor Needs to Know.
Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2000.
Miles A. Violence in Families: What
Every Christian Needs to Know.
Minneapolis: Augsburg Books, 2002.
Miles A. Ending Violence in Teen
Dating Relationships: A Resource
Guide for Parents and Pastors.
Minneapolis: Augsburg Books, 2005.
Miles A. When Words Abuse. The
Clergy Journal March 2000: 39-42.
Miles A. Christians Beware! The
Clergy Journal April 2002: 17-18.
Miles A. Domestic Violence
Awareness Month: A Plea to
Clergy. The Clergy Journal
October 2003:16-17.
Miller MS. No Visible Wounds.
New York: Random House, 1995.
Murphy N A. Gods Reconciling
Love: A Pastors Handbook on
Domestic Violence. Seattle: Faith
Trust Institute, 2003.
Nason-Clark N. The Battered Wife:
How Christians Confront Family
Violence. Louisville: Westminster
John Knox Press, 1997.
Nason-Clark N. Conservative
Protestants and Violence Against
Women: Exploring the Rhetoric
and The Response. Religion and
the Social Order 5 (1995): 109-130.
National American Indian Court
Judges Association. Child Sexual
Abuse in Native American
Communities. Petaluma, CA:
National Indian Justice Center, 1991.
National Spiritual Assembly of the
Bah's of the United States.
Guidelines for Spiritual Assemblies
on Domestic Violence: A
Supplement to Developing
Distinctive Bah' Communities.
Evanston, Illinois, 2002.
Office of Attorney General Scott
Harsbarger in cooperation with
the Boston Coalition Religious
Community Task Force.
Responding to Domestic Violence:
a Guide for Clergy and Laity, 1997.
Quindlen A. Black and Blue.
New York: Dell, 1999.
50
Schornstein S. Domestic Violence
and Health Care: What Every
Professional Needs to Know.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1997.
St. Paul Archdiocese of Minneapolis.
When You Are Called for Help: A
Guide for Clergy on Responding to
Domestic Violence Situations.
St. Paul: 2001.
Taves A. The Power to See and
the Power to Name: American
Church History and the Problem of
Domestic Violence. Violence
against Women and Children: A
Christian Theological Source Book.
Ed. Carol J. Adams and Marie M.
Fortune. New York: Continuum
Publishing, 1995, 262-278.
Thistlethwaite SB. Battered Women
and the Bible: From Subjection to
Liberation. Christianity and Crisis
41.8 (1981): 308-313.
Thompson VS, Bazile A. African
American Attitudes toward Domestic
Violence and DV Assistance. 2000.
Prevention Research Center. 22
Apr. 2005 www.nvaw.org/research/
attitudesdv.shtml
Walker LE. Abused Women and
Survivor Therapy. Washington, DC:
American Psychological
Association, 1994.
Walker LE. The Battered Woman
Syndrome. 2nd ed. New York:
Springer, 2000.
Weiss E. Family and Friends
Guide to Domestic Violence.
Volcano, CA: Volcano Press, 2000.
West CM., ed. Violence in the Lives
of Black Women: Battered Black
and Blue. New York: Haworth, 2002.
White EC. Chain Chain Change:
For Black Women in Abusive
Relationships. Seattle:
Seal Press, 1994.
Zambrano MM. Mejor Sola Que
Mal Acompanada (For the Latin in
an Abusive Relationship). Seattle:
Seal Press, 1985.
Zimmerman MW. Take and Make
Holy: Honoring the Sacred in the
Healing Journey of Abuse
Survivors. Chicago: Liturgical
Training, 1995.
51
52
Specific Citations
Referenced in the Text
1 Chicago Metropolitan Battered Womens Network.
Proposed Objectives for the Chicagoland All Faiths
Against Domestic Violence Project Project
Overview. Chicago: Author, 2005, 1-2.
2 Wilt S, Olson S. Prevalence of domestic violence in
the United States. J Amer Med Womens Assoc.
1996; 51(3):77-82.
3 The Commonwealth Fund, Health Concerns Across a
Womans Lifespan: 1998 Survey of Womens Health,
May 1999.
4 Carlson BE. Childrens observations of interpersonal
violence. In Roberts A (Ed.) Battered Women and
their Families p 147-67. NY: Springer R, 1984.
5 Straus MA. Children as witnesses to marital violence:
a risk factor for life long problems among a nationally
representative sample of American men and women.
Paper presented at the Ross Roundtable on
Children and Violence. Washington DC, 1992.
6 Jaffe PG, Wolfe D, Wilson S. Children of Battered
Women. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, 1990.
7 Terr L. What happens to early memories of trauma?
A study of twenty children under age five at the time
of documented traumatic events. J Am Acad Child
Adolesc Psychiatry. 1988; 27:96-104.
8 Sugar M. Toddlers traumatic memories. Infant
Mental Health Journal. 1992; 13:245-251.
9 Chicago Metropolitan Battered Womens Network.
Domestic Violence 40-Hour Training. Chicago:
Author, 2005, 2.3 2.7.
10 Tjaden P, Thoennes N. Prevalence, Incidence,
and Consequences of Violence Against Women:
Findings from the National Violence Against Women
Survey. National Institute of Justice and Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention Research In Brief.
U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice
Programs, National Institute of Justice. NCJ-
172837. November 1998.
11 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and
The National Institute of Justice, Extent, Nature, and
Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence, July 2000.
12 U.S. Department of Justice, Violence by Intimates:
Analysis of Data on Crimes by Current or Former
Spouses, Boyfriends, and Girlfriends, March 1998
13 Bureau of Justice Statistics Crime Data Brief,
Intimate Partner Violence, 1993-2001, February 2003.
14 Strauss, Murray A, Gelles, Richard J., and Smith,
Christine. 1990. Physical Violence in American
Families; Risk Factors and Adaptations to Violence
in 8,145 Families. New Brunswick: Transaction
Publishers.
15 Alpert EJ and Committee on Violence. Partner
Violence: How to Identify and Treat Victims of Abuse
a Guide for Physicians and other Health Care
Professionals. 4th edition. 2004; Waltham, MA:
Massachusetts Medical Society.
16 McCauley J, Kern DE, Kolodner K, Dill L, Schroeder
AF, DeChant HK, et al. The battering syndrome:
prevalence and clinical characteristics of domestic
violence in primary care internal medicine practices.
Ann Intern Med, 1995; 123:737-746.
17 Flitcraft A, Hadley S, et al. Diagnostic and Treatment
Guidelines on Domestic Violence. Chicago, IL:
American Medical Association, 1992.
53
18 St. Paul Archdiocese of Minneapolis. When You Are
Called for Help: A Guide for Clergy on Responding
to Domestic Violence Situations. St. Paul: Author,
2001, 23.
19 Harvard Law School Battered Womens Advocacy
Project Training and Resource Manual, Draft #6,
Cambridge, MA: 1991; 47-8.
20 Jaffe PG, Wolfe DA, Wilson SK. Children of
Battered Women. Newbury Park, CA: Sage
Publications, 1990.
2
1
Zuckerman B, Augustyn M, Groves BM, Parker S.
Silent victims revisited: the special case of domestic
violence. Pediatrics, 1995; 84:511-513.
22 Renzetti CM, Miley CH, Eds. Violence in Gay and
Lesbian Domestic Partnerships. New York:
Haworth, 1996.
23 Brand PA, Kidd AH. Frequency of physical
aggression in heterosexual and homosexual dyads.
Psychological Reports, 1986;59, 1307-1313.
24 Waterman CK, Dawson LJ Bologna MJ. Sexual
coercion in gay male and lesbian relationship:
predictors and implications for support services.
Journal of Sex Research, 1989; 26, 118-124.
25 Duncan DF. Prevalence of sexual assault victimization
among heterosexual and gay/lesbian university
students. Psychological Reports, 1990; 66:65-66.
26 Warshaw C, Ganley AL. Improving the Health Care
Response to Domestic Violence: A Resource
Manual for Health Care Providers. 1995; Family
Violence Prevention Fund, San Francisco CA.
27 St. Paul Archdiocese of Minneapolis. When You Are
Called for Help, 5
28 Glidden D, Personal communication, 1996.
Notes
INTERFAITH COMMITEE AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Dr. Najma M. Adam
Lynda Barnes
Hollie Campbell
Rev. Joyce Calvin
Vickii Coffey
Patricia Coleman
Rev. Ruben Cruz
Rev. Sharon Ellis Davis
Rev. Carl Flewellen
Mayme Flewellen
Pamela Fowler
Cathy Gaines
Pastor E. David Garcia
Pastor Maribel Garcia
Ruth Hill
Evangelist Linda Jasmine
Deacon Phyllis Luster
Rev. Samuel Paul
Dr. Lorrie C. Reed
Ana Romero
Amy Rubin
Itedal Shalabi
Terrill Stumpf
Monica Young-Freeman
203 N. Wabash, Suite 2323
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: (312) 750-0730
Fax: (312) 750-0733
TTY: (312) 750-0735
www.batteredwomensnetwork.org
Fact:
Domestic violence crosses all age, ethnic, socioeconomic, religious, and educational
boundaries. There are doctors, ministers, psychologists, police, attorneys, judges, and
other professionals who beat their partners. Battering also occurs in same gender
relationships.
Domestic violence is virtually impossible to measure with absolute precision due to
numerous complications including the societal stigma that inhibits victims from disclosing
their abuse and the varying definitions of abuse used from study to study. Estimates range
from 960,000 incidents of violence against a current or former spouse, boyfriend, or
girlfriend per year to 3.9 million women who are physically abused each year. Thirty
percent of Americans say they know a woman who has been physically abused by her
husband or boyfriend in the past year.
An abusive relationship can be defined as one in which a partner uses a pattern of
assaultive and coercive behaviors to maintain power and control over the other partner.
This includes couples who are married or unmarried, gay or straight. Types of abuse can
include physical, emotional, social, economic, and sexual.
About Domestic Violence
Cycle of Violence
Phase 1 Tension Building
A victim often senses that the abuser is becoming edgy and more prone to lash out at trivial
frustrations. The victim may learn to anticipate abuse and try to control it by being more nurturing
and compliant or by simply staying out of the abusers way. This phase is marked by many minor
abusive actions that gradually increase in severity. Quite often the event which will trigger the
battering phase is initiated by the abuser who may make a demand which the victim cannot meet,
and responds to her/his refusal or inability to act with violent behavior.
Abuse victims often accept the building rage in a partner as being legitimately directed towards
her/him. The victim internalizes the responsibility of keeping the situation from exploding. If she/he
does their job well, the abusive partner will become or remain calm; if she/he fails, the victim
believes it is their own fault. A victim who has been battered over time knows that she/he can do
nothing to stop the tension from building, but often denies this knowledge to help cope with the
partners behavior.
Phase 2 Acute Battering Incident (Explosive Incident)
Search
Like 391
Computer Safety
If you think your activities are being
monitored, they probably are. If you are in
danger, please try to use a safe computer
that someone abusive does not have direct
or remote (hacking) access to.
Learn how an abuser can find out about
your internet activities.
Support Our Mission
Donate to Life Span
Follow Us on Facebook
Life Span
Like
391peoplelikeLifeSpan.
Follow Us on Twitter
Home Services Domestic Violence Sexual Assault About Us Support Life Span Donor Recognition News
http://life-span.org/domestic-violence
The Illinois Domestic Violence Help Line is free, confidential and multilingual:
Phone: 1-877-863-6338 | TTY: 1-877-863-6339
When the abuser finally becomes violent, the severity of the assault and where it occurs is
impossible to predict. This phase is characterized by explosive and unpredictable rage. This may
involve pushing, shoving, shaking, or hair pulling. It may involve hitting with an open hand or a
closed fist. It may involve intense yelling and name calling. It may be over in a moment or last for
hours. If the assault has been physical, there may be visible injuries, but often an experienced
batterer will leave no marks. The attack rarely takes a single consistent form. The attack is followed
by shock, denial and disbelief. Most victims consider themselves lucky that it was not worse, no
matter how bad their injuries are. They often deny the seriousness of their injuries and refuse to
seek medical help if it is needed. The abuser denies violence, and justifes the behavior by saying
the original intent was to simply teach the victim a lesson, and she/he just lost control.
Phase 3 Aftermath: Loving Respite (Re-engagement Phase)
Victims may enter the criminal justice system after an acute battering episode, but after the assault
comes a period of calm, loving, contrite behavior. Both the abuser and the victim feel guilty about
the event and resolve never to let it happen again. The batterer will very typically treat the victim
with apparent respect, love and affection. This is a great relief for the victim and is precisely what
was desired from the relationship all along.
The abuser apologizes for what happened and asks for forgiveness. The abuser may even believe
she/he will not do it again. The abuser promises to control her/himself and will never again hurt the
partner she/he loves. An abuser may even agree to go to therapy (but will usually drop out when
the relationship resumes the tension building phase). The abuser tells the victim that she/he would
fall apart without them, and the victim wants to believe she/he will no longer have to suffer abuse.
An abusers reasonableness and loving behavior during this period support the victims wish that
the partner can really change. The victim takes responsibility for their abusers well-being and for
the abuse. If the victim has filed charges against the reformed partner, she/he may consider
dropping them. As long as the abusive partner continues to behave affectionately, the victim
becomes increasingly reluctant to jeopardize such good behavior by proceeding with a prosecution
or anything considered a disturbance to the relationship.
If you have any questions, or would like to learn about your options, please call Life Span at
312-408-1210.
http://life-span.org/domestic-violence

FAITHTRUST INSTITUTE
(formerly Center for the Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence)
Seattle, WA (2002)
http://www.faithtrustinstitute.org
Duplicate and Distribute Freely

1

RESPONDING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: GUIDELINES
FOR PASTORS, RABBIS, IMAMS, PRIESTS AND OTHER
RELIGIOUS LEADERS

Remember the Goals:

1. SAFETY for the woman and children
2. ACCOUNTABILITY for the abuser
3. RESTORATION of individuals and, IF POSSIBLE, relationships
OR
MOURNING the loss of the relationships

DOs and DONTs with a battered woman

DO believe her. Her description of the violence is only the tip of the iceberg.

DO reassure her that this is not her fault, she doesnt deserve this treatment, it is not
Gods will for her.

DO give her referral information; primary resources are battered womens services
or shelters and National Hotline. 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
1-800-787-3224 (TDD)

DO support and respect her choices. Even if she is aware of the risks and chooses
initially to return to the abuser, it is her choice. She has the most information about
how to survive.

DO encourage her to think about a safety plan: set aside some money; copies of
important papers for her and children and a change of clothes hidden or in care of a
friend if she decides to go to a shelter. Plan how to exit the house the next time the
abuser is violent. Plan what to do about the children if they are at school; if they are
asleep, etc. (This is both practical and helps her stay in touch with the reality of the
abusers violence. Safety planning is a process that is ongoing.)

DO protect her confidentiality. DO NOT give information about her or her
whereabouts to the abuser or to others who might pass information on to the abuser.
Do not discuss with the parish council/session/elders who might inadvertently pass
information on to the abuser.

DO help her with any religious concerns. If she is Christian, give her a copy of
KEEPING THE FAITH: GUIDANCE FOR CHRISTIAN WOMEN FACING ABUSE.
Refer to www.faithtrustinstitute.org for copies of this book and other helpful info.

Seattle, WA (2002)

2
DO emphasize that the marriage covenant is broken by the violence from her
partner. DO assure her of Gods love and presence, of your commitment to walk
with her through this valley of the shadow of death.

DO help her see that her partners violence has broken the marriage covenant and
that God does not want her to remain in a situation where her life and the lives of her
children are in danger.

If she decides to separate and divorce, DO support her and help her to mourn the
loss to herself and her children.

DO pray with her. Ask God to give her the strength and courage she needs.

DONT minimize the danger to her. You can be a reality check. From what you
have told me, I am very much concerned for your safety . . .

DONT tell her what to do. Give information and support.

DONT react with disbelief, disgust, or anger at what she tells you. But dont react
passively either. Let her know that you are concerned and that what the abuser has
done to her is wrong and not deserved by her.

DONT blame her for his violence. If she is blaming herself, try to reframe: I dont
care if you did have supper late or forget to water the lawn, that is no reason for him
to be violent with you. This is his problem.

DONT recommend couples counseling or approach her husband and ask for his
side of the story. These actions will endanger her.

DONT recommend marriage enrichment, mediation, or a communications
workshop. None of these will address the goals listed above.

DONT send her home with just a prayer and directive to submit to her husband,
bring him to church, or be a better Christian wife.

DONT encourage her to forgive him and take him back.

DO NOT encourage her dependence on you OR BECOME EMOTIONALLY OR
SEXUALLY INVOLVED WITH HER.

DONT do nothing.

DO consult with colleagues in the wider community who may have expertise and be
able to assist you in your response. Refer to www.faithtrustinstitute.org for
resources.

Seattle, WA (2002)

3
RESPONDING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: GUIDELINES
FOR PASTORS, RABBIS, IMAMS, PRIESTS AND OTHER
RELIGIOUS LEADERS

Remember the Goals:

1. SAFETY for the woman and children
2. ACCOUNTABILITY for the abuser
3. RESTORATION of individuals and, IF POSSIBLE, relationships
OR
MOURNING the loss of the relationships

DOs and DONTs with an abusive partner

If he has been arrested, DO approach him and express your concern and support for
him to be accountable and to deal with his violence.

DONT meet with him alone and in private. Meet in a public place or in the church
with several other people around.

DONT approach him or let him know that you know about his violence unless a) you
have the victims permission, b) she is aware that you plan to talk to him and c) you
are certain that his partner is safely separated from him.

DO address any religious rationalizations he may offer or questions he may have.
DONT allow him to use religious excuses for his behavior.

DO name the violence as his problem, not hers. Tell him that only he can stop it;
and you are willing to help.

DO refer to a program which specifically addresses abusers.

DO assess him for suicide or threats of homicide. DO warn the victim if he makes
specific threats towards her.

DONT pursue couples counseling with him and his partner if you are aware that
there is violence in the relationship.

Seattle, WA (2002)

4
DONT go to him to confirm the victims story.

DONT give him any information about his partner or her whereabouts.

DONT be taken in by his minimization, denial or lying about his violence. DONT
accept his blaming her or other rationalizations for his behavior.

DONT be taken in by his conversion experience. If it is genuine, it will be a
tremendous resource as he proceeds with accountability. If it is phony, it is only
another way to manipulate you and the system and maintain control of the process
to avoid accountability.

DONT advocate for the abuser to avoid the legal consequences of his violence.

DONT provide a character witness for this purpose in any legal proceedings.

DONT forgive an abuser quickly and easily. DONT confuse his remorse with true
repentance.

DONT send him home with just a prayer. Work with others in the community to hold
him accountable.

DO pray with him. Ask God to help him stop his violence, repent and find a new
way. DO assure him of your support in this endeavor.

DO find ways to collaborate with community agencies and law enforcement to hold
him accountable. For information addressing religion and abuse refer to
www.faithtrustinstitute.org or contact FaithTrust Institute at (206) 634-1903.

Why Domestic Violence Victims Dont Leave,
LeslieMorganSteiner.Thisisafirstpersonvideoaccount.
http://www.ted.com/talks/leslie_morgan_steiner_why_domestic_violence_victims_don_t_leave.html

DONATE NOW
Training Shop E-Community Email Sign-Up
AVAILABLE WHEELS
(downloadable PDF):
POWER AND CONTROL
PODER Y CONTROL
EQUALITY
IGUALDAD
CREATOR
CULTURE
ABUSE OF CHILDREN
NURTURING CHILDREN
MALTRATO DE MENORES
CUIDADO Y PROTECCIN DE
SUS HIJ OS
To purchase poster-sized wheels,
click here.
WHEEL GALLERY
The Power and Control Wheel was developed from the
experience of battered women in Duluth who had been
abused by their male partners. It has been translated into
over 40 languages and has resonated with the experience of
battered women world-wide.
FAQs About the Wheels
Why was the Power and Control Wheel created?
In 1984, staff at the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project (DAIP) began developing
curricula for groups for men who batter and victims of domestic violence. We wanted a way
to describe battering for victims, offenders, practitioners in the criminal justice system and
the general public. Over several months, we convened focus groups of women who had
been battered. We listened to heart-wrenching stories of violence, terror and survival. After
listening to these stories and asking questions, we documented the most common abusive
behaviors or tactics that were used against these women. The tactics chosen for the wheel
were those that were most universally experienced by battered women.
Why did you call it the Power and Control Wheel?
Battering is one form of domestic or intimate partner violence. It is characterized by the pattern of actions that an individual
uses to intentionally control or dominate his intimate partner. That is why the words "power and control" are in the center of
the wheel. A batterer systematically uses threats, intimidation, and coercion to instill fear in his partner. These behaviors
are the spokes of the wheel. Physical and sexual violence holds it all togetherthis violence is the rim of the wheel.
Why isnt the Power and Control Wheel gender neutral?
The Power and Control Wheel represents the lived experience of women who live with a man who beats them. It does not
attempt to give a broad understanding of all violence in the home or community but instead offers a more precise
explanation of the tactics men use to batter women. We keep our focus on womens experience because the battering of
women by men continues to be a significant social problem--men commit 86 to 97 percent of all criminal assaults and
women are killed 3.5 times more often than men in domestic homicides1.
When women use violence in an intimate relationship, the context of that violence tends to differ from men. First, mens use
of violence against women is learned and reinforced through many social, cultural and institutional avenues, while womens
use of violence does not have the same kind of societal support. Secondly, many women who do use violence against their
male partners are being battered. Their violence is primarily used to respond to and resist the controlling violence being
used against them. On the societal level, womens violence against men has a trivial effect on men compared to the
devastating effect of mens violence against women.
Battering in same-sex intimate relationships has many of the same characteristics of battering in heterosexual
relationships, but happens within the context of the larger societal oppression of same-sex couples. Resources that
describe same-sex domestic violence have been developed by specialists in that field such as The Northwest Network of
Bi, Trans, Lesbian and Gay Survivors of Abuse, www.nwnetwork.org
Making the Power and Control Wheel gender neutral would hide the power imbalances in relationships between men and
women that reflect power imbalances in society. By naming the power differences, we can more clearly provide advocacy
and support for victims, accountability and opportunities for change for offenders, and system and societal changes that
end violence against women.
Why did you create the Equality Wheel?
The Equality Wheel was developed not to describe equality per se, but to describe the changes needed for men who batter
to move from being abusive to non-violent partnership. For example, the "emotional abuse" segment on the Power and
DONATE NOW
TRAININGS
What is the Duluth Model?
Why it Works.
Get Trained. Get Resources.
Be Effective.
Stop Violence in
Your Community.
Change Happens.
See How.
Trainings Resource Materials Wheels Success Stories Continuing Education E-Community Online Catalog
Page 1 of 2
http://www.theduluthmodel.org/training/wheels.html
About Us Contact Us Volunteer J obs Events Funders Links Site Map
2011 Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs 202 East Superior Street Duluth, MN 55802 218-722-2781
Control Wheel is contrasted with the respectsegment on the Equality Wheel. So the wheels can be used together as a
way to identify and explore abuse, then encourage non-violent change.
Has the wheel been translated into different languages?
Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs has translated the wheel into Spanish. And, the wheel has been translated by
many others worldwide. The wheel has also been adapted culturally, such as the wheel adapted by Mending the Sacred
Hoop to reflect some of the tactics a Native American batterer might use against his intimate partner to control her.
Can I use or adapt the wheels?
Our wheels are copyrighted. They may be used in men's educational classes, groups for battered women or community
education presentations as long as they are credited to the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project as noted on the wheels.
For other uses, please submit a written request explaining the desired use and purpose to our National Training Project
staff.
Programs wishing to adapt the wheels in any way should submit a written request to our National Training Project staff,
explaining the desired use and purpose. In making our decision, we will look at how the adapted wheel reflects power
imbalances between abusers and victims, if the segments have been carefully reviewed and edited and whether a wheel
would be the most effective learning tools for the adaptors purpose. In addition, it is important that the content of the wheel
come from focus groups with those experiencing the abuse. Requests are considered on a case by case basis.
Our National Training Project staff may be contacted at training@theduluthmodel.org.
How is the Power and Control Wheel used?
The wheel is used in many settings and can be found in manuals, books, articles, and on the walls of agencies that seek to
prevent domestic violence. It has even been seen by millions on national television shows and soap operas!
Many womens groups use the Power and Control Wheel. Battered women can point to each of the tactics on the wheel
and clearly explain how these behaviors were used against them. They are able to see that they are not alone in their
experience and more fully understand how their batterer could exert such control over them.
The wheel is also used in counseling and education groups for men who batter to help group participants identify the
tactics they use. By seeing that their behavior is not atypical for men who batter, there is an impetus (for those who are
motivated to change) to explore the beliefs that contribute to their behavior. The Power and Control Wheel is used in
concert with the Equality Wheel to help group participants see alternate ways of being in a relationship with a woman, free
of violence and controlling behavior.
The wheel is also used in a variety of settings to describe battering. For instance, in training for law enforcement or
prosecutors, the wheel provides an explanation for why a victim might return to an abusive spouse or why victim is refusing
to cooperate in a criminal prosecution.
The wheel makes the pattern, intent and impact of violence visible.
Can I purchase a poster-size version of the wheels?
Yes! Click here for our poster-size wheels.
AVAILABLE WHEELS (downloadable PDF):
POWER AND CONTROL
PODER Y CONTROL
EQUALITY
IGUALDAD
CREATOR
ABUSE OF CHILDREN
NURTURING CHILDREN
To purchase poster-sized wheels, click here.
1Supplementary Homicide Reports of the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program in 2005, 1181 females and 329 males were killed by their
intimate partners. Adams, D. (1999). Serial Batterers. Boston, MA: office of the Commissioner of Probation. Klein, A., Wilson, D., Crowe, A., &
DeMichele, M. (2005). An Evaluation of Rhode Islands Specialized Supervision of Domestic Violence Probationers. Waltham, MA: BOTEC.
Analysis Corporation & American Probation and Parole Association. Final Report on Grant 2002-WG-BX-001.
Page 2 of 2
http://www.theduluthmodel.org/training/wheels.html
1
1
Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Safety Planning for Survivors

About Safety Planning . . .
A safety plan can help you stay safer even when you think you won't
leave and even if your abuser doesn't live with you. If you are
concerned about your safety, develop a safety plan. Do it for yourself.
Do it for the safer life that you and your children deserve.
A safety plan is a tool to help you think about what you can do to
protect yourself from abuse. This information can get you started. To
speak to someone about a personal plan that suits your situation, call
your local domestic violence program.
The information here comes from the collective experience of domestic
violence shelters, police, prosecutors, and other battered women. A
safety plan is a tool that has worked for others, and it can help you
think about ways in which you can stay safer. After youve reviewed
this information, you may want more help. Confidential, free service is
available to you when you call a domestic violence program.

Things I can do before a violent incident . . .
Identify a neighbor I can tell about the violence and ask them to call
the police if they hear a disturbance at my house.
Devise a code word or signal to use with family, friends, or neighbors
when I need them to call the police.
Open my own savings account to increase my independence.
Leave money, an extra set of keys, copies of important documents,
and extra clothes with someone I trust.
Decide where Ill go if I leave my home, even if right now I dont
think it will come to that.
Identify a domestic-violence shelter to call. Find out if a friend or
relative will let me stay with them or lend me money.
Keep the shelter hotline close at hand and keep change or a calling
card on me at all times.
Identify which door, window, stairwell, or elevator offers the quickest
way out of my home, and practice my escape route.
2
Teach my children to dial 911
Pack a bag and have it ready to go in case I must leave home. Keep
the bag in a private but accessible place where I can grab it
quickly. Ill need to take the following items:
Money cash, my checkbook, credit cards, ATM cards, etc.
Identification drivers license and registration, Social
Security card, passport, green card, public assistance ID,
work permit, etc.
Important papers such as divorce papers; school and
vaccination records; and birth certificates for me and my
children
Clothing
Keys house, car, or work
Medications
If I already have an order of protection, I need to keep it with me at
all times.
Review my safety plan as often as possible.

Things I can do during a violent incident...
If an argument starts, stay close to a room or area with easy access
to an exit. Stay away from the bathroom, kitchen, or anywhere
near weapons.
Get away. Try to get my packed bag on the way out, but if its too
dangerous, just leave. Go to a relative, friend, or shelter.
Call 911 or my local police. The police must try to protect you from
future abuse. They are required to provide or arrange
transportation to a hospital or other safe place for you. The
police should also arrest the abuser if they have enough
evidence of a crime. They must give you a paper which explains
your rights and lists a social service agency that can help.
Use my judgment and intuition. If the situation is very dangerous, I
can give the abuser what he wants to calm him down. I have to
protect myself and the kids until we are out of danger.

3
Things I can do after a violent incident . . .
Get medical attention immediately. Ask the clinic to take pictures of
my injuries.
Make a police report, even if I dont want the abuser arrested. The
report will become evidence of past abuse which might prove
helpful to me in the future. The abuser will not be notified that
you made the report . . . Make the report as soon as possible
after the abuse.
Save evidence, in case I decide to take legal action now or later.
Evidence includes medical records and police reports, dated
photos of my injuries or the house in disarray, torn clothing, any
weapons used, and statements from anyone who saw the attack.
Go to court to get an order of protection from domestic abuse. I can
call the local domestic violence program to learn more about this
option and to get help with court action.
Seek out people who want to help me. Decide who I can talk openly
with to receive the support I need. Plan to attend a victims
support group for at least 2 weeks to learn more about myself
and the relationship.
During an emergency, call 911 or local police.
I can increase my safety and prepare in advance for the possibility of
further violence. I have choices about how to best get my
children and myself to safety.

Get Help Now (Links)
Get Help In Illinois-Victim Services
Get Help In Illinois-Abuser Services
Get Help Outside of Illinois
Technology Safety
Safety Planning for Survivors

1
Illinois Collation Against Domestic Violence http://www.ilcadv.org

National
Intimate Partner and
Sexual Violence Survey
2010 Summary Report
The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 Summary
Report is a publication of the National Center for Injury Prevention and
Control of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH, Director
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
Linda C. Degutis, DrPH, MSN, Director
Howard R. Spivak, MD, Director
Suggested Citation:
Black, M.C., Basile, K.C., Breiding, M.J., Smith, S.G., Walters, M.L., Merrick, M.T.,
Chen, J., & Stevens, M.R. (2011). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual
Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010 Summary Report. Atlanta, GA: National Center
for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
b The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey | 2010 Summary Report
The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey | 2010 Summary Report i
The National Intimate Partner
and Sexual Violence Survey:
2010 Summary Report
Michele C. Black, Kathleen C. Basile, Matthew J. Breiding, Sharon G. Smith
Mikel L. Walters, Melissa T. Merrick
Jieru Chen and Mark R. Stevens
November 2011
Atlanta, Georgia
TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Tables and Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vii
Dedication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii
Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Sections:
1. Background and Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
What is the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
How was the survey developed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
What does this report include? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Survey instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Survey administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Interviewer recruitment, training and monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
IRB and OMB Approval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Data analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Data quality assurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2. Sexual Violence Victimization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Prevalence of sexual violence victimization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Prevalence of rape and other sexual violence by race/ethnicity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Type of perpetrator in lifetime reports of sexual violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Number of perpetrators in lifetime reports of sexual violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Sex of perpetrator in lifetime reports of sexual violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Age at the time of rst completed rape victimization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Rape victimization as a minor and subsequent rape victimization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
3. Stalking Victimization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Prevalence of stalking victimization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Prevalence of stalking victimization by race/ethnicity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Tactics used in lifetime reports of stalking victimization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Type of perpetrator in lifetime reports of stalking victimization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Number of perpetrators in lifetime reports of stalking victimization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Sex of perpetrator in lifetime reports of stalking victimization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Age at the time of rst stalking victimization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
ii The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey | 2010 Summary Report
The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey | 2010 Summary Report iii
4. Violence by an Intimate Partner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Prevalence of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Prevalence of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by race/ethnicity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Overlap of rape, physical violence, and stalking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Prevalence of sexual violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Prevalence of physical violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Prevalence of stalking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Prevalence of psychological aggression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Prevalence of control of reproductive or sexual health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Victim-perpetrator relationship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Number of perpetrators in lifetime reports of intimate partner violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Age at the time of rst intimate partner violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
5. Impact of Intimate Partner Violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Prevalence of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking with IPV-related impact. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Distribution of IPV-related impacts among victims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
6. Physical and Mental Health Outcomes by Victimization History . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
7. Sexual Violence, Stalking, and Intimate Partner Violence by State . . . . . . . . . . 65
8. Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Highlights and Cross-Cutting Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Comparison of Prevalence Estimates to Previous National Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
9. Implications for Prevention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Implement Prevention Approaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Ensure Appropriate Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Hold Perpetrators Accountable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Support Eorts Based on Strong Research and Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Appendix A: Expert Panel from the 2007 CDC Consultation on NISVS . . . . . . . . . . 99
Appendix B: Technical Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Appendix C: Victimization Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
TABLES AND FIGURES
Section 2 Sexual Violence Victimization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Table 2.1 Lifetime and 12 month prevalence of sexual violence U.S. Women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Table 2.2 Lifetime and 12 month prevalence of sexual violence U.S. Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Table 2.3 Lifetime prevalence of sexual violence by race/ethnicity U.S. Women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Table 2.4 Lifetime prevalence of sexual violence by race/ethnicity U.S. Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Table 2.5 Lifetime reports of sexual violence among female victims by type of perpetrator . . . . 22
Table 2.6 Lifetime reports of sexual violence among male victims by type of perpetrator . . . . . . 23
Figure 2.1 Lifetime number of perpetrators among female victims of sexual violence . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Figure 2.2 Age at time of rst completed rape victimization in lifetime among female victims

. . 25
Figure 2.3 Women raped as an adult by whether raped as a minor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Section 3 Stalking Victimization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Table 3.1 Lifetime and 12 month prevalence of stalking victimization U.S. Women and Men . . 30
Table 3.2 Lifetime prevalence of stalking victimization by race/ethnicity U.S. Women . . . . . . . . 30
Table 3.3 Lifetime prevalence of stalking victimization by race/ethnicity U.S. Men . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Figure 3.1 Lifetime reports of stalking among female victims by type of tactic experienced . . . . . 31
Figure 3.2 Lifetime reports of stalking among male victims by type of tactic experienced . . . . . . . 31
Figure 3.3 Lifetime reports of stalking among female victims by type of perpetrator . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Figure 3.4 Lifetime reports of stalking among male victims by type of perpetrator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Figure 3.5 Lifetime number of perpetrators among female and male victims of stalking . . . . . . . . 33
Figure 3.6 Age at time of rst stalking victimization in lifetime among female victims . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Figure 3.7 Age at time of rst stalking victimization in lifetime among male victims . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Section 4 Violence by an Intimate Partner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Table 4.1 Lifetime and 12 month prevalence of rape, physical violence,
and/or stalking victimization by an intimate partner U.S. Women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Table 4.2 Lifetime and 12 month prevalence of rape, physical violence,
and/or stalking victimization by an intimate partner U.S. Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Table 4.3 Lifetime prevalence of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking
by an intimate partner, by race/ethnicity U.S. Women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
by an intimate partner, by race/ethnicity U.S. Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Table 4.5 Lifetime and 12 month prevalence of sexual violence
by an intimate partner U.S. Women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Table 4.6 Lifetime and 12 month prevalence of sexual violence
by an intimate partner U.S. Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Table 4.7 Lifetime and 12 month prevalence of physical violence
Table 4.8 Lifetime and 12 month prevalence of physical violence
Table 4.9 Lifetime and 12 month prevalence of psychological aggression
Table 4.10 Lifetime and 12 month prevalence of psychological aggression
iv The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey | 2010 Summary Report
The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey | 2010 Summary Report v
Figure 4.1 Overlap of lifetime intimate partner rape, stalking, and physical violence
among female victims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Figure 4.2 Overlap of lifetime intimate partner rape, stalking, and physical violence
among male victims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Figure 4.3 Lifetime reports of psychological aggression among female victims by type
of behavior experienced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Figure 4.4 Lifetime reports of psychological aggression among male victims by type
of behavior experienced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Figure 4.5 Age at time of rst IPV experience among women who experienced rape,
physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Figure 4.6 Age at time of rst IPV experience among men who experienced rape,
Section 5 Impact of Intimate Partner Violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
by an intimate partner with IPV-related impact U.S. Women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
by an intimate partner with IPV-related impact U.S. Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Figure 5.1 Distribution of IPV-related impacts among female victims of rape,
physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Figure 5.2 Distribution of IPV-related impacts among male victims of rape,
Section 6 Physical and Mental Health Outcomes by Victimization History . . 59
Table 6.1 Prevalence of physical and mental health outcomes among those
with and without a history of rape or stalking by any perpetrator
or physical violence by an intimate partner U.S. Women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Table 6.2 Prevalence of physical and mental health outcomes among those
with and without a history of rape or stalking by any perpetrator
or physical violence by an intimate partner U.S. Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Section 7 Sexual Violence, Stalking, and Intimate Partner Violence by State . . 65
Table 7.1 Lifetime prevalence of sexual violence by any perpetrator
by state of residence U.S. Women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Table 7.2 Lifetime prevalence of sexual violence other than rape
by any perpetrator by state of residence U.S. Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Table 7.3 Lifetime prevalence of stalking victimization by any perpetrator
by state of residence U.S. Women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
by an intimate partner by state of residence U.S. Women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
by an intimate partner by state of residence U.S. Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
by an intimate partner with IPV-related impact by state of residence U.S. Women . . 78
Appendix B Technical Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Table B.1 Demographic characteristics of the NISVS sample and the U.S. population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
vi The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey | 2010 Summary Report
Contributors
Division of Violence Prevention, CDC
Linda L. Dahlberg, Associate Director for Science
E. Lynn Jenkins, Chief, Etiology and Surveillance Branch
Thomas R. Simon, Deputy Associate Director for Science
Debra Karch, Surveillance Team Lead, Etiology and Surveillance Branch
Nimesh Patel, Information Technology Specialist, Etiology and
Surveillance Branch
James A. Mercy, Special Advisor for Global Activities
National Institute of Justice
Bernard Auchter, Senior Social Science Analyst,
Oce of Research and Evaluation
Angela Moore, Division Director, Oce of Research and Evaluation
Christine Crossland, Senior Social Science Analyst,
Research Triangle Institute, International
Lisa Carley-Baxter, Project Director
Susan Rooker, Associate Project Director
Christopher Krebs, Instrumentation Lead
Andy Petychev, Lead Statistician
Steven Thomas, Analyst
Lilia Filippenko, Programming Lead
Niki Mayo, Survey Specialist
Rodney Baxter, Analyst
Angela Pitts, Analyst
The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey | 2010 Summary Report vii
Acknowledgments
We would like to acknowledge the following individuals who
contributed in many ways to the development and support of the
National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey. We give
special thanks to: Barbara Bibb, Marie Boyle, Margaret Brome,
Tessa Burton, Cecilia Casanueva, Michele Decker, Sarah DeGue,
Faye Floyd, Cathy Flynn, Jennifer Giroux, W. Rodney Hammond,
Diane Hall, Annie Howerton, Lisa James, Wanda Jones, Mary
Louise Kelley, Alida Knuth, Karol Krotki, Karen Lang, Dakisha
Locklear, David Lloyd, Shannon Lynberg, Joyce McCurdy, Anne
Menard, Jennifer Middlebrooks, Elizabeth Miller, TJ Nesius, Phyllis
Niolon, Paula Orlosky, Brandy Airall Perry, Ashley Richards, David
Roe, Jay Silverman, Jocelyn Wheaton, Renee Wright and the
many telephone interviewers and their supervisors at RTI who
supported this eort throughout the 2010 data collection.
We would also like to acknowledge and extend our gratitude to
the National Institute of Justice and the Department of Defense
Family Advocacy Program for their collaboration and nancial
support for the 2010 data collection.
Dedication
We dedicate this report to the memory of Linda E. Saltzman, PhD,
who was a pioneer in improving the consistency of denitions
and measurement of intimate partner violence, sexual violence,
and stalking. Linda laid the groundwork for this report as the lead
scientist who was involved in the early stages of the National
Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey. Her early leadership
has made the survey and this report possible.
viii The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey | 2010 Summary Report
The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey | 2010 Summary Report 1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Sexual violence, stalking, and
intimate partner violence are
major public health problems in
the United States. Many survivors
of these forms of violence can
experience physical injury, mental
health consequences such as
depression, anxiety, low self-
esteem, and suicide attempts,
and other health consequences
such as gastrointestinal disorders,
substance abuse, sexually trans-
mitted diseases, and gynecological
or pregnancy complications. These
consequences can lead to hospital-
ization, disability, or death.
Our understanding of these forms
of violence has grown substantially
over the years. However, timely,
ongoing, and comparable national
and state-level data are lacking.
Less is also known about how
these forms of violence impact
specic populations in the United
States or the extent to which rape,
stalking, or violence by a romantic
or sexual partner are experienced
in childhood and adolescence.
CDCs National Center for Injury
Prevention and Control launched
the National Intimate Partner and
Sexual Violence Survey in 2010 with
the support of the National Institute
of Justice and the Department of
Defense to address these gaps.
The primary objectives of the
National Intimate Partner and
Sexual Violence Survey are to
describe:
The prevalence and
characteristics of sexual
violence, stalking, and intimate
partner violence
Who is most likely to experience
these forms of violence
The patterns and impact of the
violence experienced by specic
perpetrators
The health consequences of
and Sexual Violence Survey is an
ongoing, nationally represen-
tative random digit dial (RDD)
telephone survey that collects
information about experiences
of sexual violence, stalking, and
intimate partner violence among
non-institutionalized English and/
or Spanish-speaking women and
men aged 18 or older in the United
States. NISVS provides detailed
information on the magnitude
and characteristics of these forms
of violence for the nation and for
individual states.
This report presents information
related to several types of violence
that have not previously been
measured in a national population-
based survey, including types
of sexual violence other than
rape; expressive psychological
aggression and coercive control,
and control of reproductive or
sexual health. This report also
provides the rst ever simultaneous
national and state-level prevalence
estimates of violence for all states.
The ndings presented in this
report are for 2010, the rst year
of data collection, and are based
on complete interviews. Complete
interviews were obtained from
16,507 adults (9,086 women and
7,421 men). The relative standard
error (RSE), which is a measure
of an estimates reliability, was
calculated for all estimates in this
report. If the RSE was greater than
30%, the estimate was deemed
unreliable and is not reported.
Consideration was also given to
the case count. If the estimate
was based on a numerator 20,
the estimate is also not reported.
Estimates for certain types of
violence reported by subgroups of
men such as rape victimization by
racial/ethnic group are not shown
because the number of men in
these subgroups reporting rape
was too small to calculate a reliable
estimate. These tables are included
in the report so that the reader
can easily determine what was
assessed and where gaps remain.
Key Findings
Sexual Violence by Any
Perpetrator
Nearly 1 in 5 women (18.3%) and
1 in 71 men (1.4%) in the United
States have been raped at some
time in their lives, including
completed forced penetration,
attempted forced penetration,
or alcohol/drug facilitated
completed penetration.
More than half (51.1%) of female
victims of rape reported being
raped by an intimate partner
and 40.8% by an acquaintance;
for male victims, more than
half (52.4%) reported being
raped by an acquaintance
and 15.1% by a stranger.
Approximately 1 in 21 men
(4.8%) reported that they were
made to penetrate someone else
during their lifetime; most men
who were made to penetrate
someone else reported that
the perpetrator was either an
intimate partner (44.8%) or an
acquaintance (44.7%).
An estimated 13% of
women and 6% of men have
experienced sexual coercion
in their lifetime (i.e., unwanted
sexual penetration after being
pressured in a nonphysical
way); and 27.2% of women and
11.7% of men have experienced
unwanted sexual contact.
Most female victims of
completed rape (79.6%)
experienced their rst rape
before the age of 25; 42.2%
experienced their rst completed
rape before the age of 18 years.
More than one-quarter of male
victims of completed rape
(27.8%) experienced their rst
rape when they were 10 years of
age or younger.
Stalking Victimization by Any
Perpetrator
One in 6 women (16.2%) and 1
in 19 men (5.2%) in the United
States have experienced stalking
victimization at some point
during their lifetime in which
they felt very fearful or believed
that they or someone close to
them would be harmed or killed.
Two-thirds (66.2%) of female
victims of stalking were stalked
by a current or former intimate
partner; men were primarily
stalked by an intimate partner
or an acquaintance, 41.4% and
40.0%, respectively.
Repeatedly receiving unwanted
telephone calls, voice, or
text messages was the most
commonly experienced stalking
tactic for both female and male
victims of stalking (78.8% for
women and 75.9% for men).
More than half of female victims
and more than one-third of male
victims of stalking indicated that
they were stalked before the
age of 25; about 1 in 5 female
victims and 1 in 14 male victims
experienced stalking between
the ages of 11 and 17.
Violence by an Intimate
Partner
More than 1 in 3 women (35.6%)
and more than 1 in 4 men
(28.5%) in the United States
have experienced rape, physical
violence, and/or stalking by an
intimate partner in their lifetime.
Among victims of intimate
partner violence, more than
1 in 3 women experienced
multiple forms of rape, stalking,
or physical violence; 92.1%
of male victims experienced
physical violence alone, and 6.3%
experienced physical violence
and stalking.
Nearly 1 in 10 women in the
United States (9.4%) has been
raped by an intimate partner in
her lifetime, and an estimated
16.9% of women and 8.0% of
men have experienced sexual
violence other than rape by an
intimate partner at some point in
their lifetime.
About 1 in 4 women (24.3%)
and 1 in 7 men (13.8%) have
experienced severe physical
violence by an intimate
partner (e.g., hit with a st
or something hard, beaten,
slammed against something)
at some point in their lifetime.
An estimated 10.7% of women
and 2.1% of men have been
during their lifetime.
Nearly half of all women and
men in the United States have
experienced psychological
aggression by an intimate
partner in their lifetime (48.4%
and 48.8%, respectively).
Most female and male victims of
rape, physical violence, and/or
stalking by an intimate partner
(69% of female victims; 53% of
male victims) experienced some
form of intimate partner violence
for the rst time before 25 years
of age.
Impact of Violence by an
Intimate Partner
Nearly 3 in 10 women and 1
in 10 men in the United States
intimate partner and reported
at least one impact related to
experiencing these or other
forms of violent behavior in the
relationship (e.g., being fearful,
concerned for safety, post
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
symptoms, need for health care,
injury, contacting a crisis hotline,
need for housing services, need
for victims advocate services,
need for legal services, missed at
least one day of work or school).
Violence Experienced by Race/
Ethnicity
Approximately 1 in 5 Black
(22.0%) and White (18.8%)
non-Hispanic women, and 1 in 7
Hispanic women (14.6%) in the
2 The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey | 2010 Summary Report
United States have experienced
rape at some point in their
lives. More than one-quarter of
women (26.9%) who identied
as American Indian or as Alaska
Native and 1 in 3 women (33.5%)
who identied as multiracial
non-Hispanic reported rape
victimization in their lifetime.
One out of 59 White non-
Hispanic men (1.7%) has
experienced rape at some point
in his life. Nearly one-third of
multiracial non-Hispanic men
(31.6%) and over one-quarter of
Hispanic men (26.2%) reported
sexual violence other than rape
in their lifetimes.
Approximately 1 in 3 multiracial
non-Hispanic women (30.6%)
and 1 in 4 American Indian or
Alaska Native women (22.7%)
reported being stalked during
their lifetimes. One in 5 Black
non-Hispanic women (19.6%),
1 in 6 White non-Hispanic women
(16.0%), and 1 in 7 Hispanic
women (15.2%) experienced
stalking in their lifetimes.
Approximately 1 in 17 Black non-
Hispanic men (6.0%), and
1 in 20 White non-Hispanic men
(5.1%) and Hispanic men (5.1%)
in the United States experienced
stalking in their lifetime.
Approximately 4 out of every 10
women of non-Hispanic Black or
American Indian or Alaska Native
race/ethnicity (43.7% and 46.0%,
respectively), and 1 in 2 multiracial
non-Hispanic women (53.8%)
intimate partner in their lifetime.
Nearly half (45.3%) of American
Indian or Alaska Native men and
almost 4 out of every 10 Black
and multiracial men (38.6% and
39.3%, respectively) experienced
rape, physical violence and/or
stalking by an intimate partner
during their lifetime.
Number and Sex of
Perpetrators
Across all types of violence, the
majority of both female and male
victims reported experiencing
violence from one perpetrator.
Across all types of violence,
the majority of female victims
reported that their perpetrators
were male.
Male rape victims and male
victims of non-contact
unwanted sexual experiences
reported predominantly male
perpetrators. Nearly half of
stalking victimizations against
males were also perpetrated
by males. Perpetrators of other
forms of violence against males
were mostly female.
Violence in the 12 Months
Prior to Taking the Survey
One percent, or approximately
1.3 million women, reported
being raped by any perpetrator
in the 12 months prior to taking
the survey.
Approximately 1 in 20 women
and men (5.6% and 5.3%,
respectively) experienced sexual
violence victimization other than
rape by any perpetrator in the
12 months prior to taking the
survey.
About 4% of women and 1.3%
of men were stalked in the 12
months prior to taking the survey.
An estimated 1 in 17 women
and 1 in 20 men (5.9% and 5.0%,
respectively) experienced rape,
physical violence, and/or stalking
by an intimate partner in the 12
Health Consequences
Men and women who
experienced rape or stalking
by any perpetrator or physical
violence by an intimate partner
in their lifetime were more likely
to report frequent headaches,
chronic pain, diculty with
sleeping, activity limitations,
poor physical health and poor
mental health than men and
women who did not experience
these forms of violence.
Women who had experienced
these forms of violence were
also more likely to report
having asthma, irritable bowel
syndrome, and diabetes than
women who did not experience
these forms of violence.
State-Level Estimates
Across all types of violence
examined in this report, state-
level estimates varied with
lifetime estimates for women
ranging from 11.4% to 29.2% for
rape; 28.9% to 58% for sexual
violence other than rape; and
25.3% to 49.1% for rape, physical
intimate partner.
For men, lifetime estimates
ranged from 10.8% to 33.7% for
sexual violence other than rape;
and 17.4% to 41.2% for rape,
by an intimate partner.
Implications for
Prevention
The ndings in this report under-
score the heavy toll that sexual
partner violence places on women,
men, and children in the United
States. Violence often begins at
an early age and commonly leads
to negative health consequences
across the lifespan. Collective action
is needed to implement prevention
approaches, ensure appropriate
responses, and support these eorts
based on strong data and research.
Prevention eorts should start early
by promoting healthy, respectful
relationships in families by fostering
healthy parent-child relation-
ships and developing positive
family dynamics and emotionally
supportive environments. These
environments provide a strong foun-
dation for children, help them to
adopt positive interactions based on
respect and trust, and foster eective
and non-violent communication
and conict resolution in their peer
and dating relationships. It is equally
important to continue addressing
the beliefs, attitudes and messages
that are deeply embedded in our
social structures and that create
a climate that condones sexual
partner violence. For example,
this can be done through norms
change, changing policies and
enforcing existing policies against
violence, and promoting bystander
approaches to prevent violence
before it happens.
In addition to prevention eorts,
survivors of sexual violence, stalking,
and intimate partner violence need
coordinated services to ensure
healing and prevent recurrence
of victimization. The healthcare
systems response must be strength-
ened and better coordinated for
both sexual violence and intimate
partner violence survivors to help
navigate the health care system
and access needed services and
resources in the short and long term.
One way to strengthen the response
to survivors is through increased
training of healthcare professionals.
It is also critically important to
ensure that legal, housing, mental
health, and other services and
resources are available and acces-
sible to survivors.
An important part of any response
to sexual violence, stalking, and
intimate partner violence is to hold
perpetrators accountable. Survivors
may be reluctant to disclose their
victimization for a variety of reasons
including shame, embarrassment,
fear of retribution from perpetrators,
or a belief that they may not receive
support from law enforcement.
Laws may also not be enforced
adequately or consistently and
perpetrators may become more
dangerous after their victims report
these crimes. It is important to
enhance training eorts within the
criminal justice system to better
engage and support survivors and
thus hold perpetrators accountable
for their crimes.
Implementing strong data systems
for the monitoring and evaluation
intimate partner violence is critical
to understand trends in these
problems, to provide information
on which to base development
and evaluation of prevention and
intervention programs, and to
monitor and measure the eective-
ness of these eorts. Establishing
cost-ecient and timely surveillance
systems for all states, by using
consistent denitions and uniform
survey methods, will assist states
by providing policymakers much
needed information for enhancing
prevention eorts at the state level.
Ongoing data collection and moni-
toring of these problems through
NISVS and other data sources at
the local, state, and national level
must lead to further research to
develop and evaluate strategies
to eectively prevent rst-time
perpetration of sexual violence,
stalking, and intimate partner
violence. This research should focus
on key gaps to address the social
and economic conditions (e.g.,
poverty, sexism, and other forms of
discrimination and social exclusion)
that increase risk for perpetration
and victimization. This work should
be complemented with eorts to
monitor strategies being used by
the eld, to identify and rigorously
evaluate these approaches and
document their value. As eective
strategies are identied, research
examining how to best disseminate,
implement, and adapt evidence-
based prevention strategies, will
become increasingly important.
Much progress has been made in
the prevention of violence. There
is strong reason to believe that the
application of eective strategies
combined with the capacity to
implement them will make a dier-
ence. The lessons already learned
during public healths short experi-
ence with violence prevention are
consistent with those from public
healths much longer experience
with the prevention of infectious and
chronic diseases. Sexual violence,
violence can be prevented with
data-driven, collaborative action.
1: Background and Methods
1: Background and Methods
More than two decades of research
has shown that sexual violence
and intimate partner violence are
major public health problems with
serious long-term physical and
mental health consequences, as
well as signicant social and public
health costs (e.g., Breiding, Black,
& Ryan, 2008; Logan & Cole, 2007;
Randall, 1990). Elevated health risks
have been observed in relation to
multiple body systems, including
the nervous, cardiovascular, gastro-
intestinal, genitourinary, repro-
ductive, musculoskeletal, immune
and endocrine systems (Basile &
Smith, 2011; Black, 2011). While less
is known about the health impact
of stalking, within the past decade
stalking has been increasingly
recognized as a signicant public
health issue. The few studies that
have been conducted suggest that
those who are stalked are more
likely to report similar negative
mental and physical health
consequences (Davis, Coker, &
Sanderson, 2002).
In addition to the negative physical
and mental health eects of sexual
violence, intimate partner violence,
and stalking, prior research has
shown that experiencing these
forms of violence during childhood
and adolescence increases the
likelihood of experiencing these
forms of violence as an adult (Tjaden
& Thoennes, 2000; Smith, White,
& Holland, 2003). Consequently,
understanding sexual violence,
intimate partner violence, and
stalking experienced during
childhood and adolescence is partic-
ularly important in order to prevent
the reoccurrence of these forms of
violence across the life course.
CDCs National Center for Injury
Prevention and Control launched
Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) in
2010. The survey was developed
and elded with the support of the
National Institute of Justice, and
the Department of Defense.
1
The
primary objectives of the National
Intimate Partner and Sexual
Violence Survey are to describe:
The prevalence and characteristics
intimate partner violence
Who is most likely to experience
The patterns and impact of the
violence experienced by specic
perpetrators
The health consequences of
Data from the National Intimate
Partner and Sexual Violence
Survey can be used for a number
of purposes. First, these data can
help inform policies and programs
that are aimed at preventing sexual
partner violence. In addition, these
data can be used to establish
priorities for preventing these
forms of violence at the national,
state, and local levels. Finally, data
collected in future years from the
survey can be used to examine
trends in sexual violence, stalking,
and intimate partner violence and
to evaluate and track the eec-
tiveness of prevention eorts.
What is the National
Intimate Partner
and Sexual Violence
Survey?
and Sexual Violence Survey is
an ongoing, nationally repre-
sentative survey that assesses
experiences of sexual violence,
violence among adult women and
men in the United States and for
each individual state. It measures
lifetime victimization for these
types of violence as well as victim-
ization in the 12 months prior to
taking the survey. The survey is
focused exclusively on violence
and collects information about:
Sexual violence by any
perpetrator, including
information related to rape, being
made to penetrate someone
else, sexual coercion, unwanted
sexual contact, and non-contact
Stalking, including the use of
newer technologies such as text
messages, emails, monitoring
devices (e.g., cameras and GPS,
or global positioning system
devices), by perpetrators known
and unknown to the victim
1
In addition to providing guidance in the development of the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, the National Institute of
Justice and the Department of Defense contributed nancial support for the administration of the survey in 2010. The National Institute of Justices
nancial support enabled the addition of a separate targeted sample of persons of American Indian or Alaska Native ethnicity. The Department
of Defenses nancial support enabled the addition of a separate random sample of female active duty military and female spouses of active duty
military. Data from these two additional samples are not presented in this initial report but will be described in future publications.
Additional Features that Distinguish NISVS
from Other National Surveys:
Interviewers ask a series of health-related questions at the outset of the survey to establish
rapport and establish a health context for the survey.
A graduated informed consent procedure is used to maximize respondent safety, to build
rapport, and to provide participants the opportunity to make an informed decision about
whether participation in the survey would be in their best interest.
Interviewers establish a safety plan so that a respondent knows what to do if they need to
discontinue the interview for safety reasons.
Interviewers follow established distress protocols, including frequent check-ins with the
participant during the interview, to assess their emotional state and determine whether
the interview should proceed.
The survey includes detailed behavior-specifc questions on components of sexual violence
and intimate partner violence that previous population-based national surveys have not
measured. Examples include information on types of sexual violence other than rape,
coercive control, and control of reproductive or sexual health.
The survey is designed to assess violence in a way that is consistent across states.
Physical violence by an intimate
partner
Psychological aggression by
an intimate partner, including
information on expressive forms
of aggression and coercive control
Control of reproductive or sexual
health by an intimate partner
In addition to collecting lifetime
and 12 month prevalence data
on sexual violence, stalking, and
intimate partner violence, the
survey collects information on the
age at the time of the rst victim-
ization, demographic character-
istics of respondents, demographic
characteristics of perpetrators (age,
sex, race/ethnicity) and detailed
information about the patterns
and impact of the violence by
specic perpetrators. For example,
Sexual Violence Survey:
Links each individual act
of violence with a specic
perpetrator, enabling the
collection of all forms of
violence committed by a specic
perpetrator and allowing for an
examination of how dierent
forms of violence co-occur.
Examines the length of time and
frequency of the occurrence of
sexual violence, stalking, and
intimate partner violence relative
to specic perpetrators
Collects information on a range
of negative impacts (e.g., injury,
absence from school or work,
need for medical care) resulting
from experiences of violence by
individual perpetrators
Gathers information from
respondents on a range of long-
term physical and mental health
outcomes that may be associated
with the experience of violence
There are a number of additional
features of the National Intimate
Partner and Sexual Violence Survey
that distinguish it from other national
surveys (see box), such as the
Survey (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000),
a one-time survey that the National
Institute of Justice and the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention
conducted in 1995-1996; the National
Crime Victimization Survey that the
U.S. Census Bureau has conducted
annually for the Bureau of Justice
Statistics since 1973; and the state-
based modules on intimate partner
violence and sexual violence that 34
states/territories collected for at least
one year from 2005 to 2007 using
the Centers for Disease Control and
Preventions Behavioral Risk Factor
Surveillance System.
In sum, the National Intimate
allows for an improved under-
standing of the public health
burden of sexual violence, stalking,
and intimate partner violence
nationally and at the state level.
Beyond estimating the prevalence
intimate partner violence, the
survey captures information on
these forms of violence in ways
that maximize the ability to take
action to prevent these public
health problems.
How Was the Survey
Developed?
The development of the National
Violence Survey was informed
by the National Violence Against
Women Survey, which provided
a starting point for the devel-
opment of the survey instrument; a
federally sponsored workshop that
focused on building data systems
for monitoring and responding
to sexual violence, stalking, and
intimate partner violence (CDC,
2000); and a pilot methods study
that was conducted in 2007. The
pilot study was designed to help
address information gaps and
inform the development of a
national intimate partner, sexual
violence, and stalking surveil-
lance system. In 2007, the CDC
also convened an expert panel to
discuss ndings from the 2007 pilot
study and to make recommenda-
tions on the design of the NISVS
survey instrument (Appendix A). The
panel consisted of practitioners and
advocates, subject matter experts
with experience in designing
measures of violence, and represen-
tatives from other federal agencies
with subject matter expertise
in sexual violence, stalking, and
intimate partner violence.
What Does This Report
Include?
This report summarizes ndings
from the 2010 National Intimate
data collection. The rst three
sections present lifetime and 12
month prevalence estimates and
other descriptive information (e.g.,
the number of perpetrators, the
type of perpetrator, and age when
the violence was rst experienced)
for the three primary types of
violence examined in the survey
violence by an intimate partner.
The prevalence of these types of
violence by state of residence is
also presented. This report also
includes information on the impact
of intimate partner violence and
on the relationship between
violence and various health conse-
quences such as asthma, diabetes,
chronic pain, disability, and poor
mental health.
Methods
The National Intimate Partner and
Sexual Violence Survey is a national
random digit dial (RDD) telephone
survey of the non-institutionalized
English and/or Spanish-speaking
U.S. population aged 18 or older.
NISVS uses a dual-frame sampling
strategy that includes both
landline and cell phones. The
survey was conducted in 50 states
and the District of Columbia and
was administered from January
22, 2010 through December 31,
2010. In 2010, a total of 18,049
interviews were conducted (9,970
women and 8,079 men) in the U.S.
general population. This includes
16,507 completed and 1,542
partially completed interviews. A
total of 9,086 females and 7,421
males completed the survey.
Approximately 45.2% of inter-
views were conducted by landline
telephone and 54.8% of interviews
were conducted using a respon-
dents cell phone.
The overall weighted response
rate for the 2010 National Intimate
ranged from 27.5% to 33.6%. This
range reects dierences in how
the proportion of the unknowns
that are eligible is estimated.
The weighted cooperation rate
was 81.3%. A primary dierence
between response and cooperation
rates is that telephone numbers
where contact has not been made
are still part of the denominator
in calculating a response rate.
The cooperation rate reects
the proportion who agreed to
participate in the interview among
those who were contacted and
determined to be eligible. The
cooperation rate obtained for
the 2010 NISVS data collection
suggests that, once contact was
made and eligibility determined,
the majority of respondents
chose to participate in the inter-
view. Additional information
about the sampling strategy,
weighting procedures, response
and cooperation rates, and other
methodological details of NISVS
can be found in the technical note
in Appendix B.
Survey Instrument
Violence Domains Assessed
The questionnaire includes
behavior-specic questions that
assess sexual violence, stalking,
over the lifetime and during the
12 months prior to the interview.
Intimate partner violence-related
questions assess psychological
aggression, including expressive
aggression (5 items) and coercive
control (12 items); control of repro-
ductive or sexual health (2 items);
physical violence (11 items); sexual
violence (21 items); and stalking
(7 items). A list of the victimization
questions used in the survey can
be found in Appendix C.
Psychological aggression, including
expressive aggression and coercive
control, is an important component
of intimate partner violence.
Although research suggests
that psychological aggression
may be even more harmful than
physical violence by an intimate
partner (Follingstad, Rutledge,
Berg, Hause, & Polek, 1990), there
is little agreement about how to
determine when psychologically
aggressive behavior becomes
abusive and can be classied as
intimate partner violence. Because
of the lack of consensus in the
eld at the time of this report,
the prevalence of psychologically
aggressive behaviors is reported,
but is not included in the overall
prevalence estimates of intimate
partner violence. Expressive
psychological aggression includes
acting dangerous, name calling,
insults and humiliation. Coercive
control includes behaviors that are
intended to monitor and control
an intimate partner such as threats,
interference with family and friends,
and limiting access to money.
Physical violence includes a
wide range of behaviors from
slapping, pushing or shoving
to more severe behaviors such
as being beaten, burned, or
choked. In this report, severe
physical violence includes being
hurt by pulling hair, being hit
with something hard, being
kicked, being slammed against
something, attempts to hurt by
choking or suocating, being
beaten, being burned on purpose
and having a partner use a knife
or gun against the victim. While
slapping, pushing and shoving
are not necessarily minor physical
violence, this report distinguishes
between these forms of violence
and the physical violence that is
generally categorized as severe.
Questions on sexual violence were
asked in relation to rape (completed
forced penetration, attempted
penetration, and alcohol or drug-
facilitated completed penetration),
being made to penetrate another
person, sexual coercion, unwanted
unwanted sexual experiences.
Stalking questions were aimed at
determining a pattern of unwanted
harassing or threatening tactics
used by a perpetrator and included
tactics related to unwanted
contacts, unwanted tracking
and following, intrusion, and
technology-assisted tactics.
Perpetrator Information
Respondents who reported
experiencing violence were subse-
quently asked to identify individual
perpetrators by initials, nick name
or in some other general way so
that each violent behavior reported
could be tied to a specic perpe-
trator. Respondents were asked
a series of questions about each
perpetrator including age, sex, and
race/ethnicity. In addition, for each
perpetrator reported, respondents
were asked their age and their rela-
tionship to the perpetrator, both
at the time violence rst began
and at the last time violence was
experienced. Additional questions
were asked regarding perpetrators
of stalking and rape. These include
questions about the respondents
age when they rst experienced
stalking by each perpetrator
and the age at which they last
experienced stalking. Separately,
questions were asked about the
respondents age when they rst
experienced rape by each perpe-
trator and the age at which they last
experienced rape. Age and relation-
ship at the time the violence began
were used throughout this report.
Indicators of the Impact of
Violence Experienced
Follow-up questions related to
the potential impact of violence
committed by individual perpetra-
tors were asked. Respondents were
asked about whether or not they
experienced any of the following as
a result of any violence committed
by a specic perpetrator: fearful-
ness or being concerned about
safety, post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) symptoms (e.g.
nightmares, feeling numb or
detached), injury, need for medical
care, need for housing services,
need for victims advocate or legal
services, having contacted a crisis
hotline, and missed days of work or
school. Respondents who reported
experiencing rape (completed
rape, attempted rape, or alcohol/
drug-facilitated completed rape), or
being made to sexually penetrate
another person were asked about
additional indicators of impact,
such as the contraction of a sexually
transmitted disease or pregnancy
as a result of the sexual violence.
Cognitive Testing
A key component of the question-
naire design process was
conducting cognitive tests on the
introductions and key questions
used throughout the instrument.
The purpose of the cognitive
testing was to provide information
on how well the questions worked
and whether participants under-
stood the text provided.
Survey Administration
Advance Letters
Reverse address matching was
used to link available addresses to
the landline sample. Approximately
50% of telephone numbers in the
landline sample were matched.
Prior to contacting participants,
informational letters addressed to
Resident were sent to available
addresses to make residents aware
that they would be receiving a
request for an interview in the
coming days. Following the World
Health Organizations guidelines
for research on domestic violence,
introductory letters were carefully
written, providing only general
information about the survey to
maximize safety and condentiality
(WHO, 2001).
Incentives
Respondents in the landline and
cell phone samples were oered
an incentive of $10 to participate
in the survey. Respondents could
choose to have the incentive
mailed to them or donated to the
United Way on their behalf; 58.4%
of respondents chose to donate
their incentive. For respondents
who chose to receive the incentive,
mailing information was obtained
so the incentive check could be sent
to them. Mailing information was
kept in a separate database from
data collected during the adminis-
tration of the survey and destroyed
at the end of data collection.
Graduated Informed Consent
Process
Following recommended guide-
lines (Sullivan & Cain, 2004; WHO,
2001) a graduated informed
consent protocol was used.
Specically, to ensure respondent
safety and condentiality, the
initial person who answered the
telephone was provided general
non-specic information about
the survey topic. The specic
topics of the survey (e.g., physical
aggression, harassing behaviors,
and unwanted sexual activity) were
only revealed to the individual
respondent selected. After a single
adult respondent in a household
was randomly selected to partic-
ipate, the interviewer administered
an IRB-approved informed consent
that provided information on the
voluntary and condential nature of
the survey, the benets and risks of
participation, the survey topic, and
telephone numbers to speak with
sta from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention or project
sta from the Research Triangle
Institute, International (RTI) (which
was contracted by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention to
administer the survey).
Respondent Safety and
Condentiality
For topics such as intimate partner
violence and other forms of
violence and abuse, a graduated
consent process is often the safest
and most appropriate method
of research. Literature about the
ethical and safe collection of
research data on intimate partner
violence oers many reasons for
obtaining informed consent in a
graduated manner (Sullivan & Cain,
2004; WHO, 2001). In addition to
revealing the specic content of
the survey only to the respondent
selected, a graduated consent
process allows the interviewer to
build rapport and increases the
likelihood of gaining the partici-
pants trust, the key to minimizing
non-participation and under-
reporting. Carefully conducted
studies with well-trained inter-
viewers who are able to build
rapport and trust with potential
participants are essential both to
the collection of valid data and the
well-being of respondents.
Interviewers also reminded
respondents that they could skip
any question and could stop the
interview at any time. Interviewers
also established a safety plan with
the respondents so that respon-
dents would know what to do if
they needed to stop an interview
for safety reasons. Specically,
interviewers suggested that
respondents answer questions in a
private setting and instructed them
to just say Goodbye if at any time
they felt physically or emotionally
unsafe. Interviewers also checked
in with the respondents several
times during the interview to make
sure they wanted to proceed. At the
end of the interview, respondents
were provided telephone numbers
for the National Domestic Violence
Hotline and the Rape, Abuse and
Incest National Network.
Length of Interview
The median length of the interview
was 24.7 minutes.
Interviewer
Recruitment, Training,
and Monitoring
Hiring, training and maintaining
high quality interviewers is
essential to maximize disclosure
of sensitive information about
intimate partner violence. Only
female interviewers administered
the survey as previous research
suggests that female interviewers
may be more likely to create
conditions conducive to disclosure
(Dailey & Claus, 2001). During the
hiring process, potential inter-
viewers were informed about the
background and purpose of the
National Intimate Partner and
Sexual Violence Survey and were
carefully screened to insure that
they were comfortable conducting
interviews on the topics included in
the survey. Interviewers received 16
hours of training and an additional
2 hours of post-training practice.
A detailed training manual written
specic to the National Intimate
was developed. The content of the
Lifetime and 12 Month Prevalence Estimates of Violence
Lifetime prevalence refers to the proportion of people in a given population who have ever
experienced a particular form of violence. Lifetime prevalence estimates are important
because they provide information about the burden of violence within a population.
12 month prevalence provides information about the proportion of people in a given
population who have experienced a particular form of violence in the 12 months prior to
taking the survey. Twelve-month prevalence estimates provide a snapshot of the recent
burden of violence in a population. When collected over multiple years, 12 month estimates
can be used to assess trends in the burden of violence over time (suggesting whether
violence may be increasing or decreasing).
training manual focused on the
background information relevant
to the survey, project-specic
protocols, condentiality proce-
dures, safety protocols, respondent
distress, and refusal avoidance.
The interviewer training sessions
were conducted using a variety
of methods, including lecture,
demonstration, round-robin
practice, paired-practice, and
group and paired mock interviews.
Interviewers were also briefed
on the potential challenges of
administering a survey on sexual
partner violence, and were trained
in administering questions about
these sensitive topics. Resource
information was provided to
interviewers regarding assistance
in coping with traumatic and
violent events. Interviewers were
also provided the opportunity to
discuss and process dicult or
upsetting interviews.
Project sta held bimonthly quality
assurance meetings with inter-
viewers during the data collection.
Throughout the data collection
period, approximately 10% of
interviews were monitored to
check the quality of their work and
to identify areas needing more
training or clarication. The infor-
mation obtained was then used
as a teaching tool for other inter-
viewers, when appropriate.
IRB and OMB Approval
The survey protocol received
approval by the Oce of
Management and Budget
(OMB# 0920-0822) as well as
the Institutional Review Board
of Research Triangle Institute,
International.
Data Analysis
Lifetime and 12 month preva-
lence estimates were calculated
for the dierent forms of violence
presented in this report. The 12
month estimates were obtained
by asking respondents to report
whether the specic form of
violence by the perpetrator
occurred in the past 12 months.
Respondents were anchored to
the 12 month period with a CATI
reminder of the date (e.g., in
the past twelve months, that is,
since {ll: date, 12 months ago}?).
To be included in the prevalence
estimate for sexual violence,
physical violence, or psychological
aggression, the respondent must
have experienced at least one
behavior within the relevant
violence domain during the time
frame of reference (lifetime or
in the 12 months prior to taking
the survey). Respondents could
have experienced each type
of violence more than once so
prevalence estimates should be
interpreted as the percentage of
the population who experienced
each type of violence at least once.
To be included in the prevalence of
stalking, a respondent must have
experienced more than one of the
seven stalking tactics that were
measured in the National Intimate
Partner and Sexual Violence Survey,
or a single tactic multiple times by
the same perpetrator, and must
have been very fearful or believed
that they or someone close to them
would be harmed or killed as a
result of the perpetrators behavior.
Within categories of violence
(e.g., rape, other sexual violence,
any severe physical violence, any
reported IPV-related impact),
respondents who reported more
than one subcategory of violence
are included only once in the
summary estimate but are included
in each relevant subcategory. For
example, victims of completed
forced penetration and alcohol or
drug facilitated penetration are
included in each of these subtypes
of rape but counted only once in
the estimate of rape prevalence.
The denominators in prevalence
calculations include persons who
answered a question or responded
with dont know or refused. Missing
data (cases where all questions for
constructing an outcome of interest
were not fully administered) were
excluded from analyses. All analyses
were conducted using SUDAAN
statistical software for analyzing
data collected through complex
sample design.
The estimated number of victims
aected by a particular form of
violence is based on United States
population estimates from the
census projections by state, sex, age,
and race/ethnicity (www.census.
gov/popest/states/asrh/).
Statistical inference for preva-
lence and population estimates
were made based on weighted
analyses, where complex sample
design features such as stratied
sampling, weighting for unequal
sample selection probabilities, and
non-response adjustments were
taken into account. The estimates
presented in this report are based
on complete interviews. An
interview is dened as complete
if the respondent completed the
screening, demographic, general
health questions, and all questions
on all ve sets of violence victim-
ization, as applicable. A comparison
of the demographic characteristics of
the complete interviews in the NISVS
sample and the U.S. population is
provided in Appendix B.
Analyses were conducted by sex.
Prevalence estimates by selected
demographic characteristics were
also calculated. No formal statistical
comparisons of the prevalence
estimates between demographic
subgroups were made. As
prevalence and population
estimates were based on a sample
population, there is a degree of
uncertainty associated with these
estimates. The smaller the sample
upon which an estimate is based,
the less precise the estimate
becomes and the more dicult
it is to distinguish the ndings
from what could have occurred by
chance. The relative standard error
(RSE) is a measure of an estimates
reliability. The RSE was calculated
for all estimates in this report. If
the RSE was greater than 30%, the
estimate was deemed unreliable
and is not reported. Consideration
was also given to the case count.
If the estimate was based on a
numerator < 20, the estimate is
also not reported. Tables where
specic estimates are missing due
to high RSEs or small case counts
are presented in full with missing
unreliable estimates noted by an
asterisk so that the reader can
clearly see what was assessed
and where data gaps remain.
Tables showing the condence
intervals around the estimates
are available at: www.cdc.gov/
violenceprevention/nisvs.
A number of health outcomes were
assessed in this survey and were
examined with respect to violence
victimization. Chi-square tests
were conducted to ascertain the
dierence in the health outcomes
of interest with respect to victim-
ization. A p-value of .05 was set
as the threshold for establishing
statistical signicance. Statistical
analyses for this report were
performed by Research Triangle
Institute, International and
independently replicated by statis-
ticians from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
Data Quality Assurance
An independent set of programs
were developed to ensure that skip
patterns, response values, missing
values, rotations, range checks,
and other logical consistency
checks had been implemented
as programmed in the computer-
assisted telephone interview (CATI)
system. The programs created a
number of quality control/quality
assurance variables and ags to
track such data as the frequencies
of behaviors with the frequencies
of the perpetrators, timeframes,
and other responses from each
perpetrator in order to compare
behaviors and/or their related
follow-up data. All discrepancies
were investigated and corrected as
appropriate. Additional informa-
tion on the data collection and
security procedures is included in
Appendix B.
2: Sexual Violence Victimization
16 The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey | 2010 Summary Report 16 The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey | 2010 Summary Report
2: Sexual Violence Victimization
Previous studies of sexual violence
victimization have shown that
it is a widespread problem that
happens early in the lifespan for
many victims, although sexual
violence can occur at any age
(Kilpatrick, Edmunds, & Seymour,
1992; Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000).
It has been more than a decade
since the sexual violence eld
has had national prevalence
estimates of a wide range of
sexual violence victimization
experiences. To date, few national
studies have examined the various
forms of sexual violence (Basile
& Saltzman, 2002), particularly
types of sexual violence other
than rape. Previously, the only
nationally representative preva-
lence estimates measuring a wide
range of types of sexual violence
victimization were derived from
college populations (Fisher, Cullen,
& Turner, 2000; Koss, Gidycz, &
Wisniewski, 1987).
This section summarizes lifetime
and 12 month experiences of
sexual violence victimization of
women and men in the United
States, including rape (forced
penetration, attempted forced
penetration, and alcohol or drug
facilitated penetration), being
made to penetrate someone
else, sexual coercion, unwanted
unwanted sexual experiences.
What follows also includes lifetime
prevalence estimates by self-iden-
tied race/ethnicity, as well as the
characteristics of the victimization
experiences, including the type of
How NISVS Measured Sexual Violence
Five types of sexual violence were measured in NISVS. These include acts of rape (forced
penetration), and types of sexual violence other than rape.
Rape is defned as any completed or attempted unwanted vaginal (for women), oral, or anal
penetration through the use of physical force (such as being pinned or held down, or by the
use of violence) or threats to physically harm and includes times when the victim was drunk,
high, drugged, or passed out and unable to consent. Rape is separated into three types,
completed forced penetration, attempted forced penetration, and completed alcohol or drug
facilitated penetration.
- Among women, rape includes vaginal, oral, or anal penetration by a male using his penis. It
also includes vaginal or anal penetration by a male or female using their fngers or an object.
- Among men, rape includes oral or anal penetration by a male using his penis. It also
includes anal penetration by a male or female using their fngers or an object.
Being made to penetrate someone else includes times when the victim was made to,
or there was an attempt to make them, sexually penetrate someone without the victims
consent because the victim was physically forced (such as being pinned or held down, or by
the use of violence) or threatened with physical harm, or when the victim was drunk, high,
drugged, or passed out and unable to consent.
- Among women, this behavior refects a female being made to orally penetrate another
females vagina or anus.
- Among men, being made to penetrate someone else could have occurred in multiple ways:
being made to vaginally penetrate a female using ones own penis; orally penetrating a
females vagina or anus; anally penetrating a male or female; or being made to receive oral
sex from a male or female. It also includes female perpetrators attempting to force male
victims to penetrate them, though it did not happen.
Sexual coercion is defned as unwanted sexual penetration that occurs after a person is
pressured in a nonphysical way. In NISVS, sexual coercion refers to unwanted vaginal, oral,
or anal sex after being pressured in ways that included being worn down by someone who
repeatedly asked for sex or showed they were unhappy; feeling pressured by being lied to,
being told promises that were untrue, having someone threaten to end a relationship or
spread rumors; and sexual pressure due to someone using their infuence or authority.
Unwanted sexual contact is defned as unwanted sexual experiences involving touch but not
sexual penetration, such as being kissed in a sexual way, or having sexual body parts fondled
or grabbed.
Non-contact unwanted sexual experiences are those unwanted experiences that do not
involve any touching or penetration, including someone exposing their sexual body parts,
fashing, or masturbating in front of the victim, someone making a victim show his or her
body parts, someone making a victim look at or participate in sexual photos or movies, or
someone harassing the victim in a public place in a way that made the victim feel unsafe.
Nearly 1 in 5 women
and 1 in 71 men in
the U.S. have been
raped at some time
in their lives.
Table 2.1
Lifetime and 12 Month Prevalence of Sexual Violence U.S. Women, NISVS 2010
Lifetime 12 Month
Weighted % Estimated Number
of Victims
1
of Victims
1
Rape 18.3 21,840,000 1.1 1,270,000
Completed forced penetration 12.3 14,617,000 0.5 620,000
Attempted forced penetration 5.2 6,199,000 0.4 519,000
Completed alcohol/drug facilitated
penetration
8.0 9,524,000 0.7 781,000
Other Sexual Violence 44.6 53,174,000 5.6 6,646,000
Made to penetrate * * * *
Sexual coercion 13.0 15,492,000 2.0 2,410,000
Unwanted sexual contact 27.2 32,447,000 2.2 2,600,000
Non-contact unwanted sexual
experiences
33.7 40,193,000 3.0 3,532,000
1
Rounded to the nearest thousand.
*Estimate is not reported; relative standard error >30% or cell size 20.
perpetrators, the number and sex
of perpetrators, age at the time of
the rst completed rape victimiza-
tion, and rape victimization as a
minor and subsequent rape victim-
ization in adulthood.
Prevalence of Sexual
Violence Victimization
Rape
Nearly 1 in 5 women in the United
States has been raped in her
lifetime (18.3%) (Table 2.1). This
translates to almost 22 million
women in the United States. The
most common form of rape victim-
ization experienced by women
was completed forced penetration,
experienced by 12.3% of women
in the United States. About 5%
of women (5.2%) experienced
and 8.0% experienced alcohol/
drug-facilitated completed forced
penetration. One percent, or
approximately 1.3 million women,
reported some type of rape victim-
ization in the 12 months prior to
taking the survey.

Approximately 1 in 71 men in the
United States (1.4%) reported having
been raped in his lifetime, which
translates to almost 1.6 million men
in the United States (Table 2.2). Too
few men reported rape in the 12
months prior to taking the survey to
produce a reliable 12 month preva-
lence estimate.
Table 2.2
Lifetime and 12 Month Prevalence of Sexual Violence U.S. Men, NISVS 2010
Lifetime 12 Month
of Victims
1
of Victims
1
Rape 1.4 1,581,000 * *
Completed forced penetration 0.9 970,000 * *
Attempted forced penetration 0.4 499,000 * *
Completed alcohol/drug facilitated
penetration
0.6 685,000 * *
Made to penetrate 4.8 5,451,000 1.1 1,267,000
Sexual coercion 6.0 6,806,000 1.5 1,669,000
Unwanted sexual contact 11.7 13,296,000 2.3 2,565,000
experiences
12.8 14,450,000 2.7 3,037,000
1
Sexual Violence Other
than Rape
Nearly 1 in 2 women (44.6%) and
1 in 5 men (22.2%) experienced
sexual violence victimization
other than rape at some point
in their lives (Tables 2.1 and 2.2).
This equates to more than 53
million women and more than 25
million men in the United States.
(5.6%) and men (5.3%) experienced
sexual violence victimization other
than rape in the 12 months prior to
taking the survey.
Being Made to Penetrate
Someone Else
Approximately 1 in 21 men (4.8%)
reported having been made to
penetrate someone else in his
lifetime (Table 2.2). Too few women
reported being made to penetrate
someone else to produce a reliable
estimate (Table 2.1).
Sexual Coercion
About 1 in 8 women (13%) reported
experiencing sexual coercion in her
lifetime, which translates to more
than 15 million women in the United
States (Table 2.1). Sexual coercion
was reported by 2.0% of women in
the 12 months prior to taking the
survey. Six percent of men reported
sexual coercion in their lifetimes
(almost 7 million men), and 1.5% in
survey (Table 2.2).
Unwanted Sexual Contact
More than one-quarter of women
(27.2%) have experienced some
form of unwanted sexual contact
in their lifetime (Table 2.1). This
equates to over 32 million women
in the United States. The 12 month
prevalence of unwanted sexual
contact reported by women was
2.2%. Approximately 1 in 9 men
(11.7%) reported experiencing
unwanted sexual contact in his
lifetime, which translates to an esti-
mated 13 million men in the United
States (Table 2.2). The 12 month
prevalence of unwanted sexual
contact reported by men was 2.3%.
Table 2.3
Lifetime Prevalence of Sexual Violence by Race/Ethnicity
1
U.S. Women, NISVS 2010
Hispanic Non-Hispanic
Black White Asian or
Pacifc
Islander
American
Indian or
Alaska
Native
Multiracial
Rape Weighted %
Estimated Number
of Victims
2
14.6
2,202,000
22.0
3,186,000
18.8
15,225,000
* 26.9
234,000
33.5
452,000
Other sexual
violence
Weighted %
Estimated Number
of Victims
2
36.1
5,442,000
41.0
5,967,000
47.6
38,632,000
29.5
1,673,000
49.0
424,000
58.0
786,000
1
Race/ethnicity was self-identied. The American Indian or Alaska Native designation does not indicate being enrolled or aliated with a tribe.
2
Non-Contact Unwanted
Sexual Experiences
Non-contact unwanted sexual expe-
riences were the most common
form of sexual violence experienced
by both women and men (Tables
2.1 and 2.2). One-third of women
(33.7%) experienced some type
of non-contact unwanted sexual
experience in their lifetime, and 1 in
33 women (3.0%) experienced this
in the 12 months prior to taking the
survey. This equates to 40 million
women in the United States for the
lifetime estimate and 3.5 million
women in the last 12 months.
Nearly 1 in 8 men (12.8%) reported
non-contact unwanted sexual
experiences in his lifetime, and 1 in
37 men (2.7%) experienced this type
of sexual violence in the 12 months
before taking the survey. These
numbers translate to 14 million men
in the United States who had these
experiences in their lifetimes and 3
million men in the last 12 months.
Prevalence of Rape and
Other Sexual Violence
by Race/Ethnicity
Approximately 1 in 5 Black (22.0%)
and White (18.8%) non-Hispanic
women, and 1 in 7 Hispanic women
(14.6%) in the United States have
experienced rape at some point in
their lives (Table 2.3). More than
one-quarter of women (26.9%)
who identied as American Indian
or as Alaska Native and 1 in 3
women (33.5%) who identied as
multiracial non-Hispanic reported
rape victimization in their lifetime
(Table 2.3). Just under half of Black
non-Hispanic (41.0%), White non-
Hispanic (47.6%), and American
Indian or Alaska Native (49.0%)
women reported sexual violence
other than rape in their lifetime and
more than half of multiracial non-
Hispanic women (58.0%) reported
these experiences in their lifetime.
Approximately 1 in 3 Hispanic
(36.1%) and Asian or Pacic
Islander (29.5%) women reported
sexual violence other than rape.
Between one-fth and one-quarter
of Black non-Hispanic (22.6%),
White non-Hispanic (21.5%),
Hispanic (26.2%), and American
Indian or Alaska Native (20.1%) men
experienced sexual violence other
than rape in their lives (Table 2.4).
About 1 in 6 Asian or Pacic Islander
Table 2.4
Lifetime Prevalence of Sexual Violence by Race/Ethnicity
1
U.S. Men, NISVS 2010
Black White Asian or
Pacifc
Islander
American
Indian or
Alaska
Native
Multiracial
Rape Weighted %
Estimated Number
of Victims
2
* * 1.7
1,296,000
* * *
Other sexual
violence
Weighted %
Estimated Number
of Victims
2
26.2
4,261,000
22.6
2,820,000
21.5
16,508,000
15.7
802,000
20.1
162,000
31.6
413,000
1
2
Most victims of
rape knew their
perpetrators.
(15.7%) men and nearly one-third
of multiracial (31.6%) men in the
United States had these experi-
ences during their lifetime. The only
reportable estimate of rape was for
White non-Hispanic men 1.7%
or an estimated 1.3 million men in
this group reported being raped at
some point in their lifetime.
Type of Perpetrator
in Lifetime Reports of
Sexual Violence
Rape
The majority of both female and
male victims of rape knew their
perpetrators. More than half of
female victims of rape (51.1%)
reported that at least one perpe-
trator was a current or former
intimate partner (Table 2.5). Four
out of 10 of female victims (40.8%)
reported being raped by an
acquaintance. Approximately 1 in
8 female victims (12.5%) reported
being raped by a family member,
and 2.5% by a person in a position
of authority. About 1 in 7 female
victims (13.8%) reported being
raped by a stranger. In terms of
lifetime alcohol/drug-facilitated
rape, half of female victims (50.4%)
were raped by an acquaintance,
while 43.0% were raped by an
intimate partner.
Table 2.5
Lifetime Reports of Sexual Violence Among Female Victims by Type of Perpetrator
1

NISVS 2010
Current or Former
Intimate Partner
Family Member
2
Person of
Authority
3

Acquaintance
4
Stranger
Weighted % Weighted % Weighted % Weighted % Weighted %
Rape 51.1 12.5 2.5 40.8 13.8
Attempted or completed
forced penetration
52.5 14.8 2.4 33.0 14.1
Alcohol/drug-facilitated
penetration
43.0 6.6 * 50.4 9.6
Other sexual violence 35.7 16.1 7.9 42.1 44.8
Made to penetrate * * * * *
Sexual coercion 75.4 6.1 5.7 21.8 *
Unwanted sexual contact 23.5 19.9 8.3 45.9 24.9
Non-contact unwanted
sexual experiences
23.1 14.8 4.3 31.2 50.5
1
Relationship is based on respondents reports of their relationship at the time the perpetrator rst committed any violence against them. Due
to the possibility of multiple perpetrators, combined row percents may exceed 100%.
2
Includes immediate and extended family members.
3
Includes, for example: boss, supervisor, superior in command, teacher, professor, coach, clergy, doctor, therapist, and caregiver.
4
Includes friends, neighbors, family friends, rst date, someone briey known, and people not known well.
More than half of the male victims
of rape (52.4%) were raped by
an acquaintance, and 1 in 7 male
victims (15.1%) was raped by a
stranger (Table 2.6). The estimates
for male victims raped by other
types of perpetrators were based
upon numbers too small to
calculate a reliable estimate and
therefore are not reported.
Sexual Violence Other
than Rape
For both women and men, the type
of perpetrator varied by the form
of sexual violence experienced.
The majority of female victims of
sexual coercion and unwanted
sexual contact reported known
perpetrators. Three-quarters of
female victims (75.4%) of sexual
coercion reported perpetration
by an intimate partner, and nearly
1 in 2 female victims (45.9%) of
unwanted sexual contact reported
perpetration by an acquain-
tance. Strangers were the most
commonly reported perpetrators
of non-contact unwanted sexual
experiences against women,
reported by 1 in 2 female victims
(50.5%) (Table 2.5).
Table 2.6
Lifetime Reports of Sexual Violence Among Male Victims by Type of Perpetrator
1

NISVS 2010
Current or Former
Intimate Partner
Family Member
2
Person of
Authority
3

Acquaintance
4
Stranger
Weighted % Weighted % Weighted % Weighted % Weighted %
Rape
5
* * * 52.4 15.1
Other sexual
violence
36.0 6.2 7.5 50.6 31.1
Made to penetrate 44.8 * * 44.7 8.2
Sexual coercion 69.7 * 3.4 31.3 *
Unwanted sexual
contact
22.6 6.1 9.2 51.7 24.2
Non-contact
unwanted sexual
experiences
21.1 8.7 7.2 44.9 36.4
1
Relationship is based on respondents reports of their relationship at the time the perpetrator rst committed any violence against them. Due
to the possibility of multiple perpetrators, combined row percents may exceed 100%.
2
Includes immediate and extended family members.
3
Includes, for example: boss, supervisor, superior in command, teacher, professor, coach, clergy, doctor, therapist, and caregiver.
4
Includes friends, neighbors, family friends, rst date, someone briey known, and people not known well.
5
Includes attempted or completed forced penetration and alcohol/drug-facilitated penetration
Male victims most commonly
reported a known perpetrator
for all types of sexual violence
other than rape. Nearly half of
male victims reported an intimate
partner (44.8%) or an acquaintance
(44.7%) as a perpetrator in situa-
tions where the male was made
to penetrate someone else. The
majority of male victims of sexual
coercion (69.7%) reported an
intimate partner as a perpetrator.
For both unwanted sexual contact
(51.7%) and non-contact unwanted
sexual experiences (44.9%),
approximately 1 in 2 male victims
reported an acquaintance as a
perpetrator (Table 2.6).
Number of Perpetrators
Sexual Violence
Among sexual violence victims,
the majority of both women and
men reported one perpetrator
in their lifetime. Almost three-
quarters of female rape victims
(71.2%) reported being raped by
one perpetrator. For female rape
victims, 1 in 6 (16.4%) reported
two perpetrators and 1 in 8 (12.4%)
reported three or more perpetra-
tors in their lifetime (Figure 2.1).
Almost half of female victims
(45.8%) of lifetime sexual violence
other than rape reported one
perpetrator, approximately
one-quarter (23.4%) reported
two perpetrators, and just under
one-third (30.8%) reported three
or more perpetrators (Figure 2.1).
For male victims of rape and sexual
violence other than rape, the large
majority (86.6% and 92.1%, respec-
tively) reported one perpetrator
in their lifetime (data not shown).
Too few male victims reported two
or more perpetrators to produce a
reliable estimate.
The majority of
female victims of
rape and sexual
violence other than
rape reported only
male perpetrators.
For males, the sex
of the perpetrator
varied across types
of sexual violence.
Sex of Perpetrator in
Lifetime Reports of
Sexual Violence
Most perpetrators of all forms of
sexual violence against women
were male. For female rape
victims, 98.1% reported only male
perpetrators. Additionally, 92.5% of
female victims of sexual violence
other than rape reported only male
perpetrators. For male victims, the
sex of the perpetrator varied by
the type of sexual violence expe-
rienced. The majority of male rape
victims (93.3%) reported only male
perpetrators. For three of the other
forms of sexual violence, a majority
of male victims reported only
female perpetrators: being made to
penetrate (79.2%), sexual coercion
(83.6%), and unwanted sexual
contact (53.1%). For non-contact
unwanted sexual experiences,
approximately half of male victims
(49.0%) reported only male perpe-
trators and more than one-third
(37.7%) reported only female
perpetrators (data not shown).
Over one-quarter
of male victims of
completed rape
experienced their
frst rape at or before
the age of 10.
Most female victims
of completed rape
experienced their
frst rape before the
age of 25 and almost
half experienced
their frst completed
rape before age 18.
Age at the Time of
First Completed Rape
Victimization
More than three-quarters of
female victims of completed rape
(79.6%) were rst raped before
their 25
th
birthday, with 42.2%
experiencing their rst completed
rape before the age of 18 (29.9%
between 11-17 years old and 12.3%
at or before age 10) (Figure 2.2).
Approximately 1 in 7 female victims
(14.2%) experienced their rst
completed rape between 25-34
years of age.
More than one-quarter of male
victims of completed rape (27.8%)
were rst raped when they were
10 years old or younger (data not
shown). With the exception of the
youngest age category (i.e., age 10
or younger), the estimates for age
at rst completed rape for male
victims in the other age groups
were based upon numbers too
small to calculate a reliable estimate
and therefore are not reported.
More than one-third
of women who were
raped as minors were
also raped as adults
compared to 14% of
women without an
early rape history.
Rape Victimization as a
Minor and Subsequent
Rape Victimization
More than one-third (35.2%)
of the women who reported a
completed rape before the age of
18 also experienced a completed
rape as an adult, compared to
14.2% of the women who did
not report being raped prior to
age 18 (Figure 2.3). Thus, the
percentage of women who were
raped as children or adolescents
and also raped as adults was
more than two times higher than
the percentage among women
without an early rape history.
Too few men reported rape
victimization in adulthood to
examine rape victimization as
a minor and subsequent rape
victimization in adulthood.
3: Stalking Victimization
How NISVS Measured Stalking
Stalking victimization involves a pattern of harassing or threatening tactics used by a
perpetrator that is both unwanted and causes fear or safety concerns in the victim. For the
purposes of this report, a person was considered a stalking victim if they experienced multiple
stalking tactics or a single stalking tactic multiple times by the same perpetrator and felt very
fearful, or believed that they or someone close to them would be harmed or killed as a result
of the perpetrators behavior.
Stalking tactics measured:
Unwanted phone calls, voice or text messages, hang-ups
Unwanted emails, instant messages, messages through social media
Unwanted cards, letters, fowers, or presents
Watching or following from a distance, spying with a listening device, camera, or global
positioning system (GPS)
Approaching or showing up in places such as the victims home, workplace, or school when
it was unwanted
Leaving strange or potentially threatening items for the victim to fnd
Sneaking into victims home or car and doing things to scare the victim or let the victim
know the perpetrator had been there
3: Stalking Victimization
In the past decade, stalking
victimization has received greater
recognition as a problem aecting
both women and men in the
United States. Much of what
we have learned about stalking
is based on studies of intimate
partner violence and special popu-
lations, such as college students
(Fisher, et al., 2000). In recent
years, technological advances
have dramatically increased the
options available for commu-
nication between people. Less
is known about the extent to
which newer technologies (e.g.,
text messages, emails, instant
messages) have been used for
stalking and harassment of others.
Further, there are few recent
national level estimates of stalking
victimization (Basile, Swahn, Chen
& Saltzman, 2006; Baum, Catalano,
Rand, & Rose, 2009).
stalking victimization among
States, including characteristics
of the victimization experiences
such as the type of perpetrator, the
number and sex of perpetrators,
and age at the time of the rst
stalking victimization.
Prevalence of Stalking
Victimization
(16.2%) in the United States has
experienced stalking at some point
in her lifetime in which she felt
very fearful or believed that she
or someone close to her would
be harmed or killed as a result
(Table 3.1).
2
This translates to
approximately 19.3 million adult
women in the United States. About
4%, or approximately 5.2 million
women, were stalked in the 12
in the United States (approximately
5.9 million) has experienced
stalking victimization at some
point during his lifetime in which
2
Legal statutes vary regarding the requirement of victim fear during a stalking episode. Similarly, there is debate in the research community about
the necessity of requiring a criterion of fear in measures of stalking prevalence. If a criterion of fear is used, it is also not clear how much fear is
required to be considered a victim of stalking. Similar to the National Violence Against Women Survey (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000), we used a
conservative denition in this report to estimate stalking prevalence which required the victim to report having felt very fearful or concern that
harm would come to the victim or someone close to him/her as a result of the perpetrators behavior. In stalking situations, victims may vary in
their assessment of the danger of the situation and consequently report varying levels of fear, such as low or no fear even if the situation would
cause a reasonable person to feel afraid. Using a less conservative denition of stalking, which considers any amount of fear (i.e., a little fearful,
somewhat fearful, or very fearful), 1 in 4 women (25.0%) and 1 in 13 men (7.9%) in NISVS reported being a victim of stalking in their lifetime, with
6.5% and 2.0% of women and men, respectively, reporting stalking in the 12 months prior to taking the survey.
1 in 6 women and 1 in 19 men in the U.S. have experienced stalking
at some point in their lives in which they felt very fearful or believed
that they or someone close to them would be harmed or killed.
Table 3.3
Lifetime Prevalence of Stalking Victimization by Race/Ethnicity
1
U.S. Men,
NISVS 2010
Black White Asian or Pacifc
Islander
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Multiracial
Weighted %
Estimated Number
of Victims
2
5.1
829,000
6.0
750,000
5.1
3,916,000
* * *
1
2
Table 3.1
Lifetime and 12 Month Prevalence of Stalking Victimization U.S. Women and Men,
NISVS 2010
Lifetime 12 Month
of Victims
1
of Victims
1
Women 16.2 19,327,000 4.3 5,179,000
Men 5.2 5,863,000 1.3 1,419,000
1
Table 3.2
Lifetime Prevalence of Stalking Victimization by Race/Ethnicity
1
U.S. Women,
NISVS 2010
Black White Asian or Pacifc
Islander
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Multiracial
Weighted %
Estimated Number
of Victims
2
15.2
2,295,000
19.6
2,848,000
16.0
12,997,000
* 22.7
197,000
30.6
414,000
1
2
he felt very fearful or believed that
he or someone close to him would
be harmed or killed as a result, and
1.3% of men (about 1.4 million)
reported being stalked in the 12
Prevalence of Stalking
Victimization by Race/
Ethnicity
In the United States, approximately
1 in 5 Black non-Hispanic women
experienced stalking in her lifetime
(Table 3.2). The prevalence of
stalking for White non-Hispanic
and Hispanic women was similar
(1 in 6 and 1 in 7, respectively).
Additionally, approximately 1 in 3
multiracial non-Hispanic and 1 in 4
American Indian or Alaska Native
women reported being stalked at
some point during their lives.
Approximately 1 in 17 Black
non-Hispanic men in the United
States experienced stalking in their
lifetime (Table 3.3). The prevalence
of stalking for White non-Hispanic
and Hispanic men was similar
(about 1 in 20). The estimates for
the other racial/ethnic groups of
men were based upon numbers too
small to produce a reliable estimate
and therefore are not reported.
Tactics Used in Lifetime
Reports of Stalking
Victimization
A variety of tactics were used
to stalk victims. More than
three-quarters of female stalking
victims (78.8%) reported receiving
unwanted phone calls, including
voice or text messages, or hang
ups (Figure 3.1). More than half of
female victims (57.6%) reported
being approached, such as at their
Two-thirds of female victims of stalking
were stalked by intimate partners.
Male victims were primarily stalked by
intimate partners or acquaintances.
home or work, and more than
one-third (38.6%) were watched,
followed or tracked with a listening
or other device.
Similarly, about three-quarters
of male victims (75.9%) reported
receiving unwanted phone calls,
voice or text messages, or hang ups
(Figure 3.2). Just under half (43.5%)
reported being approached by the
perpetrator. Nearly one-third of
male victims (31.0%) reported being
watched, followed, or tracked.
Type of Perpetrator
Stalking Victimization
For both female and male victims,
stalking was often committed by
people they knew or with whom
they had a relationship. Two-thirds
of the female victims of stalking
(66.2%) reported stalking by a
current or former intimate partner
and nearly one-quarter (24.0%)
reported stalking by an acquain-
tance (Figure 3.3). About 1 in 8
female victims (13.2%) reported
stalking by a stranger.
Approximately 4 out of 10 male
stalking victims (41.4%) reported
that they had been stalked by an
intimate partner in their lifetime,
with a similar proportion indi-
cating that they had been stalked
by an acquaintance (40.0%) (Figure
3.4). Nearly one-fth of male
victims (19.0%) reported stalking
by a stranger and 5.3% reported
being stalked by a family member.
The majority of both women
and men reported that they
experienced stalking from one
perpetrator in their lifetime, 76.0%
and 82.2%, respectively (Figure 3.5).
Approximately 1 in 6 female victims
(17.0%) experienced stalking by
two perpetrators, and 1 in 14 (7.1%)
had experienced stalking by three
or more perpetrators. Among men,
about 1 in 10 (9.6%) experienced
stalking by two perpetrators.
Sex of Perpetrator in
Lifetime Reports of
Among female stalking victims,
82.5% reported being stalked by
only male perpetrators in their
lifetime; 8.8% reported only
female perpetrators; and 4.6%
reported having been stalked by
both male and female perpetra-
tors (data not shown).
Among male stalking victims,
almost half (44.3%) reported being
stalked by only male perpetrators
while a similar proportion (46.7%)
reported being stalked by only
female perpetrators. About 1 in
18 male stalking victims (5.5%)
reported having been stalked by
both male and female perpetrators
in his life (data not shown).
More than half of
female victims and
more than one-third
of male victims
were stalked before
the age of 25.
Age at the Time of First
More than half of female victims
and more than one-third of male
victims of stalking indicated that
they were stalked before the age
of 25 (Figures 3.6 and 3.7). About
1 in 5 female victims and 1 in 14
male victims had experienced
stalking between the ages of 11
and 17. For both female and male
victims, more than one-quarter
(28.5% and 29.6%, respectively)
reported that their rst stalking
victimization occurred between
25 to 34 years of age.
4: Violence by an Intimate Partner
How NISVS Measured Intimate Partner Violence
Five types of intimate partner violence were measured in NISVS. These include sexual
violence, stalking, physical violence, psychological aggression, and control of reproductive/
sexual health.
Sexual violence includes rape, being made to penetrate someone else, sexual coercion,
unwanted sexual contact, and non-contact unwanted sexual experiences as described in
Section 2.
Physical violence includes a range of behaviors from slapping, pushing or shoving to
severe acts such as being beaten, burned, or choked.
Stalking victimization involves a pattern of harassing or threatening tactics used by a
perpetrator that is both unwanted and causes fear or safety concerns in the victim as
described in Section 3.
Psychological aggression includes expressive aggression (such as name calling,
insulting or humiliating an intimate partner) and coercive control, which includes
behaviors that are intended to monitor and control or threaten an intimate partner.
Control of reproductive or sexual health includes the refusal by an intimate partner
to use a condom. For a woman, it also includes times when a partner tried to get her
pregnant when she did not want to become pregnant. For a man, it also includes times
when a partner tried to get pregnant when the man did not want her to become pregnant.
4: Violence by an Intimate Partner
Intimate partner violence includes
physical violence, sexual violence,
threats of physical or sexual
violence, stalking and psycho-
logical aggression (including
coercive tactics) by a current or
former intimate partner. Intimate
partner violence may occur
among cohabitating or non-
cohabitating romantic or sexual
partners and among opposite or
same sex couples. Previous large
scale surveys of intimate partner
violence have primarily examined
only certain aspects of intimate
partner violence (e.g., physical or
sexual violence) or have examined
these forms of intimate partner
violence within the context of
crime or public safety. More recent
smaller scale surveys have covered
selected populations, for example
schools, colleges, individual states
and, in general, have included a
limited number of questions. By
comparison, the National Intimate
includes a broad range of behavior-
ally specic questions to capture
the full burden of physical, sexual,
and psychological violence by an
intimate partner, as well as stalking.
Respondents were asked about
their relationship at the time the
perpetrator rst committed any
violence against them. Incidents
perpetrated by a current or former
intimate partner are considered
violence by an intimate.
intimate partner violence among
States, including estimates for
sexual violence, stalking, physical
violence, psychological aggres-
sion (expressive aggression and
coercive control), and control of
reproductive or sexual health by
an intimate partner. This section
also includes the overlap of lifetime
rape, physical violence, and
stalking by an intimate partner;
lifetime prevalence estimates
of these forms of violence by
self-identied race/ethnicity; and
information on the characteristics
of the victimization experiences,
including the type of perpetrators,
the number of perpetrators, and
age at the time of the rst intimate
partner violence victimization.
Detailed information regarding the
impact of intimate partner violence
is included in Section 5.
Table 4.1
Lifetime and 12 month Prevalence of Rape, Physical Violence, and/or Stalking Victimization
by an Intimate Partner U.S. Women, NISVS 2010
Lifetime 12 Month
Weighted % Estimated Number of
Victims
1

Victims
1
Rape 9.4 11,162,000 0.6 686,000
Physical violence 32.9 39,167,000 4.0 4,741,000
Stalking 10.7 12,786,000 2.8 3,353,000
Rape, physical violence,
and/or stalking
35.6 42,420,000 5.9 6,982,000
With IPV-related impact
2,3,4
28.8 34,273,000
1
2
Includes experiencing any of the following: being fearful, concerned for safety, any PTSD symptoms, need for health care, injury, contacting a
crisis hotline, need for housing services, need for victims advocate services, need for legal services, missed at least one day of work or school.
For those who reported being raped it also includes having contracted a sexually transmitted disease or having become pregnant.
3
IPV-related impact questions were assessed in relation to specic perpetrators, without regard to the time period in which they occurred,
and asked in relation to any form of IPV experienced (sexual violence, physical violence, stalking, expressive aggression, coercive control, and
reproductive control) in that relationship.
4
By denition, all stalking incidents result in impact because the denition of stalking includes the impacts of fear and concern for safety.
12-month prevalence of IPV-related impact was not assessed.
Table 4.2
Lifetime and 12 month Prevalence of Rape, Physical Violence, and/or Stalking Victimization
by an Intimate Partner U.S. Men, NISVS 2010
Lifetime 12 Month
Victims
1
Victims
1
Rape * * * *
Physical violence 28.2 31,893,000 4.7 5,365,000
Stalking 2.1 2,427,000 0.5 519,000
Rape, physical violence,
and/or stalking
28.5 32,280,000 5.0 5,691,000
With IPV-related impact
2,3,4
9.9 11,214,000
1
2
Includes experiencing any of the following: being fearful, concerned for safety, any PTSD symptoms, need for health care, injury, contacted a
For those who reported being raped it also includes having contracted a sexually transmitted disease.
3
reproductive control) in that relationship.
4
12-month prevalence of IPV-related impact was not assessed.
Prevalence of Rape,
Physical Violence,
and/or Stalking by an
Intimate Partner
Prevalence Among Women
More than one-third of women
in the United States (35.6% or
approximately 42.4 million)
intimate partner at some point
in their lifetime (Table 4.1). One
in 3 women (32.9%) has expe-
rienced physical violence by an
intimate partner and nearly 1 in
10 (9.4%) has been raped by an
intimate partner in her lifetime.
Approximately 5.9%, or almost
7.0 million women in the United
States, reported experiencing these
forms of violence by an intimate
partner in the 12 months prior to
taking the survey.
States (28.8% or approximately
34.3 million) have experienced
stalking by an intimate partner and
reported at least one measured
impact related to experiencing
these or other forms of violent
behavior in that relationship. The
impact estimate is broader than
the experience of rape, physical
violence, and/or stalking because
violent acts often do not occur
in isolation and are frequently
experienced in the context of other
violence committed by the same
perpetrator. More detailed informa-
tion regarding the prevalence and
distribution of IPV-related impacts
is described in Section 5.
Prevalence Among Men
More than 1 in 4 men in the United
States (28.5%) has experienced
stalking by an intimate partner at
some point in their lifetime. Most
of the violence reported by men
was physical violence; only 2.1%
reported experiencing stalking by
an intimate partner (Table 4.2). An
estimated 1 in 20 men in the United
States (5.0% or about 5.7 million)
reported experiencing rape,
by an intimate partner in the 12
About 1 in 10 men in the United
States (9.9% or an estimated 11.2
million) has experienced rape,
by an intimate partner and
impact related to these or other
forms of violent behavior in
that relationship.
Prevalence of Intimate
Partner Rape, Physical
Violence, and/or
Stalking by Race/
Ethnicity
Approximately 4 out of every 10
non-Hispanic Black women, 4 out
of every 10 American Indian or
Alaska Native women (43.7% and
46.0%, respectively), and 1 in 2
multiracial non-Hispanic women
(53.8%) have been the victim of
stalking by an intimate partner in
their lifetime (Table 4.3). Among
the other racial/ethnic groups
of women, about one-third of
White non-Hispanic women
(34.6%), more than one-third of
Hispanic women (37.1%), and
about one-fth of Asian or Pacic
Islander non-Hispanic women
(19.6%) in the United States
reported that they have been the
victim of rape, physical violence,
and/or stalking by an intimate
partner in their lifetime.
Nearly half (45.3%) of American
Indian or Alaska Native men and
almost 4 out of every 10 Black
and multiracial non-Hispanic men
(38.6% and 39.3%, respectively) in
the United States reported experi-
encing rape, physical violence, and/
or stalking by an intimate partner
during their lifetime (Table 4.4).
The estimated prevalence of these
forms of violence by an intimate
partner among Hispanic and White
non-Hispanic men was 26.6% and
28.2%, respectively.
Table 4.3
Lifetime Prevalence of Rape, Physical Violence, and/or Stalking by an Intimate Partner,
by Race/Ethnicity
1
Black White
Asian or
Pacifc
Islander
American
Indian or
Alaska Native Multiracial
Rape Weighted %
Estimated Number of
Victims
2
8.4
1,273,000
12.2
1,768,000
9.2
7,475,000
* * 20.1
273,000
Physical violence Weighted %
Estimated Number of
Victims
2
35.2
5,317,000
40.9
5,955,000
31.7
25,746,000
* 45.9
399,000
50.4
683,000
Stalking Weighted %
Estimated Number of
Victims
2
10.6
1,599,000
14.6
2,123,000
10.4
8,402,000
* * 18.9
256,000
Rape, physical
violence, and/
or stalking
Weighted %
Estimated Number of
Victims
2
37.1
5,596,000
43.7
6,349,000
34.6
28,053,000
19.6
1,110,000
46.0
400,000
53.8
729,000
1
2
Table 4.4
Lifetime Prevalence of Rape, Physical Violence, and/or Stalking by an Intimate Partner,
by Race/Ethnicity
1
Black White
Asian or
Pacifc
Islander
American
Indian or
Alaska Native Multiracial
Rape Weighted %
Estimated Number of
Victims
2
* * * * * *
Physical violence Weighted %
Estimated Number of
Victims
2
26.5
4,277,000
36.8
4,595,000
28.1
21,524,000
8.4
428,000
45.3
365,000
38.8
507,000
Stalking Weighted %
Estimated Number of
Victims
2
* * 1.7
1,282,000
* * *
Rape, physical
violence, and/
or stalking
Weighted %
Estimated Number of
Victims
2
26.6
4,331,000
38.6
4,820,000
28.2
21,596,000
* 45.3
365,000
39.3
513,000
1
2
* Estimate is not reported; relative standard error >30% or cell size 20.
Nearly 1 in 10 women
in the U.S. has been
raped by an intimate
partner in her lifetime.
Overlap of Rape,
Physical Violence, and
Stalking in Lifetime
Reports of Violence by
an Intimate Partner
Among all women who experi-
enced rape, physical violence, and/
in their lifetime, 63.8% experienced
one form of violence by an intimate
partner; 56.8% experienced
physical violence alone, 4.4%
experienced rape alone, and 2.6%
experienced stalking alone (Figure
4.1). Approximately 8.7% experi-
enced rape and physical violence,
14.4% experienced physical
violence and stalking, and 12.5%
experienced all three forms of IPV.
Among all men who experienced
stalking by an intimate partner in
their lifetime, approximately 92%
experienced physical violence
alone, while 6.3% experienced
both physical violence and stalking
by an intimate partner (Figure
4.2). Too few men reported rape
or other combinations of intimate
partner violence to produce a
reliable estimate.
Table 4.5
Lifetime and 12 Month Prevalence of Sexual Violence by an Intimate Partner
Lifetime 12 Month
Victims
1
Victims
1
Rape 9.4 11,162,000 0.6 686,000
Completed forced penetration 6.6 7,859,000 0.4 472,000
Attempted forced penetration 2.5 2,975,000 * *
Completed alcohol/drug facilitated 3.4 4,098,000 * *
Made to penetrate * * * *
Sexual coercion
2
9.8 11,681,000 1.7 1,978,000
Unwanted sexual contact
3
6.4 7,633,000 0.5 645,000
experiences
4
7.8 9,298,000 0.7 836,000
1
2
Pressured in a non-physical way (includes, for example, threatening to end the relationship, using inuence or authority).
3
Includes unwanted kissing in a sexual way, fondling or grabbing sexual body parts.
4
Includes, for example, exposing sexual body parts, being made to look at or participate in sexual photos or movies, harassed in a public place
in a way that felt unsafe.
Sexual Violence by an
Intimate Partner
Nearly 1 out of 10 women in the
United States (9.4% or approxi-
mately 11.1 million) has been
raped by an intimate partner in her
lifetime (Table 4.5). More speci-
cally, 6.6% of women reported
completed forced penetration by
an intimate partner, 2.5% reported
and 3.4% reported alcohol/drug
facilitated rape. Approximately 1
in 6 women (16.9% or nearly 19
million) has experienced sexual
violence other than rape by an
intimate partner in her lifetime; this
includes sexual coercion (9.8%),
unwanted sexual contact (6.4%)
and non-contact unwanted sexual
experiences (7.8%).
In the 12 months prior to taking
the survey, 0.6% or an estimated
686,000 women in the United States
indicated that they were raped by
an intimate partner, and 2.3% or an
estimated 2.7 million women experi-
enced other forms of sexual violence
by an intimate partner.
Too few men reported rape by
an intimate partner to produce
reliable prevalence estimates.
United States (8.0% or approxi-
mately 9 million) has experienced
sexual violence other than rape by
an intimate partner in his lifetime
(Table 4.6). This includes being
made to penetrate an intimate
partner (2.2%), sexual coercion
(4.2%), unwanted sexual contact
(2.6%) and non-contact unwanted
sexual experiences (2.7%). In the 12
months prior to taking the survey,
2.5% or nearly 2.8 million men
experienced sexual violence other
than rape by an intimate partner.
Table 4.6
Lifetime and 12 Month Prevalence of Sexual Violence by an Intimate Partner
Lifetime 12 Month
of Victims
1
of Victims
1
Rape
2
* * * *
Made to penetrate 2.2 2,442,000 0.5 586,000
Sexual coercion
3
4.2 4,744,000 1.0 1,143,000
Unwanted sexual contact
4
2.6 2,999,000 0.9 1,031,000
experiences
5
2.7 3,049,000 0.8 882,000
1
2
Includes completed forced penetration, attempted forced penetration, and completed alcohol/drug-facilitated rape.
3
Pressured in a non-physical way (includes, for example, threatening to end the relationship, using inuence or authority).
4
Includes unwanted kissing in a sexual way, fondling or grabbing sexual body parts.
5
Includes, for example, exposing sexual body parts, being made to look at or participate in sexual photos or movies, harassed in a public place
in a way that felt unsafe.
Approximately 1 in 4
women and nearly 1 in
7 men in the U.S. have
experienced severe
physical violence by
an intimate partner
at some point in
their lifetime.
Physical Violence by an
Intimate Partner
Nearly 1 in 3 women (30.3%) in the
United States has been slapped,
pushed or shoved by an intimate
partner at some point in her
lifetime. This translates to approxi-
mately 36.2 million women in the
United States. An estimated 3.6%, or
reported experiencing these behav-
iors in the 12 months prior to taking
the survey (Table 4.7).

Approximately 1 in 4 women in
the United States (24.3%) has
experienced severe physical
violence by an intimate partner in
her lifetime, translating to nearly
29 million women. An estimated
17.2% of women have been
slammed against something by a
partner, 14.2% have been hit with
a st or something hard, and 11.2%
reported that they have been
beaten by an intimate partner in
their lifetime. An estimated 2.7%, or
reported experiencing severe
taking the survey.
Table 4.7
Lifetime and 12 Month Prevalence of Physical Violence by an Intimate Partner
Behavior Experienced
Lifetime 12 Month
of Victims
1
of Victims
1
Slapped, pushed or shoved 30.3 36,164,000 3.6 4,322,000
Slapped 20.4 24,282,000 1.6 1,851,000
Pushed or shoved 27.5 32,783,000 3.4 4,028,000
Any severe physical violence 24.3 28,981,000 2.7 3,163,000
Hurt by pulling hair 10.4 12,416,000 0.8 897,000
Hit with a fst or something hard 14.2 16,923,000 1.1 1,289,000
Kicked 7.1 8,403,000 0.3 373,000
Slammed against something 17.2 20,467,000 1.5 1,843,000
Tried to hurt by choking or
sufocating
9.7 11,605,000 0.9 1,121,000
Beaten 11.2 13,386,000 0.7 822,000
Burned on purpose 1.1 1,286,000 * *
Used a knife or gun 4.6 5,519,000 * *
1
United States (25.7% or about 29
million) has been slapped, pushed
or shoved by an intimate partner
in his lifetime, and 4.5% or approxi-
mately 5 million men, reported
experiencing these behaviors in
survey (Table 4.8).
Nearly 1 in 7 men in the United
States (13.8% or approximately 15.6
million) has experienced severe
partner in his lifetime. About 9.4%
of men have been hit with a st
or something hard by an intimate
partner, 4.3% reported being
kicked, and less than 3% reported
each of the other forms of severe
violence by an intimate partner in
their lifetime. Two percent of men
(approximately 2.3 million men)
reported experiencing severe
taking the survey.
Stalking by an Intimate
Partner
Approximately 1 in 10 women in
the United States (10.7% or an
estimated 12.7 million) has been
stalked by an intimate partner in
her lifetime, and 2.8% or about 3.3
million, reported being stalked
by an intimate partner during
survey (data not shown). More
than three-quarters of the women
who reported being stalked by an
intimate partner in their lifetime
reported receiving unwanted
phone calls or text messages
(77.4%), nearly two-thirds (64.8%)
reported that a current or former
intimate partner showed up at
their home, workplace or school
when they didnt want them to
be there, and 37.4% reported
being watched or followed by a
Table 4.8
Lifetime and 12 Month Prevalence of Physical Violence by an Intimate Partner
Lifetime 12 Month
of Victims
1
of Victims
1
Slapped, pushed or shoved 25.7 29,064,000 4.5 5,066,000
Slapped 18.3 20,717,000 2.7 3,103,000
Pushed or shoved 19.4 21,953,000 3.8 4,253,000
Any severe physical violence 13.8 15,581,000 2.0 2,266,000
Hurt by pulling hair 2.9 3,331,000 0.3 390,000
Hit with fst or something hard 9.4 10,695,000 1.4 1,555,000
Kicked 4.3 4,817,000 0.7 737,000
Slammed against something 2.7 3,004,000 0.4 459,000
Tried to hurt by choking or
sufocating
1.1 1,259,000 * *
Beaten 2.6 2,982,000 0.3 376,000
Burned on purpose 0.6 654,000 * *
Used a knife or gun 2.8 3,121,000 * *
1
current or former intimate partner.
Approximately 2.1% of men in the
United States (2.4 million) were
during their lifetime, and 0.5%
(approximately 519,000 men)
reported being stalked during
the 12 months prior to taking
the survey (data not shown). The
most frequently reported stalking
behaviors by an intimate partner
were unwanted phone calls or
text messages (83.7%); being
approached or having a current or
former intimate partner show up
at their home, workplace or school
when they didnt want them to be
there (52.1%), and being watched
or followed by a current or former
intimate partner (52.1%).
Psychological
Aggression by an
Intimate Partner
Nearly half of all women in
the United States (48.4% or
approximately 57.6 million) have
experienced at least one form
of psychological aggression by
an intimate partner during their
lifetime, with 4 in 10 (40.3%)
reporting some form of expres-
sive aggression (e.g., their partner
acted angry in a way that seemed
dangerous, told them they were
a loser or a failure, insulted or
humiliated them), or some form
of coercive control (41.1%) by an
intimate partner (Table 4.9).
16.6 million) reported experiencing
psychological aggression by an
intimate partner in the 12 months
prior to taking the survey. The prev-
alence of expressive aggression
or coercive control by an intimate
taking the survey was similar at
10.4% and 10.7%, respectively.
Nearly half of men in the United
States (48.8% or approximately 55.2
million) have experienced psycho-
logical aggression by an intimate
partner during their lifetime (Table
4.10). Approximately one-third
(31.9%) experienced some form of
expressive aggression and about
Table 4.10
Lifetime and 12 Month Prevalence of Psychological Aggression by an Intimate Partner
Lifetime 12 Month
Weighted %
Estimated Number of
Victims
1
Weighted %
Estimated Number of
Victims
1
Any Psychological
Aggression
48.8 55,249,000 18.1 20,548,000
Any expressive aggression 31.9 36,186,000 9.3 10,573,000
Any coercive control 42.5 48,105,000 15.2 17,253,000
1
Table 4.9
Lifetime and 12 Month Prevalence of Psychological Aggression by an Intimate Partner
Lifetime 12 Month
Weighted %
Estimated Number of
Victims
1
Weighted %
Estimated Number of
Victims
1
Any Psychological
Aggression
48.4 57,613,000 13.9 16,578,000
Any expressive aggression 40.3 47,994,000 10.4 12,334,000
Any coercive control 41.1 48,972,000 10.7 12,689,000
1
4 in 10 (42.5%) experienced
coercive control. Nearly 1 in 5 men
(18.1%) experienced at least one
of these behaviors by an intimate
taking the survey; 9.3% experi-
enced expressive aggression and
15.2% experienced coercive control.
Psychologically Aggressive
Behaviors Experienced by
Female Victims
Among female victims of psycho-
logical aggression, the most
commonly reported behaviors were
expressive forms of aggression
such as being called names like
ugly, fat, crazy, or stupid (64.3%),
witnessing an intimate partner
act angry in a way that seemed
dangerous (57.9%), and being
insulted, humiliated, or made fun
of (58.0%) (Figure 4.3). Being kept
track of by demanding to know her
whereabouts (61.7%) was also a
commonly reported behavior.
Psychologically Aggressive
Behaviors Experienced by
Male Victims
Among male victims of psycho-
logical aggression, the most
commonly reported forms were:
being kept track of by demanding
to know his whereabouts (63.1%);
being called names such as ugly,
fat, crazy, or stupid (51.6%); being
told he was a loser, a failure, or not
good enough (42.4%); witnessing
an intimate partner act angry in
a way that seemed dangerous
(40.4%); and being insulted,
humiliated, or made fun of (39.4%)
(Figure 4.4).
Nearly half of women
and men in the U.S.
have experienced
psychological
aggression by an
intimate partner
in their lifetime.
Prevalence of Control
of Reproductive or
Sexual Health by an
Intimate Partner
Approximately 8.6% (or an
estimated 10.3 million) of women
in the United States reported ever
having an intimate partner who
tried to get them pregnant when
they did not want to, or refused to
use a condom, with 4.8% having
had an intimate partner who tried
to get them pregnant when they
did not want to, and 6.7% having
had an intimate partner who
refused to wear a condom (data
not shown).
Approximately 10.4% (or an esti-
mated 11.7 million) of men in the
United States reported ever having
an intimate partner who tried to
get pregnant when they did not
want to or tried to stop them from
using birth control, with 8.7%
having had an intimate partner
who tried to get pregnant when
they did not want to or tried to
stop them from using birth control
and 3.8% having had an intimate
partner who refused to wear a
condom (data not shown).
Victim-Perpetrator
Relationship in Lifetime
Reports of Violence by
an Intimate Partner
Approximately 86.1% of women
and 83.6% of men who experi-
enced rape, physical violence, and/
during their lifetime reported
that the perpetrator was a current
intimate partner at the time when
the violence rst occurred, while
less than a quarter (21.9% and
23.1%, respectively) experienced
one of these forms of intimate
partner violence by someone who
was a former intimate partner at
the time the violence rst occurred
(data not shown).
Violence by an Intimate
Partner
The majority of women (70.8%)
who ever experienced rape,
by an intimate partner reported
being victimized by one partner,
20.9% were victimized by two
partners and 8.3% were victimized
by three or more partners. Similarly,
the majority of men (73.1%)
reported being victimized by one
partner, 18.6% were victimized by
two partners and 8.3% were victim-
ized by three or more partners
(data not shown).
1 in 5 women and
nearly 1 in 7 men who
ever experienced rape,
physical violence,
and/or stalking by
an intimate partner,
frst experienced
some form of intimate
partner violence
between 11 and
17 years of age.
Age at the Time of First
IPV Experience among
those who Experienced
Rape, Physical Violence,
and/or Stalking by an
Intimate Partner
Among women who ever expe-
rienced rape, physical violence,
partner, more than 1 in 5 women
(22.4%) experienced some form
of intimate partner violence for
the rst time between the ages
of 11 and 17 years (Figure 4.5).
Nearly half (47.1%) were between
18 and 24 years of age when they
rst experienced violence by an
intimate partner.
Among men who ever experienced
stalking by an intimate partner,
15.0% experienced some form of
IPV between the ages of 11 and
17 years (Figure 4.6). In addition,
38.6% were between the ages of 18
and 24 when they rst experienced
violence by an intimate partner.
5: Impact of Intimate Partner Violence
How NISVS Measured the Impact of Intimate Partner Violence
For each perpetrator of intimate partner violence, respondents were asked about whether
they had experienced:
being fearful
being concerned for safety
symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- having nightmares
- trying hard not to think about it or avoiding being reminded of it
- feeling constantly on guard, watchful, or easily startled
- feeling numb or detached from others, activities, or surroundings
being injured
needing healthcare as a result of the intimate partner violence experienced
needing housing services
needing victims advocate services
needing legal services
contacting a crisis hotline
missing days of work or school because of the intimate partner violence experienced
for those reporting rape by an intimate partner contracting a sexually
transmitted infection or becoming pregnant (for women)
The questions were assessed in relation to specifc perpetrators, without regard to the time
period in which they occurred. Because violent acts often do not occur in isolation and are
frequently experienced in the context of other violence committed by the same perpetrator,
questions regarding the impact of the violence were asked in relation to all forms of violence
(sexual violence, physical violence, stalking, expressive aggression, coercive control, and
reproductive control) committed by the perpetrator in that relationship. Such information
provides a better understanding of how individual and cumulative experiences of violence
interact to result in harm to victims and provides a more nuanced understanding of the
overall impact of violence.
5: Impact of Intimate Partner Violence
Factors beyond whether a person
has ever experienced intimate
partner violence are important to
measure and understand in order
to achieve a more complete picture
of the true burden of intimate
partner violence. Evidence from
several studies suggests a dose-
response eect of violence; as the
frequency and severity of violence
increases, the impact of the
violence on the health of victims
also becomes increasingly severe
(Campbell, 2002; Cox, Coles, Nortje,
Bradley, Chateld, Thompson, &
Menon, 2006). However, given that
intimate partner violence victimiza-
tion can range from a single act
experienced once to multiple acts,
including acts of severe violence
over the course of many years, it is
dicult to represent the variation
in severity experienced by victims
in a straightforward manner. To
this end, NISVS included a number
of questions to assess a range of
impacts that victims of intimate
partner violence may have expe-
rienced. This information provides
not only a measure of the severity
of the violence experienced, but
also documents the magnitude of
negative impacts to better focus
preventive services and response.
Impact was measured using a set
of indicators that represent a range
of direct impacts that may be
experienced by victims of intimate
partner violence. IPV-related
impact was assessed in relation
to specic perpetrators, without
regard to the time period in which
impact occurred, and asked in
relation to the forms of intimate
partner violence experienced
(sexual violence, physical violence,
stalking, expressive aggression,
coercive control, and control of
reproductive or sexual health) in
that relationship.
Table 5.1
Lifetime Prevalence of Rape, Physical Violence, and/or Stalking by an Intimate Partner With
IPV-Related Impact U.S. Women, NISVS 2010
Weighted % Estimated Number of Victims
1
Any Reported IPV-Related Impact
2,3,4
28.8 34,273,000
Fearful 25.7 30,611,000
Concerned for safety 22.2 26,448,000
Any PTSD symptoms
5
22.3 26,546,000
Injury 14.8 17,640,000
Needed medical care 7.9 9,362,000
Needed housing services 2.4 2,911,000
Needed victims advocate services 2.7 3,195,000
Needed legal services 7.6 8,998,000
Contacted a crisis hotline 2.1 2,496,000
Missed at least one day of work/school 10.0 11,887,000
Contracted a sexually transmitted disease
6
1.5 1,804,000
Became pregnant
6
1.7 2,053,000
1
2
For those who reported being raped it also includes having contracted a sexually transmitted disease or having become pregnant.
3
control of reproductive or sexual health) in that relationship; 12-month prevalence of IPV-related impact was not assessed.
4
5
Includes: nightmares; tried not to think about or avoided being reminded of; felt constantly on guard, watchful, or easily startled; felt numb or detached.
6
Asked only of those who reported rape by an intimate partner.
Nearly 3 in 10 women
and 1 in 10 men in the
U.S. have experienced
rape, physical violence,
and/or stalking by
an intimate partner
and reported at least
one measured impact
related to these or
other forms of violence
in that relationship.
Prevalence of Rape,
Physical Violence,
and/or Stalking with
IPV-Related Impact
34.2 million) have experienced
impact related to experiencing
these or other forms of violent
behavior in that relationship (Table
5.1). Approximately one-quarter
of women reported being fearful
(25.7%), and more than 1 in 5
reported being concerned for their
safety (22.2%), or reported at least
one post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) symptom (22.3%) as a result
of the violence experienced. More
than 1 in 7 (14.8%) experienced an
injury, while 1 in 10 (10.0%) missed
at least one day of work or school
as a result of these or other forms
of intimate partner violence.
Approximately 1 in
7 women and 1 in
25 men were injured
as a result of IPV
that included rape,
physical violence,
and/or stalking by
an intimate partner.
Table 5.2
Lifetime Prevalence of Rape, Physical Violence, and/or Stalking by an Intimate Partner With
IPV-Related Impact U.S. Men, NISVS 2010
Weighted % Estimated Number of Victims
1
Any Reported IPV-Related Impact
2,3,4
9.9 11,214,000
Fearful 5.2 5,925,000
Concerned for safety 4.5 5,080,000
Any PTSD symptoms
5
4.7 5,304,000
Injury 4.0 4,489,000
Needed medical care 1.6 1,773,000
Needed housing services 0.4 489,000
Needed victims advocate services * *
Needed legal services 3.1 3,477,000
Contacted a crisis hotline * *
Missed at least one day of work/school 3.9 4,397,000
Contracted a sexually transmitted disease
6
* *
1
2
For those who reported being raped it also includes having contracted a sexually transmitted disease.
3
control of reproductive or sexual health) in that relationship; 12-month prevalence of IPV-related impact was not assessed.
4
5
Includes: nightmares; tried not to think about or avoided being reminded of; felt constantly on guard, watchful, or easily startled; felt numb or detached.
6
Asked only of those who reported rape by an intimate partner.
United States (9.9% or an estimated
11.2 million) has experienced
impact related to these or other
forms of violent behavior in that
relationship (Table 5.2). One in
20 men (5.2%) was fearful as a
result of the violence experienced.
experienced injury, and nearly 1 in
25 men (3.9%) missed at least one
day of work or school as a result
of these or other forms of intimate
partner violence.
Among victims
of rape, physical
violence, and/
or stalking by an
intimate partner,
approximately 6 out
of 10 women and 1
in 6 men reported
being concerned for
their safety because
of the violence in
that relationship.
Distribution of
IPV-Related Impacts
Among Victims
Distribution Among Female
Victims
Among female victims of rape,
by an intimate partner, approxi-
mately 8 in 10 (80.8%) experi-
enced at least one of the impacts
measured in the survey from these
or other forms of intimate partner
violence in that relationship (Figure
5.1). Specically, 72.2% of victims
were fearful, 62.3% were concerned
for their safety, 62.6% experienced
at least one post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) symptom, 41.6%
were injured as a result of the
violence, and 28.0% missed at least
one day of work or school.
Distribution Among Male
Victims
Among male victims of rape,
by an intimate partner, more than
1 in 3 (34.7%) experienced at least
one of the impacts measured in
the survey from these or other
forms of intimate partner violence
in that relationship (Figure 5.2).
Specically, 18.4% of victims were
fearful, 15.7% were concerned for
their safety, 16.4% experienced
at least one post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) symptom, 13.9%
were injured as a result of the
violence, and 13.6% missed at least
one day of work or school.
6: Physical and Mental Health
Outcomes by Victimization History
How NISVS Measured Health Outcomes
Before being asked about sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence, all survey
participants were asked the following health related questions:
Have you ever been told by a doctor, nurse, or other health professional that you had
- Asthma?
- Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS?
- Diabetes?
- High blood pressure?
Do you have
- Frequent headaches?
- Chronic pain?
- Difculty sleeping?
Are any of your activities limited in any way because of physical, mental, or emotional
problems?
Would you say that in general your physical health is excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor?
Would you say that in general your mental health is excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor?
6: Physical and Mental Health Outcomes
by Victimization History
Previous research suggests that
victims of intimate partner and
sexual violence make more visits to
health providers over their lifetime,
have more hospital stays, have
longer duration of hospital stays,
and are at risk of a wide range of
physical, mental, reproductive, and
other health consequences over
their lifetime than non-victims
(Basile & Smith, 2011; Black, 2011).
Many studies have documented
increased risk for a number of
adverse physical, mental, reproduc-
tive, and other health outcomes
among those who have experi-
enced intimate partner violence
and sexual violence. A smaller body
of research has also documented
that stalking has a negative
impact on health (Davis, Coker, &
Sanderson, 2002). Most studies that
have evaluated the adverse health
impact of intimate partner violence
and sexual violence are based on
female victims of such violence;
less is known about the risk for
adverse health events among men
(Breiding, Black, & Ryan, 2008;
Smith & Breiding, 2011).
The cross-sectional nature
of NISVS does not allow for a
determination of causality or the
temporal precedence of violence
victimization and associated
health outcomes. However, there
may be a number of potential
mechanisms by which violence
is related to health over ones
lifetime (Black, 2011). For example,
some health conditions may result
directly from a physical injury.
Other health conditions may result
from the adoption of health-risk
coping behaviors such as smoking
and the harmful use of alcohol
or drugs (Campbell, 2002; Coker,
Davis, Arias, Desai, Sanderson,
Brandt, & Smith, 2002). Another
explanation for the association
between violence victimization
and poor health is the harmful
biologic response to chronic stress
associated with experiences of
violence (Sutherland, Bybee, &
Sullivan, 2002).
This section compares the preva-
lence of various health outcomes
among persons with a lifetime
history of rape by any perpetrator,
stalking by any perpetrator, or
partner in relation to those who
have not experienced these forms
of violence in their lifetime.
Table 6.1
Prevalence of Physical and Mental Health Outcomes Among Those With and Without a
History of Rape or Stalking by any Perpetrator or Physical Violence by an Intimate Partner
Weighted %
Health Outcome History No History
1
p value
2
Asthma 23.7 14.3 <.001
Irritable Bowel Syndrome 12.4 6.9 <.001
Diabetes 12.6 10.2 <.001
High Blood Pressure 27.3 27.5 n.s.
3
Frequent Headaches 28.7 16.5 <.001
Chronic Pain 29.8 16.5 <.001
Difculty Sleeping 37.7 21.0 <.001
Activity Limitations 35.0 19.7 <.001
Poor Physical Health 6.4 2.4 <.001
Poor Mental Health 3.4 1.1 <.001
1
No history of rape, stalking, or intimate partner physical violence
2
p-value determined using chi-square test of independence in SUDAAN
3
Non-signicant dierence
Prevalence of
Physical and Mental
Health Outcomes by
Victimization History
With the exception of high
blood pressure, the prevalence
of adverse mental and physical
health outcomes was signicantly
higher among women with a
history of rape or stalking by any
perpetrator, or physical violence by
an intimate partner, compared to
women without a history of these
forms of violence (Table 6.1). This
includes a higher reported preva-
lence of asthma, irritable bowel
syndrome, diabetes, frequent
headaches, chronic pain, diculty
sleeping, and activity limitations.
The percentage of women who
considered their physical or mental
health to be poor was almost three
times higher among women with
a history of violence compared
to women who have not experi-
enced these forms of violence. The
observed dierences in the preva-
lence of health outcomes were in
most cases quite large. The largest
dierences in prevalence of health
outcomes between those with and
without a violence history were
observed for diculty sleeping,
activity limitations, chronic pain,
and frequent headaches.
Compared to men without a
history of rape or stalking by any
perpetrator, or physical violence
by an intimate partner, men with
such histories had signicantly
higher prevalence of frequent
headaches, chronic pain, diculty
sleeping, activity limitations, and
consider their physical and mental
health to be poor (Table 6.2). There
were no signicant dierences
between the two groups of men in
the prevalence of asthma, irritable
bowel syndrome, diabetes, or high
blood pressure.
Table 6.2
Prevalence of Physical and Mental Health Outcomes Among Those With and Without A
History of Rape or Stalking by Any Perpetrator or Physical Violence by an Intimate Partner
Weighted %
Health Outcome History No History
1
p value
2
Asthma 14.5 12.9 n.s.
3
Irritable Bowel Syndrome 4.4 3.5 n.s.
3
Diabetes 10.0 10.5 n.s.
3
High Blood Pressure 30.1 29.3 n.s.
3
Frequent Headaches 17.0 8.9 <.001
Chronic Pain 23.5 13.1 <.001
Difculty Sleeping 33.0 18.4 <.001
Activity Limitations 29.7 17.9 <.001
Poor Physical Health 5.1 2.6 <.001
Poor Mental Health 2.7 1.2 <.01
1
No history of rape, stalking, or intimate partner physical violence
2
p-value determined using chi-square test of independence in SUDAAN
3
Non-signicant dierence
7: Sexual Violence, Stalking, and
Intimate Partner Violence by State
7: Sexual Violence, Stalking, and Intimate
Partner Violence by State
The National Intimate Partner and
Sexual Violence Survey is designed
to provide data for states as well
as the nation. Although some
individual states have collected
data at various points during
the past decade, most states do
not have state prevalence data
intimate partner violence. State-
level data on these forms of
violence help to dene the nature
and burden of the problem within
a state and can be used to inform
prevention planning and response.
They can also help guide and
evaluate progress toward reducing
the substantial health, social, and
economic costs associated with
Lifetime estimates of the preva-
lence of sexual violence, stalking,
and intimate partner violence are
presented by state in this section.
These estimates reect the propor-
tion of people in a given state
population with a history of sexual
partner violence. The lifetime
victimization experiences reported
by individuals in a given state may
include violence that occurred else-
where. These estimates, however,
provide important information
about the proportion of women
and men with victimization histo-
ries currently residing in a state.
Given the potential long-term
health consequences of victimiza-
tion and the likelihood of ongoing
health and service needs, these
estimates can help states better
understand the burden of violence
in their populations. This informa-
tion can also be used to inform
prevention planning, resource
allocation, and advocacy eorts.
Separate tables are provided for
women and men. When reportable,
prevalence estimates are presented
for rape, sexual violence other
than rape, and stalking by any
perpetrator. State-level prevalence
estimates of rape, physical violence,
partner are also provided along with
the prevalence of lifetime intimate
partner violence victimization with
IPV-related impact. State-level 12
month estimates of sexual violence,
violence are not included in this
rst report due to small numbers. In
order to be able to provide reliable
state-level annual estimates, many
of the 12 month prevalence rates
will be released in subsequent
reports as moving averages over
multiple years.
The ndings in the detailed state
tables show a range in lifetime
victimization experiences of rape,
sexual violence other than rape,
across states. Lifetime estimates
for women ranged from 11.4%
to 29.2% for rape; 28.9% to 58%
for sexual violence other than
rape; and 25.3% to 49.1% for rape,
by an intimate partner. For men,
lifetime estimates ranged from
10.8% to 33.7% for sexual violence
other than rape; and 17.4% to
41.2% for rape, physical violence,
partner. Condence intervals for
these estimates are available at
www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/
nisvs. For women, the percentage
reporting rape, physical violence,
partner and experiencing at least
one measured impact from these
or other forms of violence in the
relationship ranged from 19.3% to
39.5%. Data on IPV-related impact
for men are not reported due to
small numbers resulting in unreli-
able estimates.
When reviewing state level data
it is important to recognize that
although there are variations
between states, the purpose in
presenting these data is not to
compare states but rather to help
states understand the burden of
the problem in their populations.
The states, themselves, vary in a
number of ways, including in their
demographic characteristics (e.g.,
age distribution), social, economic
and cultural characteristics, as well
as external stressors (e.g., economic
downturn, job loss, poverty), and
other factors.
Sexual Violence Victimization among Women
Table 7.1
Lifetime Prevalence of Sexual Violence by Any Perpetrator by State of Residence U.S.
Women, NISVS 2010
Rape Sexual Violence Other Than Rape
State Weighted % Estimated Number of
Victims
1
Victims
1
United States Total 18.3 21,840,000 44.6 53,174,000
Alabama 17.1 321,000 39.3 737,000
Alaska 29.2 72,000 58.0 143,000
Arizona 18.0 441,000 43.6 1,064,000
Arkansas 20.4 230,000 42.2 475,000
California 14.6 2,024,000 40.7 5,634,000
Colorado 23.8 451,000 47.4 897,000
Connecticut 22.1 310,000 48.6 683,000
Delaware 14.2 50,000 34.9 123,000
District of Columbia * * 43.0 112,000
Florida 17.0 1,266,000 41.8 3,111,000
Georgia 17.6 655,000 46.4 1,731,000
Hawaii * * 41.9 210,000
Idaho 18.6 105,000 46.9 265,000
Illinois 18.6 930,000 50.6 2,526,000
Indiana 20.4 505,000 43.9 1,091,000
Iowa 16.9 198,000 33.1 389,000
Kansas 15.6 168,000 39.4 424,000
Kentucky 20.3 345,000 47.7 812,000
For information on how sexual
violence and stalking were
measured in NISVS, refer to Sections
2 and 3, respectively. For more
information regarding how intimate
partner violence was measured,
refer to Section 4. For information
regarding how IPV-related impact
was measured, refer to Section 5.
The prevalence estimates reported
in Table 7.6 for women represent
the percentage of women who
experienced rape, physical violence,
and/or stalking and reported
experiencing at least one of the
impacts measured as a result of
these or other forms of intimate
partner violence in a specic
relationship. To provide a point of
reference, the U.S. total is provided
in the rst row in each table.
Table 7.1 continued
Rape Sexual Violence Other Than Rape
State Weighted % Estimated Number of
Victims
1
Victims
1
Louisiana 15.9 280,000 28.9 509,000
Maine 17.3 94,000 42.5 231,000
Maryland 20.5 466,000 54.9 1,248,000
Massachusetts 15.1 406,000 41.1 1,105,000
Michigan 25.6 1,005,000 45.2 1,773,000
Minnesota 22.2 452,000 48.4 982,000
Mississippi * * 33.8 387,000
Missouri 17.5 413,000 39.8 939,000
Montana 18.5 70,000 40.2 153,000
Nebraska 18.8 129,000 47.5 325,000
Nevada 26.1 252,000 48.0 463,000
New Hampshire 23.5 125,000 51.2 272,000
New Jersey * * 46.7 1,606,000
New Mexico 19.5 149,000 49.0 374,000
New York 17.7 1,398,000 48.2 3,798,000
North Carolina 21.6 794,000 51.0 1,875,000
North Dakota 19.3 48,000 30.6 77,000
Ohio 16.2 743,000 41.2 1,886,000
Oklahoma 24.9 353,000 48.0 680,000
Oregon 27.2 409,000 55.7 837,000
Pennsylvania 18.8 960,000 45.3 2,313,000
Rhode Island 14.8 64,000 34.9 151,000
South Carolina 15.0 273,000 45.9 831,000
South Dakota * * 38.7 120,000
Tennessee 13.6 340,000 44.4 1,108,000
Texas 21.7 1,963,000 46.5 4,201,000
Utah 18.1 174,000 47.8 459,000
Vermont 15.4 39,000 43.3 110,000
Virginia 11.4 354,000 42.0 1,302,000
Washington 23.7 608,000 53.2 1,367,000
West Virginia 18.9 139,000 35.9 265,000
Wisconsin 17.7 390,000 41.3 912,000
Wyoming 22.2 45,000 43.8 89,000
1
Sexual Violence Victimization Other than Rape among Men
Table 7.2
Lifetime Prevalence of Sexual Violence Other Than Rape
1
by Any Perpetrator by State of
Residence U.S. Men, NISVS 2010
State Weighted % Estimated Number of Victims
2
United States Total 22.2 25,130,000
Alabama 21.5 367,000
Alaska 17.9 48,000
Arizona 25.9 627,000
Arkansas 18.5 195,000
California 22.1 3,015,000
Colorado 26.5 505,000
Connecticut * *
Delaware 18.4 60,000
District of Columbia * *
Florida 20.4 1,437,000
Georgia 22.1 776,000
Hawaii 17.1 86,000
Idaho 27.3 153,000
Illinois * *
Indiana 25.8 606,000
Iowa 19.8 222,000
Kansas * *
Kentucky 19.6 313,000
Louisiana 32.4 523,000
Maine 25.8 130,000
Maryland 17.3 359,000
Massachusetts 23.3 577,000
Michigan 22.5 834,000
Minnesota 22.4 442,000
Mississippi 21.1 220,000
Missouri 20.9 459,000
Montana 28.7 108,000
Nebraska 26.3 174,000
Nevada 21.3 212,000
New Hampshire 28.0 141,000
Table 7.2 continued
2
New Jersey * *
New Mexico 21.5 158,000
New York 20.2 1,463,000
North Carolina 16.8 576,000
North Dakota * *
Ohio 24.7 1,048,000
Oklahoma 27.3 368,000
Oregon 18.6 270,000
Pennsylvania 18.6 880,000
Rhode Island 18.7 74,000
South Carolina 17.8 296,000
South Dakota * *
Tennessee 25.7 592,000
Texas 26.3 2,328,000
Utah 22.8 217,000
Vermont 23.6 57,000
Virginia 20.9 614,000
Washington 33.7 850,000
West Virginia 21.6 150,000
Wisconsin 23.7 507,000
Wyoming 29.3 61,000
1
Estimates of rape among men are not included due to small numbers.
2
Stalking Victimization among Women
Table 7.3
Lifetime Prevalence of Stalking Victimization by Any Perpetrator by State of Residence
U.S. Women
1
, NISVS 2010
2
Alabama 24.1 452,000
Alaska 20.1 50,000
Arizona 14.9 364,000
Arkansas 18.6 210,000
Colorado 17.2 325,000
Connecticut * *
Delaware * *
Florida 15.8 1,175,000
Georgia 14.8 554,000
Hawaii * *
Idaho 17.5 99,000
Illinois 13.8 691,000
Indiana 16.7 413,000
Iowa 17.3 203,000
Kansas * *
Kentucky 24.7 420,000
Maine 13.5 73,000
Maryland 15.5 352,000
Massachusetts * *
Michigan 18.2 715,000
Missouri 14.7 347,000
Montana 18.4 70,000
Nebraska 17.4 119,000
Nevada 24.4 236,000
Table 7.3 continued
2
New Jersey * *
New Mexico 22.3 171,000
New York 13.9 1,099,000
North Dakota * *
Ohio 17.9 818,000
Oklahoma 22.3 315,000
Oregon 16.8 252,000
Pennsylvania 19.1 977,000
South Dakota * *
Texas 15.6 1,407,000
Utah 21.1 203,000
Vermont 14.6 37,000
Virginia 11.3 352,000
Wyoming 20.6 42,000
1
State-level stalking estimates for men are not reported; relative standard error >30% or cell size 20.
2
Prevalence of Rape, Physical Violence, and/or Stalking by an Intimate
Partner among Women
Table 7.4
Lifetime Prevalence of Rape, Physical Violence, and/or Stalking by an Intimate Partner by
State of Residence U.S. Women, NISVS 2010
1
Alabama 31.0 582,000
Alaska 44.2 109,000
Arizona 36.5 891,000
Arkansas 37.3 420,000
Colorado 32.7 618,000
Connecticut 32.9 462,000
Delaware 34.9 124,000
Florida 34.2 2,546,000
Georgia 35.1 1,310,000
Hawaii 35.7 179,000
Idaho 29.3 166,000
Illinois 37.7 1,882,000
Indiana 40.4 1,001,000
Iowa 31.3 368,000
Kansas 29.0 312,000
Kentucky 37.5 638,000
Maine 36.6 199,000
Maryland 42.1 957,000
Michigan 41.8 1,638,000
Missouri 36.1 854,000
Montana 39.2 149,000
Table 7.4 continued
1
Nebraska 38.5 263,000
Nevada 48.1 465,000
New Jersey 26.2 902,000
New Mexico 34.4 263,000
New York 32.3 2,544,000
North Carolina 43.9 1,615,000
North Dakota 25.3 64,000
Ohio 35.6 1,629,000
Oklahoma 49.1 697,000
Oregon 37.3 561,000
Pennsylvania 37.7 1,927,000
South Dakota 33.7 104,000
Texas 34.5 3,116,000
Utah 36.9 355,000
Vermont 33.6 85,000
Virginia 31.3 971,000
Washington 42.6 1,094,000
Wyoming 35.8 73,000
1
Partner among Men
Table 7.5
Lifetime Prevalence of Rape, Physical Violence, and/or Stalking
1
by an Intimate Partner by
State of Residence U.S. Men, NISVS 2010
2
Alabama 26.9 459,000
Alaska 25.0 67,000
Arizona 27.1 657,000
Arkansas 35.6 375,000
Colorado 28.6 545,000
Connecticut 33.9 442,000
Delaware 36.8 119,000
District of Columbia 24.4 55,000
Florida 24.6 1,731,000
Georgia 39.9 1,401,000
Hawaii 21.8 110,000
Idaho 33.3 187,000
Illinois 25.7 1,215,000
Indiana 26.8 631,000
Iowa 19.6 219,000
Kansas 23.0 239,000
Kentucky 31.0 495,000
Maine 26.7 135,000
Maryland 27.2 563,000
Michigan 23.0 850,000
Missouri 40.4 886,000
Montana 32.6 122,000
Nebraska 26.1 172,000
Nevada 30.9 307,000
Table 7.5 continued
2
New Jersey 29.3 944,000
New Mexico 29.1 214,000
New York 33.5 2,423,000
North Dakota 26.1 66,000
Ohio 30.0 1,274,000
Oklahoma 40.7 550,000
Oregon 33.6 487,000
Pennsylvania 27.5 1,298,000
South Dakota 30.2 92,000
Texas 35.1 3,104,000
Utah 19.6 187,000
Vermont * *
Virginia 22.1 647,000
Wyoming 35.8 75,000
1
Most of the violence reported by men was physical violence; 2.1% of men, overall, experienced stalking by an intimate partner.
2
Partner and Impact from these or other forms of IPV among Women
Table 7.6
Lifetime Prevalence of Rape, Physical Violence, and/or Stalking by an Intimate Partner with
IPV-related Impact by State of Residence U.S. Women
1
, NISVS 2010
Any IPV-related impact

2-5
Prevalence of Selected Impacts
Any fear or concern
for safety
Any PTSD Symptoms
6
Injury and/or Need
for Medical Care
State Weighted %
Estimated
Number of
Victims
7
Weighted %
Estimated
Number of
Victims
7
Weighted %
Estimated
Number of
Victims
7
Weighted %
Estimated
Number of
Victims
7
United States
Total
28.8 34,388,000 27.0 31,895,000 22.3 26,546,000 14.8 19,153,000
Alabama 26.6 498,000 24.8 465,000 21.5 404,000 12.4 232,000
Alaska 39.5 98,000 37.4 93,000 30.8 76,000 20.9 52,000
Arizona 28.2 688,000 26.7 652,000 19.4 474,000 * *
Arkansas 27.9 314,000 24.8 280,000 21.2 239,000 15.8 178,000
California 25.9 3,589,000 24.0 3,324,000 18.8 2,603,000 14.5 2,004,000
Colorado 28.9 547,000 27.9 529,000 22.3 422,000 14.5 275,000
Connecticut 23.2 327,000 21.8 306,000 19.8 278,000 17.9 252,000
Delaware 29.0 103,000 27.3 97,000 22.5 80,000 * *
District of
Columbia
* * * * * * * *
Florida 29.4 2,183,000 28.7 2,133,000 22.9 1,706,000 14.4 1,072,000
Georgia 31.7 1,184,000 28.9 1,077,000 24.0 895,000 19.7 735,000
Hawaii 28.3 142,000 26.8 134,000 22.9 115,000 * *
Idaho 22.1 125,000 21.5 122,000 19.8 112,000 13.7 77,000
Illinois 32.7 1,635,000 28.8 1,441,000 21.7 1,084,000 17.4 870,000
Indiana 31.2 774,000 27.1 673,000 23.5 582,000 17.7 439,000
Iowa 24.2 285,000 22.1 260,000 16.9 198,000 14.5 170,000
Kansas 24.7 266,000 24.7 266,000 19.9 214,000 * *
Kentucky 30.5 519,000 28.6 486,000 26.3 447,000 22.8 388,000
Louisiana 25.4 456,000 23.9 420,000 18.8 330,000 18.5 325,000
Maine 31.3 170,000 29.4 160,000 24.1 130,000 11.4 62,000
Maryland 32.0 727,000 27.2 618,000 20.9 476,000 15.2 346,000
Massachusetts 25.1 673,000 22.6 606,000 20.5 550,000 * *
Michigan 34.4 1,348,000 32.8 1,286,000 27.9 1,093,000 22.8 894,000
Minnesota 27.1 550,000 26.8 543,000 23.6 478,000 13.1 266,000
Mississippi 31.2 358,000 28.2 324,000 24.5 281,000 23.3 268,000
Missouri 30.8 727,000 29.4 694,000 25.4 600,000 14.6 345,000
Table 7.6 continued
Any IPV-related impact

2-5
Prevalence of Selected Impacts
Any fear or concern
for safety
Any PTSD Symptoms
6
Injury and/or Need
for Medical Care
State Weighted %
Estimated
Number of
Victims
7
Weighted %
Estimated
Number of
Victims
7
Weighted %
Estimated
Number of
Victims
7
Weighted %
Estimated
Number of
Victims
7
Montana 32.3 123,000 30.8 117,000 24.0 91,000 15.5 59,000
Nebraska 29.2 200,000 27.5 188,000 25.0 171,000 16.1 110,000
Nevada 40.6 392,000 39.3 380,000 32.5 314,000 25.4 246,000
New Hampshire 33.0 175,000 29.0 154,000 26.4 140,000 15.4 82,000
New Jersey 21.3 733,000 19.6 676,000 * * * *
New Mexico 29.9 228,000 28.1 215,000 22.2 170,000 20.0 153,000
New York 23.2 1,829,000 22.3 1,756,000 20.0 1,577,000 15.1 1,187,000
North Carolina 37.3 1,372,000 33.3 1,227,000 29.8 1,096,000 20.3 747,000
North Dakota 20.9 53,000 20.4 51,000 18.3 46,000 * *
Ohio 31.5 1,442,000 29.2 1,336,000 21.2 970,000 17.6 808,000
Oklahoma 37.7 534,000 36.0 516,000 30.9 439,000 24.5 347,000
Oregon 26.2 393,000 25.0 375,000 19.9 299,000 14.5 217,000
Pennsylvania 28.3 1,447,000 25.0 1,280,000 22.8 1,163,000 17.3 884,000
Rhode Island 19.3 83,000 18.9 82,000 16.6 71,000 11.9 51,000
South Carolina 34.1 618,000 33.3 603,000 26.3 477,000 18.2 330,000
South Dakota 29.6 91,000 * * * * * *
Tennessee 34.2 854,000 32.2 803,000 26.3 657,000 17.9 446,000
Texas 28.9 2,611,000 27.0 2,443,000 23.9 2,163,000 16.0 1,447,000
Utah 32.4 312,000 29.3 281,000 27.4 264,000 15.6 150,000
Vermont 26.7 68,000 25.6 65,000 21.1 54,000 15.3 39,000
Virginia 23.9 741,000 22.5 697,000 18.5 575,000 * *
Washington 32.8 842,000 30.2 775,000 30.6 775,000 19.6 502,000
West Virginia 28.9 213,000 27.0 199,000 22.5 166,000 17.6 130,000
Wisconsin 23.4 516,000 22.5 496,000 17.9 394,000 11.4 251,000
Wyoming 25.4 52,000 22.7 46,000 18.9 38,000 15.3 31,000
1
Data for men are not reported; relative standard error >30% or cell size 20.
2
Includes experiencing any of the following: being fearful, concerned for safety, any PTSD symptoms, need for healthcare, injury, crisis hotline,
need for housing services, need for victims advocate services, need for legal services, missed at least one day of work/school.For those who
reported being raped it also includes having contracted a sexually transmitted disease or having become pregnant.
3
IPV-related impact questions were assessed in relation to specic perpetrators, without regard to the time period in which they occurred, and
asked in relation to any form of IPV experienced (rape, physical violence, stalking, expressive aggression, coercive control, and reproductive
control) in that relationship; 12-month prevalence of IPV-related impact was not assessed.
4
5
The individual impact measures in this table were selected because the majority of states had reportable data for these impacts.
6
Includes having nightmares; trying hard not to think about what happened; feeling constantly on guard, watchful, or easily startled; feeling
numb or detached from others, activities or surroundings.
7
8: Discussion
8: Discussion
Highlights and Cross-
Cutting Findings
The ndings in this report indicate
that sexual violence, stalking, and
intimate partner violence continue
to be important public health
issues aecting many women
and men in the United States.
Although no demographic group is
immune to these forms of violence,
consistent patterns emerged with
respect to the subpopulations in
the United States that are most
heavily aected. Consistent with
previous national studies (Tjaden
& Thoennes, 2000), the ndings in
this report indicate that women are
heavily aected by sexual violence,
violence. Many of these forms
of violence are rst experienced
during childhood and remain
prevalent among young adults
aged 18-24. Furthermore, victims
who reported rape prior to 18 years
of age had a higher prevalence of
subsequent victimization of rape as
an adult. These data provide further
evidence that when victimization
occurs, particularly when it occurs
in childhood, it is often repeated
in adulthood (Tjaden & Thoennes,
2000; Smith, White, & Holland, 2003;
Maker, Kemmelmeier, & Peterson,
2001; West, Williams, & Seigel, 2000).
For all types of violence examined
in this report, the majority of both
female and male victims had one
perpetrator. Across all forms of
violence, the majority of female
victims reported that the perpetra-
tors were male. Male rape victims
and male victims of non-contact
reported predominantly male
perpetrators. Nearly half of male
stalking victims also reported
perpetration by a male. Male
victims of other forms of violence
reported predominantly female
perpetrators. Across all subpopula-
tions and all forms of violence,
the vast majority of victims knew
their perpetrator for women,
perpetrators were often current
or former intimate partners and
for men they were often acquain-
tances. A substantial number of
female victims of intimate partner
violence experienced multiple
forms of violence (e.g., rape,
physical violence, and stalking) in
their lifetime. Among male victims
of intimate partner violence, the
majority experienced physical
violence, with a smaller percentage
of men having experienced both
physical violence and stalking.
Additionally, racial and ethnic
minority women and men continue
to bear a relatively heavier burden
intimate partner violence. This
is likely a reection of the many
stressors that racial and ethnic
minority communities continue to
experience. For example, a number
of social determinants of mental
and physical health, such as low
income and limited access to educa-
tion, community resources, and
services, likely play important roles.
These ndings also conrm and
extend the literature documenting
that exposure to sexual violence,
violence has signicant adverse
consequences for physical and
mental health. The severity and
range of health consequences were
greater for victims of these forms of
violence than for persons without a
history of victimization. This is the
rst U.S. survey that enables us to
document and track these conse-
quences on a national scale.
For many states, the ndings in
this report provide the rst reliable
and representative state-level
prevalence estimates for sexual
partner violence. State-level data
reveal variation across states for
all types of violence examined.
Demographic composition
and other factors may play an
important role in the nature and
magnitude of violence within and
across states.
Comparison of
Prevalence Estimates
to Previous National
Studies
Dierences in methodology
between the National Intimate
Survey and other population-
based surveys or data sources
make comparisons of prevalence
estimates dicult. NISVS uses
a combination of strategies to
enhance accuracy of reporting
and safety of respondents. The
extent to which similar strategies
are utilized in other surveys that
measure violent victimization
varies. For example, to facilitate
recall, NISVS is designed to be
consistent with the way victims
tend to recall experiences of
violence all behaviors are
linked to a specic perpetrator
(e.g., ex-husband, acquaintance,
stranger). All questions are asked
within the context of that perpe-
trator. Additionally, as described
in the background section of this
report, NISVS uses a number of
methods that are designed to
safely maximize disclosure of sensi-
tive information. A key example
is that one adult is randomly
selected from each household and
the specic survey content is only
disclosed to that adult; no other
household members are aware of
the specic questions being asked.
The respondent then answers
questions about their own experi-
ences with violence and they do
not have to inform anyone else in
the household about the nature
of the questions. Other features of
NISVS also are designed to reduce
underreporting, such as use of
only female interviewers, creating
a social distance by interviewing
over the telephone instead of in
person, use of extensive introduc-
tions to questions asking about
sensitive topics, and specialized
training for interviewers to prepare
them to collect sensitive informa-
tion. The NISVS procedures are
intended to enhance respondents
comfort and safety so that they are
willing and able to disclose their
victimization experiences.
Other dierences between NISVS
and other surveys may include
diering contexts for survey
questions (e.g., health, relationship,
or crime), dierences in question
wording, and dierences in the
number and range of victim-
ization experiences included
in the violence measures. For
example, in addition to forced
penetration, the ndings for rape
in this report include attempted
forced penetration and alcohol/
drug-facilitated forced penetration
in the calculation of the overall
prevalence estimate for rape. The
dierences between the ndings
in this survey and other similar
surveys could also be due, in
part, to diering sampling strat-
egies (e.g., sampling cell phones);
diering methods used to produce
representative estimates (e.g.,
weighting); and diering methods
of data collection (e.g., in-person
versus telephone) and who is inter-
viewed (e.g., victims only or victims
and proxies).
As an example of prevalence
dierences between the National
Violence Survey and other surveys,
the lifetime prevalence estimate of
rape for men in this report is lower
than what has been reported in
other surveys (e.g., for forced sex
more broadly) (Basile, Chen, Black,
& Saltzman, 2007). This could be
due in part to the National Intimate
making a distinction between
rape and being made to penetrate
someone else. Being made to
penetrate is a form of sexual victim-
ization distinct from rape that is
particularly unique to males and, to
our knowledge, has not been explic-
itly measured in previous national
studies. It is possible that rape
questions in prior studies captured
the experience of being made to
penetrate someone else, resulting
in higher prevalence estimates for
male rape in those studies.
The ndings in this report also
show a higher prevalence of
stalking among women and
men than previous national
surveys (Baum et al., 2009; Tjaden
& Thoennes, 2000). Although
victims reported experiencing the
conventional forms of stalking (e.g.,
watching and showing up unex-
pectedly), the higher prevalence
estimates in the National Intimate
may largely be due to the inclu-
sion of stalking tactics related to
newer technologies (e.g., persistent
cell phone texting) that did not
exist as a stalking modality when
some of the previous studies were
conducted. Cell phone ownership
has grown tremendously in the
last several years. Furthermore,
advancements in wireless tech-
nology have led to Internet access
that is no longer dependent upon
the use of home or business
computers. For many people,
these technologies provide greater
convenience and easier acces-
sibility to others; however, this
growth in technology may have
also increased the ease of engaging
in certain stalking behaviors.
The prevalence estimates for
intimate partner violence reported
here also dier from those reported
in other similar national surveys.
The estimates are higher for both
men and women, but particularly
for physical violence victimization
of men. In addition to the previ-
ously mentioned changes related
to the measurement of stalking
and sexual violence, which are
components of intimate partner
violence, another key factor may
account for the dierences in
prevalence estimates. Specically,
some previous national surveys
have asked respondents to identify
whether they have experienced
physical violence by any perpe-
trator, and then respondents are
subsequently asked whether
the perpetrator was an intimate
partner. By contrast, respondents in
Sexual Violence Survey are asked
whether they have experienced
physically violent acts specically
by a romantic or sexual partner.
This dierence may have increased
reporting by focusing respondents
on intimate partner violence
specically rather than physically
violent acts that may have been
perpetrated by others, such as
strangers and acquaintances. This
may particularly be true for men as
they are more likely to have experi-
enced physical violence outside the
context of an intimate relationship
(Krug, Dahlberg, Mercy, Zwi, &
Lozano, 2002).
Limitations
The ndings of this report are
subject to a number of limitations.
Random digit dial telephone
surveys face two major issues that
have the potential to aect the
representativeness of the sample
population. This includes declining
response rates and an increasing
number of households without
landline telephones (Peytchev,
Carley-Baxter, & Black, 2011). While
the overall response rate for the
2010 National Intimate Partner
and Sexual Violence Survey was
relatively low, the cooperation
rate was high. A number of eorts
were also made to mitigate the
potential for non-response and
non-coverage bias. These include
a non-response follow-up in
which randomly selected non-
responders were re-contacted
and oered an increased incentive
for participation. In addition,
the inclusion of a cell-phone
component provided increased
coverage of a growing population
that would have otherwise been
excluded. The cell-phone only
population tends to be young,
low income, and comprised of
racial/ethnic minorities (Peytchev,
Carley-Baxter, & Black, 2011).
Importantly, these demographic
groups have higher prevalence
Follow-up questions were designed
to reect the victims experience
with each perpetrator across the
victims lifetime. There are several
limitations associated with how
these questions were asked. First,
respondents were asked about the
impact from any of the violence
inicted by each perpetrator.
Therefore, it is not possible to
examine the impact of specic
violent behaviors. However,
results from the cognitive testing
process for the National Intimate
Survey suggested that victims who
experienced multiple forms of
violence with a perpetrator would
have a dicult time distinguishing
which type of violence from that
perpetrator resulted in a particular
type of impact. Second, because
we used victims reports of the age
and relationship at the time any
violence started with each perpe-
trator it was not always possible
to assess the age or relationship at
the time specic types of violent
behavior occurred. Based on the
data we have about the relation-
ship at the rst victimization and
last victimization, we estimate that
less than 3% of perpetrators had
a relationship with the victim that
changed categories over time (e.g.,
from acquaintance to intimate
partner). All of the estimates in
this report reect the relationship
at the time the perpetrator rst
committed any violence against
the victim.
Even though the National Intimate
Survey captures a full range of
victimization experiences, the
estimates reported here are likely
to underestimate the prevalence
intimate partner violence for a
number of reasons. These include:
1) potential respondents that
are currently involved in violent
relationships may not participate
in the survey or fully disclose the
violence they are experiencing
because of concern for their safety;
2) although the survey gathers
information on a wide range of
victimizations, it is not feasible
to measure all of the violent
behaviors that may have been
experienced; 3) given the sensitive
nature of these types of violence
it is likely that some respondents
who had been victimized did not
feel comfortable participating or
did not feel comfortable reporting
their experiences because of the
social stigma associated with
being a victim of these forms of
violence; 4) although potentially
mitigated by the use of a cell-
phone sample, RDD surveys may
not capture populations living in
institutions (e.g., prisons, nursing
homes, military bases, college
dormitories), or those who may be
living in shelters, or homeless and
transient; and 5) it is possible that
some respondents forgot about
violence experiences that were less
severe in nature or that occurred
long ago.
In addition to the possible causes
of underestimation of the preva-
lence, it is important to consider
the limitations of self report data
and that errors in recall or reluc-
tance to discuss specic types of
violence or perpetrators might
impact the accuracy of estimates
in unpredictable ways and in a
manner that could potentially vary
across subgroups of victims (e.g.,
by age or sex). Also, the reader
is cautioned against making
comparisons across groups or
across states because apparent
variation in estimates might not
reect statistically meaningful
dierences. Even with these limita-
tions, population-based surveys
that collect information directly
from victims remain one of the
most important sources of data
intimate partner violence, particu-
larly for capturing victimization
experiences that are not likely to
come to the attention of police,
that may not be considered a
crime by victims, or do not require
treatment by a health provider.
Population-based surveys that are
carefully conducted, with well-
trained interviewers who are able
to build rapport and trust with
participants, are essential to the
collection of valid data and the
well-being of respondents.
9: Implications for Prevention
9: Implications for Prevention
The ndings in this report
underscore the heavy toll that
intimate partner violence places
on women, men, and children in
the United States. Given the scope
and impact of sexual violence,
violence, it is critical that feasible,
evidence-informed actions are
taken to prevent and respond to
these problems. Collective action is
needed to implement prevention
approaches, ensure appropriate
responses, and support these eorts
based on strong data and research.
Implement Prevention
Approaches
The goal of public health is to
prevent violence from occurring in
the rst place. The following primary
prevention strategies are scienti-
cally credible, can potentially impact
multiple forms of sexual violence,
stalking and intimate partner
violence, and represent areas where
states and communities can make
reasonable investments.
Promote Healthy, Respectful
Relationships Among Youth
Relationships with Parents
Building healthy parent-child
relationships can address a range
of risk factors for sexual violence,
violence. These relationships
can benet from eorts to build
positive, eective parenting skills;
include and support fathers;
increase positive family relation-
ships and interactions; and develop
emotionally supportive familial
environments, which facilitate
respectful interactions and open
communication. Further, parents
who model healthy, respectful
intimate relationships free from
violence or aggression foster
these relationship patterns in their
children. It is also important to give
adults, particularly parents, the
skills and resources to prevent child
sexual abuse.
Relationships with Peers and
Dating Partners
Characteristics of respectful
relationships include: a belief in
nonviolent conict resolution;
eective communication and
conict resolution skills; the ability
to negotiate and adjust to stress
and safely manage emotions such
as anger and jealousy; and a belief
in a partners right to autonomy,
shared decision-making, and
trust. From preschool through
the teen years, young people are
rening the skills they need to
form positive relationships with
others. It is important to promote
healthy relationships among young
people and prevent patterns of
dating violence that can last into
adulthood. It is also important to
reinforce respectful relationships
among peers to prevent sexual
harassment and bullying.
Prevention strategies that engage
parents and youth in skill-building
activities and encourage or reward
respectful, healthy peer interactions
and dating relationships can be
implemented in the home, commu-
nity, or school to ensure more youth
experience and practice healthy
relationships during this key devel-
opmental phase.
Address Beliefs, Attitudes,
and Messages that Condone,
Encourage, or Facilitate
Sexual Violence, Stalking, or
Intimate Partner Violence
The promotion of respectful,
nonviolent relationships is not just
the responsibility of individuals
and partners, but also of the
communities and society in which
they live. It is important to continue
addressing the beliefs, attitudes
and messages that are deeply
embedded in our social structures
and that create a social climate that
condones sexual violence, stalking,
and intimate partner violence.
One way is through norms
change. Societal and community
norms, policies, and structures
create environments that can
support or undermine respectful,
nonviolent relationships. Such
beliefs and social norms are rein-
forced by media messages that
portray sexual violence, stalking,
or intimate partner violence as
normative and acceptable, that
reinforce negative stereotypes
about masculinity, or that objectify
and degrade women.
Further, failure to enforce existing
policies and laws against these
forms of violence may perpetuate
beliefs that these behaviors are
acceptable. It is important for all
sectors of society to work together
as part of any eort to end sexual
partner violence, both to change
norms, attitudes, and beliefs, as
well as support women and men in
rejecting violence.
Another strategy involves engaging
bystanders to change social norms
and intervene before violence
occurs. In many situations, there
are a variety of opportunities and
numerous people who can choose
to step forward and demonstrate
that violence will not be tolerated
within the community. For instance,
bystanders may speak out against
beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors
that support or condone sexual
partner violence such as media
portrayals that glamorize violence
and change the perceptions of
these social norms in their peer
groups, schools, and communities.
Ensure Appropriate
Response
An emphasis on primary preven-
tion is essential for reducing the
violence-related health burden in
the long term. However, secondary
and tertiary prevention programs
and services are also necessary for
mitigating the more immediate
consequences of violence. These
programs and services are valuable
for treating and reducing the
sequelae and severity of violence
and for intervening in the cycle of
violence. Sexual violence, stalking,
are often repetitive and can recur
over long time periods. Several
strategic foci for the secondary
and tertiary prevention of violence
have emerged from the existing
knowledge base.
Provide Survivors with
Coordinated Services and
Develop a System of Care
to Ensure Healing and
Prevent The Recurrence of
Victimization
The eects of sexual violence,
violence on survivors and commu-
nities are profound. For example,
survivors of sexual violence are
at a higher risk for a number
of physical and mental health
problems and other adverse life
events, including further victim-
ization. The health care systems
response must be strengthened
and better coordinated for sexual
partner violence survivors to help
navigate the health care system
and access needed services and
resources in the short and long
term. For instance, more physicians
and other health care profes-
sionals need training on forensic
and patient care issues related to
sexual violence. The health care
response can be enhancedand
survivors can be better servedif
more providers are equipped
with the specic knowledge and
skills necessary to provide good
forensic medical care, direction,
supervision, and leadership, as well
as provide respectful, sensitive
care and guidance to survivors.
Education and training should
be targeted specically to stake-
holders who may be involved in
Sexual Assault Response Teams
(SARTs), as these rst responders
set the tone for the victims experi-
ence in the criminal justice, health
care, and legal systems.
It is also important that health
professionals be alert to the signs
and symptoms of sexual violence
at initial, follow-up, and annual
visits. When signs and symptoms
of violence are present, it should
be required that an appropriate
history is taken, assessment of
symptoms is conducted, and
appropriate treatment, counseling,
protection referrals, and follow-up
care are provided. A recent report
by the Institute for Medicine (IOM,
2011) also called upon the U.S.
Department of Health and Human
Services to require coverage for
screening and counseling for
all women and adolescent girls
for interpersonal and domestic
violence as a preventive service in
health insurance plans. The IOM
recommends that these services be
carried out in a culturally sensitive
and supportive manner as part
of womens preventive services
without charging a co-payment,
co-insurance or a deductible.
Ensure Access to Services
and Resources
It is also critically important to
ensure legal, housing, mental
health, and other services and
resources are available and
accessible to survivors. Creating
a resource environment that is
safe and where condentiality is
maintained should be a priority.
This can be particularly challenging
in rural areas given potentially
long distances to resources and
threats to condentiality; however,
access to appropriate services
and maintaining condentiality
are critical both for response to
violence as well as recovery for the
survivor.
One strategy to improve access
is co-located, multi-disciplinary
service centers that include mental
health, legal, economic, housing
and other related services for
survivors. It is also important that
services are specically designed to
meet the needs of a wide range of
dierent populations such as teens,
older adults, men, gay, lesbian,
bisexual, and transgendered people.
Hold Perpetrators
Accountable
Incidents of sexual violence,
violence are underreported
as crimes in the United States.
Survivors may be reluctant to
disclose their victimization
whether to law enforcement or to
family and friendsfor a variety
of reasons including shame, embar-
rassment, fear of retribution from
perpetrators, or a belief that they
may not receive support from
law enforcement. Laws may also
not be enforced adequately or
consistently, and perpetrators may
become more dangerous after
their victims report these crimes.
Understanding that there are
many reasons why victims delay
or avoid reporting is a prerequisite
for developing better forms of
engagement and support for
victims and thus holding perpetra-
tors more accountable for their
crimes. Although survivors may
understandably decide not to
report immediately, if at all, they
should receive information from
advocates, health care personnel,
law enforcement, and others so
they can make the decision that is
best for them.
Some communities have devel-
oped highly trained, coordinated
teams with expertise related to
sexual violence victimization,
violence and can provide compas-
sionate, informed responses.
These and other eorts aimed
at enhancing training within the
criminal justice system can facili-
tate reporting, provide survivors
with the support they need, and
ensure that perpetrators are held
accountable for their crimes.
Support Eorts Based
on Strong Research
and Data
Actions need to be supported by
a strong foundation of data and
research. Data are necessary to set
priorities, guide the development of
interventions, programs and policies,
and monitor progress. Research is
necessary to identify new trends
in violence as well as strategies for
prevention and intervention.
Implement Strong Data
Systems for Monitoring and
Evaluation
Improved data collection and
monitoring is needed to better
understand the prevalence of and
trends in sexual violence, stalking,
and intimate partner violence at
the local, state and national levels;
to provide information on which
to base the development and
evaluation of prevention and inter-
vention programs; and to monitor
and measure the eectiveness of
prevention eorts. Particularly with
regard to perpetration, innovative
methods are needed to improve
reporting when using survey
methods. Ultimately, establishing
cost-ecient and timely surveil-
lance systems for all states, by
using consistent denitions and
uniform survey methods, will assist
states by providing policymakers
much needed information for
enhancing prevention eorts at the
state level. The National Intimate
is a major step forward to ll this
data gap.
Identify Ways to Prevent
First-Time Perpetration of
Sexual Violence, Stalking, and
Intimate Partner Violence
Additional research is needed
to develop and evaluate strate-
gies to eectively prevent the
rst-time perpetration of sexual
partner violence. This includes
research that addresses the social
and economic conditions such as
poverty, sexism, and other forms of
discrimination and social exclusion,
that increase risk for perpetration
and victimization. Such research
will complement eorts focused on
preventing initial victimization and
the recurrence of victimization.
Research examining risk and
protective factors, including
inequities in the distribution of and
access to resources and opportuni-
ties, and their interactions at all
levels of the social ecology is key to
understanding how perpetration
of violence develops and to deter-
mine the optimal times, settings,
and strategies for preventing
Documenting program costs and
cost-eectiveness, when appro-
priate, will help practitioners and
policymakers understand how to
best use resources to implement
eective programs. It is equally
important to monitor strategies
being used by the eld, to identify
and rigorously evaluate these
approaches and document the
value of eorts underway. As
eective strategies are identied,
research examining how to best
disseminate, implement, and
adapt evidence-based prevention
strategies, will become increas-
ingly important.
Conclusion
Much progress has been made
in violence prevention. There is
strong reason to believe that the
application of eective strate-
gies combined with the capacity
to implement them will make a
dierence. The lessons already
learned during public healths
short experience with violence
prevention are consistent with
those from public healths much
longer experience with the
prevention of infectious and
chronic diseases. Sexual violence,
stalking and intimate partner
violence can be prevented with
data driven, collaborative action.
References
References
American Association for Public
Opinion Research (AAPOR).
(2011). Standard Denitions: Final
Dispositions of Case Codes and
Outcome Rates for Surveys (7
th
ed).
Retrieved from http://www.aapor.
org/StandardDenitions/3049.html.

Basile, K.C., Chen, J., Black, M.C., &
Saltzman, L.E. (2007). Prevalence
and characteristics of sexual
violence victimization among U.S.
Adults 2001-2003. Violence and
Victims, 22, 4, 437448.
Basile K.C., & Saltzman, L.E. (2002).
Sexual violence surveillance:
Uniform denitions and recom-
mended data elements. Version
1.0. Atlanta, GA: Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention,
National Center for Injury
Prevention and Control.
Basile, K.C., & Smith, S.G. (2011).
Sexual violence victimization of
women: Prevalence, characteristics,
and the role of public health and
prevention. American Journal of
Lifestyle Medicine, 5, 407417.
Basile, K. C., Swahn, M. H., Chen, J., &
Saltzman, L. E. (2006). Stalking in the
United States: Recent national preva-
lence estimates. American Journal of
Preventive Medicine, 31, 2, 172175.
Baum, K., Catalano, S., Rand,
M., & Rose, K. (2009). Stalking
victimization in the United States.
Special Report. (BJS Publication
No. 224527). Washington, DC: U.S.
Department of Justice, Bureau of
Justice Statistics.
Black, M.C. (2011). Intimate partner
violence and adverse health conse-
quences: Implications for clini-
cians. American Journal of Lifestyle
Medicine, 5, 428439.
Blumberg, S. J., & Luke, J.V. (2008).
Wireless substitution: Early release
of estimates based on data from the
National Health Interview Survey,
JulyDecember 2007. Retrieved
from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/
nhis.html.
Breiding, M.J., Black, M.C., & Ryan,
G.W. (2008). Chronic disease and
health risk behaviors associated
with intimate partner violence18
U.S. states/territories, 2005. Annals
of Epidemiology, 18, 538544.
Campbell J. (2002). Health
consequences of intimate
partner violence. The Lancet, 359,
13311336.
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. (2000). Building
data systems for monitoring and
responding to violence against
women: Recommendations from a
workshop. (MMWR 49, No. RR-11).
Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
Coker, A.L., Davis, K.E., Arias, I.,
Desai, S., Sanderson, M., Brandt,
H.M., & Smith, P.H. (2002) Physical
and mental health eects of
intimate partner violence for men
and women. American Journal of
Preventive Medicine, 23, 260268.
Cox A.L., Coles, A.J., Nortje, J.,
Bradley, P.G., Chateld, D.A.,
Thompson, S.J., & Menon, D.K.
(2006). An investigation of auto-
reactivity after head-injury. Journal
of Neuroimmunology, 174, 180186.
Dailey, R., & Claus, R.E. (2001). The
relationship between interviewer
characteristics and physical and
sexual abuse disclosures among
substance users: A multilevel
analysis. Journal of Drug Issues, 31,
867888.
Davis, K.E., Coker, A.L., & Sanderson,
M. (2002). Physical and mental
health eects of being stalked for
men and women. Violence and
Victims, 17, 429443.
Fisher, B.S., Cullen, F.T., & Turner,
M.G. (2000). The sexual victimization
of college women. (NIJ Publication
Department of Justice, National
Institute of Justice.
Follingstad, D.R., Rutledge, L.L.,
Berg, B.J., Hause, E.S., & Polek, D.S.
(1990). The role of emotional abuse
in physically abusive relationships.
Journal of Family Violence, 1, 3749.
Institute of Medicine. (2011) Clinical
preventive services for women:
closing the gaps. Washington, DC:
The National Academy of Sciences.
Kilpatrick, D.G., Edmunds, C.N.,
& Seymour, A.K. (1992). Rape in
America: A report to the nation.
Arlington, VA: National Victim
Center & Medical University of
South Carolina.
Koss, M.P., Gidycz, C.A., &
Wisniewski, N. (1987). The scope
of rape: Incidence and prevalence
of sexual aggression victimization
in a national sample of higher
education students. Journal of
Consulting and Clinical Psychology,
55, 162170.
Krug, E.G., Dahlberg, L.L., Mercy,
J.A., Zwi, A.B., & Lozano, R. (Eds).
(2002). World report on violence and
health. Geneva, Switzerland: World
Health Organization.
Logan, T.K., & Cole, J. (2007). The
impact of partner stalking on
mental health and protective order
outcomes over time. Violence and
Victims, 22, 546562.
Maker, A.H., Kemmelmeier, M., &
Peterson, C. (2001). Child sexual
abuse, peer sexual abuse, and
sexual assault in adulthood: A
multi-risk model of revictimization.
Journal of Traumatic Stress, 14,
351368.
National Victim Center & Medical
University of South Carolina (1992).
Rape in America: A report to the
nation. Arlington, VA.
Peytchev A., Carley-Baxter, L.R.,
& Black, M.C. (2011). Multiple
sources of nonobservation error in
telephone surveys: Coverage and
nonresponse. Sociological Methods
and Research, 40, 1, 138168.
Randall, T. (1990). Domestic
violence intervention: Calls for
more than treating injuries. Journal
of the American Medical Association,
264, 939940.
Rizzo L.J., Brick M., & Park I. (2004).
A minimally intrusive method
for sampling persons in random
digit dial surveys. Public Opinion
Quarterly, 68, 267274.
Smith, P.H., White, J.W., & Holland,
L.J. (2003). A longitudinal
perspective on dating violence
among adolescent and college-age
women. American Journal of Public
Health, 93, 11041109.
Smith, S.G., & Breiding, M.J. (in
press). Chronic disease and health
behaviors linked to experiences of
nonconsensual sex among women
and men. Public Health.
Sullivan, C.M., & Cain, D. (2004).
Ethical and safety considerations
when obtaining information
from or about battered women
for research purposes. Journal of
Interpersonal Violence, 19, 603618.
Sutherland, C.A., Bybee, D.I., &
Sullivan, C.M. (2002). Beyond
bruises and broken bones: the joint
eects of stress and injuries on
battered womens health. American
Journal of Community Psychology,
30, 609636.
Tjaden, P., & Thoennes, N. (2000).
Full report of the prevalence,
incidence, and consequences of
violence against women: Findings
from the national violence against
women survey. (NIJ Publication
Department of Justice, National
Institute of Justice.
Tjaden, P., & Thoennes, N. (2000).
Extent, nature, and consequences of
intimate partner violence: fndings
from the National Violence Against
Women Survey. (NIJ Publication
Department of Justice.
West, C.M., Williams, L.M., & Siegel,
J.A. (2000). Adult sexual revic-
timization among black women
sexually abused in childhood: A
prospective examination of serious
consequences of abuse. Child
Maltreatment, 5, 49-57.
World Health Organization. (2001).
Putting women frst: Ethical and
safety recommendations for research
on domestic violence against
women. (WHO Publication No.
WHO/FCH/GWH/01.1). Geneva,
Switzerland: Department of Gender
and Womens Health.
Appendices
Appendix A: Expert Panel from the 2007
CDC Consultation on NISVS
3
Antonia Abbey
Department of Psychology
Wayne State University
Detroit, MI
Bernard Auchter
Senior Social Science Analyst
Washington, DC
Elaine Cassidy
Program Ocer
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Princeton, NJ
Sarah Cook
Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA
Walter S. DeKeseredy
Criminology, Justice and
Policy Studies
University of Ontario Institute
of Technology
Oshawa, Ontario
Canada
Diane Follingstad
Department of Psychiatry
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY
Sherry Hamby
Sewanee: The University
of the South
Sewanee, TN
David Lloyd
Oce of the Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Military
Community and Family Policy
Department of Defense
Washington, DC
Angela Moore
Division Director
Justice Systems Research
Washington, DC
Rebecca K. Odor
Director
Sexual and Domestic
Violence Prevention
Virginia Department of Health
Richmond, VA
K. Daniel OLeary
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY
Brian Spitzberg
School of Communication
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA
3
Aliations listed for panel members are based on aliation at the time of the 2007 expert panel consultation.
Appendix B: Technical Note
Sampling Strategy
NISVS employs a dual-frame,
stratied random digit dial (RDD)
sampling design, with continuous
data collection. The cell phone-
only population has been growing
at a rate of approximately two
percentage points per year in recent
years. As of the rst half of 2010,
one in four adults in the U.S. lived
in a household with a cell phone
but no landline (cell phone-only
households), based on the National
Health Interview Survey (Blumberg
& Luke 2010). To meet the
challenges of rising non-coverage
rates in U.S. landline-based
telephone surveys, NISVS imple-
mented a dual-frame design where
both landline and cell phone frames
were sampled simultaneously.
List-Assisted Landline Frame.
The landline sampling frame
was comprised of hundred-
banks of telephone numbers
where each bank had at least
one known listed residential
number. A hundred-bank is the
100 telephone numbers that
are generated by xing the
rst eight digits of a telephone
number and changing the last
two digits (e.g., (800) 555-55XX).
Known business numbers were
excluded from the frame. In
addition, non-working numbers
were removed after sample
selection through screening.
Cell-Phone Frame. The cell phone
frame consisted of phone
numbers in telephone banks
identied as active and currently
in use for cell phones. At the
time the sample was drawn
and at the time of this report,
directory listings of cell phone
numbers were not available.
Thus, list-assisted screening was
not possible.
Stratifcation for State-Level
Estimates. NISVS has the dual
objectives of providing national
and state-level estimates. A sample
design optimized for national
estimates would use proportionate
allocation across states (resulting
in a sample size in each state that is
proportionate to the adult popula-
tion in that state), whereas a design
optimized for providing stable
state-level estimates might allocate
the sample approximately equally
across states. Considering these
competing objectives, NISVS survey
samples were stratied by state,
balancing between stable state-
level estimates and weight variation
for the national estimates from
oversampling of smaller states.

Within-Household Selection. Each
state sample included both
landline and cell phone samples.
When reaching a household in the
landline sample, the interviewer
asked about the number of males
and females living in the house-
hold. In a one-adult household, the
adult was automatically selected
to participate. In households with
only two adults, the person on the
phone or the other adult in the
household was randomly selected.
When there were more than two
adults in the household, the adult
with the most recent birthday was
selected. This within-household
selection has been found to be less
likely to lead to overrepresentation
of females in the pool of respon-
dents compared to using only the
most recent birthday method for
all households with more than one
adult (Rizzo, Brick, & Park, 2004).
Because cell phones are personal
use devices, the person answering
the cell phone was selected as the
respondent, if eligible.
Nonresponse Phase. To increase
participation, NISVS was adminis-
tered as a two-phase survey. Phase
One was the main data collection
phase. Respondents in the rst
phase were oered an incentive of
$10 to participate in the survey. A
random subsample of non-respon-
dents from the rst phase was
selected during Phase Two, with
the goal of reducing non-response
and non-response bias. The second
phase included a substantially
higher incentive ($40) to further
encourage participation.
Other Samples. In addition to the
general population sample, samples
were drawn from two additional
populations: 1) a separate targeted
sample of persons of American
Indian or Alaska Native ethnicity,
and 2) a random sample of female
active duty military and female
spouses of active duty military.
Data from these two additional
samples are not presented in this
initial report but will be described in
future publications.
Sample Distributions
and Demographic
Characteristics
From January 22, 2010 through
December 31, 2010, a total of
201,881 telephone numbers were
sampled. Of these, 31% were
ineligible (business or nonworking
telephone numbers), 53% were of
unknown eligibility, and 15% were
eligible. From the 31,241 eligible
households (including eligible
non-interviews such as refusals and
break-os), a total of 18,049 adults
were interviewed nationally. This
includes 16,507 completed and
1,542 partially completed interviews.
For comparison to the United States
population, demographic charac-
teristics of the selection weighted
landline and cell phone samples,
the post stratied combined
samples, and the United States
population is included below.
Consistent with other studies, the
landline and cell phone samples
yield dierent demographic distri-
butions. When combined, these
samples complement each other
and provide estimates that more
closely approximate the U.S. popu-
lation distribution.
Combined post stratied estimates
are presented for the demographic
variables used in weighting to illus-
trate how distributions are further
adjusted to match the popula-
tion distributions. In addition,
demographic variables that were
not used in weighting (education,
marital status and household
income) are included in the table
as a further comparison between
the sample population and the U.S.
population. The sample popula-
tion, when compared to the U.S.
population, had higher levels of
education, a larger percentage of
never married respondents, fewer
respondents who were currently
married, and a higher percentage
of respondents with lower house-
hold income.
Response Rate
The overall weighted response
rate for the 2010 data collection
for NISVS ranged from 27.5%
to 33.6%. The computation of
the weighted response rate
reects the stratied, two-phase,
dual-frame survey design used
in NISVS, and accounts for the
disproportionate sampling across
states, combined response rates
from Phases One and Two, and
combined response rates resulting
from the two sampling frames.
The disproportionate sampling to
maximize the stability of state-
level estimates was taken into
account by weighting each case
with the inverse of the state-
level probability of selection.
Using the weighted case counts,
the American Association for
Public Opinion Research (AAPOR)
Response Rate 4 (AAPOR, 2011)
was computed separately for
each combination of sample and
phase. In the formula below, P
and I denote partial and complete
interviews, respectively. Cases
such as a non-working number,
beeper/pager, mobile phone,
modem/fax, pay phone/blocked
number, business, group quarters,
and non-residence were coded
as ineligible (IE). Non-interviewed
cases from households with at
least one adult were coded as
eligible non-interviews (R, NC,
and O). All remaining cases were
coded as non-interviews with
unknown eligibility (UH and UO).
An eligibility rate (e) was computed
by dividing the number of cases
known as eligible (I, P, R, NC, and
O) by the sum of the numbers
of cases known as eligible and
ineligible (IE). This factor was then
applied to the cases with unknown
eligibility in the denominator. This
was computed separately for the
landline and cell phone samples,
and by phase.
I+C
(I+P)+(R+NC+O)+e(UH+UO)
RR4 =
The response rates from the
two phases are combined by
computing the complement of the
product of the non-response rates
in each phase. This is equivalent
to the Phase One response rate
plus the product of the Phase One
non-response rate and the Phase
Two response rate.
The two combined-phase response
rates from the landline and cell
phone samples were combined
into a single estimate by weighting
them to their respective propor-
tions in the population based on
the National Health Interview
Survey (Blumberg and Luke, 2010).
The range in the overall response
rates reects dierences in how
the proportion of the unknowns
that are eligible is estimated (e).
The 27.5% is an estimate of the
proportion of the unknowns
that are eligible based on the
information identied by inter-
viewers when calling numbers.
The upper estimate (33.6%) also
includes information from the
prescreening process.
Table B.1
Demographic Characteristics of the NISVS Sample and the U.S. Population
Women (%) Men (%) Total (%)
NISVS U.S. NISVS U.S. NISVS US
Demographic
Characteristics
Landline
Sample,
Selection
Weighted
Cell Sample,
Selection
Weighted
Combined
Samples,
Post-stratifed
Landline
Sample
Selection
Weighted
Cell Sample,
Selection
Weighted
Combined
Samples,
Post-stratifed
Combined
Landline and
Cell Samples,
Post-stratifed
Characteristics Used to Weight the Data
Sex
Female 51.3 51.3
Male 48.7 48.7
Age
18-24 3.9 19.2 12.4 12.4 4.6 18.8 13.8 13.8 13.1 13.1
25-29 3.0 16.6 8.9 8.9 4.1 17.0 9.8 9.8 9.4 9.3
30-44 16.3 26.7 25.7 25.6 17.6 28.9 27.4 27.3 26.5 26.4
45-64 42.2 30.2 34.2 34.1 44.1 28.5 34.3 34.2 34.3 34.2
65+ 34.5 7.3 18.8 19.1 29.6 6.7 14.7 14.8 16.8 17.0
Race/Ethnicity
Hispanic 9.5 14.9 12.7 12.7 6.6 16.6 14.4 14.5 13.6 13.6
White
Non-Hispanic
77.4 67.2 68.4 68.5 79.9 64.7 68.1 68.0 68.2 68.2
Black
Non-Hispanic
9.15 11.9 12.3 12.2 8.5 10.7 11.1 11.2 11.9 11.7
Asian or
Pacifc Islander
Non-Hispanic
1.7 2.3 4.8 4.8 1.9 4.2 4.5 4.5 4.7 4.7
American
Indian or
Alaskan Native
Non-Hispanic
0.6 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.9 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7
Multiracial
Non-Hispanic
1.8 2.9 1.1 1.1 2.2 3.1 1.2 1.0 1.2 1.1
Table B1 continued
Characteristics Not Used to Weight the Data
Education
Didnt graduate
from high
school
10.9 10.0 9.8 12.9 11.6 10.8 11.3 13.8 10.6 13.3
High School
Graduate
26.2 23.4 24.2 30.8 25.3 27.7 26.1 31.4 25.1 31.1
Technical
school or
college
30.0 32.3 29.8 27.3 24.7 28.4 26.0 24.7 27.9 26.1
Four year
college
graduate
19.7 21.4 21.7 19.0 20.1 20.8 20.9 19.0 21.3 19.0
Postgraduate 13.3 12.9 14.5 10.1 18.3 12.3 15.7 11.1 15.1 10.6
Marital Status
Married 48.2 40.5 45.5 53.3 59.8 37.9 48.7 56.9 47.1 55.1
Divorced 16.1 14.1 14.0 11.4 14.5 11.6 11.7 9.0 12.9 10.3
Separated 2.0 3.7 2.8 2.7 1.9 3.6 2.7 2.0 2.8 2.4
Widowed 19.3 5.0 10.6 9.8 5.9 2.4 3.6 2.6 7.2 6.3
Never married 14.5 36.7 27.1 22.8 17.9 44.6 33.3 29.5 30.2 26.1
Household Income
1
< $10,000 6.2 9.6 7.4 4.7 8.3 6.6 7.0 4.8
$10,000
- $14,999
6.7 5.6 5.7 5.5 5.1 4.8 5.3 3.3
$15,000
- $19,999
7.4 9.6 8.0 6.3 8.0 6.6 7.3 4.0
$20,000
- $24,999
9.3 9.8 9.4 7.7 8.7 8.2 8.8 5.0
$25,000
- $34,999
10.5 10.3 9.8 11.1 10.0 9.7 9.8 9.7
$35,000
- $49,999
12.9 11.8 11.8 11.9 13.1 12.1 12.0 13.6
$50,000
- $74,999
13.1 13.1 13.2 15.4 14.0 14.2 13.7 19.4
> $ 75,000 20.6 19.7 22.8 29.5 23.6 28.9 25.8 40.2
1
Income data in NISVS do not add up to 100% due to missing data for some categories (ranging from 8.1% to 13.3%).
Cooperation Rate
It is increasingly dicult to have
actual contact with potential
study participants because of
the increased use of answering
machines, caller ID, call screening,
and privacy monitors. However,
these telephone numbers are part
of the denominator in calculating
a response rate. An alternative
measure, the cooperation rate,
reects the proportion who agreed
to participate in the interview
among those who were contacted
and determined to be eligible.
The cooperation rate for the 2010
NISVS data collection is based
on the AAPOR cooperation rate
formula 4 (COOP4). This coopera-
tion rate is calculated as the sum
of complete plus partial interviews
divided by the sum of complete
interviews, partial interviews, and
non-interviews that involve the
identication of and contact with
an eligible respondent (refusal and
break-o).
The cooperation rate formula 4
denes those individuals who were
unable to do an interview as also
incapable of cooperating and they
are excluded from the denomi-
nator. The AAPOR cooperation rate
formula 4 is:
I+C
(I+P)+R
COOP4 =
The weighted cooperation rate for
the 2010 NISVS data collection was
81.3% . In short, once contact was
made and eligibility determined,
the majority of respondents chose
to participate in the interview.
Weighting Procedures
Weight Components
To generate estimates representa-
tive of the U.S. adult population,
weights reecting sampling
features, non-response, coverage,
and sampling variability were
developed for analyses. There are
several main weight components
contributing to the nal sampling
weights: selection, multiplicity,
non-response, and post-stratica-
tion. The selection weight accounts
for dierent sampling rates across
states, the varying selection prob-
abilities in the landline and in
the cell phone frames, the within
household probability of selection,
and the subsampling of non-
respondents in Phase Two of data
collection. The multiplicity weight
component takes into consider-
ation that some sample members
had both landline and cell phone
services, thereby having multiple
chances of entering the survey.
The non-response weight accounts
for the variation in response
rates within the selected sample.
Finally, the post-stratication
weight adjusts the product of the
selection, multiplicity, and non-
response weights to match the
population distribution on main
demographic characteristics. This
is accomplished using benchmark
counts from census projections
to correct for both coverage and
non-response, which allows the
landline and cell phone samples to
be merged together.
Two main sets of weights were
computed for the analysis of NISVS
data. Applying the same principles
in constructing the various weight
components, one set of weights
were computed for all partial and
complete interviews, while another
set of weights were computed for
the complete interviews only. An
interview is dened as complete
if the respondent completed the
screening, demographic, general
health questions, and all questions
on all ve sets of violence victimiza-
tion, as applicable. An interview is
dened as partial if the respon-
dent completed the screening,
demographic, and general health
questions and at least all questions
on the rst set of violence victim-
ization (psychological aggression).
Application of Weights
The estimates presented in this
report are based on complete inter-
views and, therefore, use the set of
weights for complete interviews.
Mid-Year Changes to
the Survey Instrument
Minor changes to skip patterns
were implemented in the third and
fourth quarters of 2010 to improve
data collection, decrease repeti-
tiveness and increase eciency.
Changes include:
Respondents who reported
experiencing one psychologically
aggressive behavior one time
(for example, being called a
name one time) without any
other form of violence by the
same perpetrator no longer
received the general follow-up
questions about that perpetrator
(e.g., injury, absence from work/
school, need for medical care or
other services). This change does
not aect the data in this report
because these respondents
are still included in the overall
prevalence estimates for
psychological aggression. This
change also does not aect the
estimates in the impact section
because those impacts were
assessed for respondents who
had experienced rape, stalking
or physical violence; individuals
who reported only experiencing
psychological aggression were
not included in these estimates.
A skip pattern error allowed
follow-ups on individuals who
only experienced one stalking
tactic one time, with no other
violence. This error was corrected
because this does not meet the
denition of stalking. This change
does not aect the prevalence of
stalking because such cases were
appropriately excluded.
Data Collection and
Security
In an eort to reduce respondent
burden and coding errors, and
to increase eciency, the survey
instrument was programmed as
a computer-assisted telephone
interview (CATI) using the Blaise
software package. The CATI system
includes the actual interview
program (including the question
text, response options, interviewer
instructions, and interviewer
probes). The CATIs data quality
and control program included skip
patterns, rotations, range checks
and other on-line consistency
checks and procedures during
the interview, assuring that only
relevant and applicable questions
were asked of each respondent.
Data collection and data entry
occur simultaneously with the
CATI data entry system. The quality
of the data was also improved
through the ability of the CATI
system to automatically detect
errors. Data were extracted and
analyzed directly from the system
using existing statistical packages.
Several steps were taken
throughout the data collection
period to ensure that no
respondent identifying information
was linked to survey data. Before
data collection began, lead letters
were sent to all potential landline
respondents for whom a telephone
number and an address could be
matched. The address les used
to send the lead letters were
destroyed and were not linked to
survey responses. Additionally, RTIs
CATI system included a compart-
mentalized data structure, in which
personally identifying information
was maintained separately from
the actual questionnaire responses.
Further, all identifying information
was destroyed, once the interview
was completed.

Data were collected continuously
to allow for the optimal timing of
the release of samples, the size
of the samples, and the sample
allocation across frames based on
the latest landline and cell phone
household data as well as interview
outcomes in previous quarters.
Appendix C: Victimization Questions
Sexual Violence
How many people have ever exposed their sexual body parts to you, fashed you, or masturbated in front of you?
made you show your sexual body parts to them? Remember, we are only asking about things
that you didnt want to happen.
made you look at or participate in sexual photos or movies?
How many people have ever harassed you while you were in a public place in a way that made you feel unsafe?
kissed you in a sexual way? Remember, we are only asking about things that you didnt want to
happen.
fondled or grabbed your sexual body parts?
When you were drunk, high, drugged, or
passed out and unable to consent, how
many people ever
had vaginal sex with you? By vaginal sex, we mean that {if female: a man or boy put his penis in
your vagina} {if male: a woman or girl made you put your penis in her vagina}?
{if male} made you perform anal sex, meaning that they made you put your penis into their
anus?
made you receive anal sex, meaning they put their penis into your anus?
made you perform oral sex, meaning that they put their penis in your mouth or made you
penetrate their vagina or anus with your mouth?
made you receive oral sex, meaning that they put their mouth on your {if male: penis} {if female:
vagina} or anus?
How many people have ever used physical
force or threats to physically harm you to
make you
have vaginal sex?
{if male} perform anal sex?
receive anal sex?
make you perform oral sex?
make you receive oral sex?
put their fngers or an object in your {if female: vagina or} anus?
How many people have ever used physical
force or threats of physical harm to
{if male} try to make you have vaginal sex with them, but sex did not happen?
try to have {if female: vaginal} oral, or anal sex with you, but sex did not happen?
How many people have you had vaginal,
oral, or anal sex with after they pressured
you by
doing things like telling you lies, making promises about the future they knew were untrue,
threatening to end your relationship, or threatening to spread rumors about you?
wearing you down by repeatedly asking for sex, or showing they were unhappy?
using their authority over you, for example, your boss or your teacher?
Stalking Tactics
How many people have ever watched or followed you from a distance, or spied on you with a listening device, camera, or GPS
[global positioning system]?
approached you or showed up in places, such as your home, workplace, or school when you didnt
want them to be there?
left strange or potentially threatening items for you to fnd?
sneaked into your home or car and did things to scare you by letting you know they had been
there?
left you unwanted messages? This includes text or voice messages.
made unwanted phone calls to you? This includes hang-up calls.
sent you unwanted emails, instant messages, or sent messages through websites like MySpace
or Facebook?
left you cards, letters, fowers, or presents when they knew you didnt want them to?
Expressive Aggression
How many of your romantic or sexual
partners have ever
acted very angry towards you in a way that seemed dangerous?
told you that you were a loser, a failure, or not good enough?
called you names like ugly, fat, crazy, or stupid?
insulted, humiliated, or made fun of you in front of others?
told you that no one else would want you?
Coercive Control
partners have ever
tried to keep you from seeing or talking to your family or friends?
made decisions for you that should have been yours to make, such as the clothes you wear, things
you eat, or the friends you have?
kept track of you by demanding to know where you were and what you were doing?
made threats to physically harm you?
threatened to hurt him or herself or commit suicide when he or she was upset with you?
threatened to hurt a pet or threatened to take a pet away from you?
threatened to hurt someone you love?
hurt someone you love?
{if applicable} threatened to take your children away from you?
kept you from leaving the house when you wanted to go?
kept you from having money for your own use?
destroyed something that was important to you?
said things like If I cant have you, then no one can?
Control of Reproductive and Sexual Health
partners have ever
{if female: tried to get you pregnant when you did not want to become pregnant; if male: tried to
get pregnant when you did not want them to get pregnant} or tried to stop you from using birth
control?
refused to use a condom when you wanted them to use one?
Physical Violence
partners have ever
slapped you?
pushed or shoved you?
hit you with a fst or something hard?
kicked you?
hurt you by pulling your hair?
slammed you against something?
tried to hurt you by choking or sufocating you?
beaten you?
burned you on purpose?
used a knife or gun on you?
110 The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey | 2010 Summary Report 110 The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey | 2010 Summary Report
Notes
Notes
Notes
4770 Buford Highway NE, MS-F64
Atlanta, Georgia 30341-3742
www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention
Series L, Number 11 Issues in World Health
HIGHLIGHTS
What lies behind violence?................8
Culture: a double-edged sword.......10
Child sexual abuse is widespread...12
Violence harms women in many
different ways.................................18
*Pullout guide:
What Health Providers Can Do.....21
Responding to violence:
Lessons learned..............................36
Contents
Editors' Summary ................................1
The World Takes Notice ....................3
Intimate Partner Abuse .......................5
Sexual Coercion..................................9
Impact on Reproductive Health.......13
Threats to Health and Development18
Health Providers Play a Key Role ....26
An Agenda for Change.....................32
Bibliography ......................................38
Published by the Population
Information Program, Center for
Communication Programs, The Johns
Hopkins University School of Public
Health, 111 Market Place, Suite 310,
Baltimore, Maryland 21202, USA.
Published in collaboration with:
6930 Carroll Avenue
Suite 910
Takoma Park
Maryland 20912, USA
Phone: 301/270-1182
Fax: 301/270-2052
The Center for Health and Gender
Equity (CHANGE) is a research and
advocacy organization that seeks to
integrate con-cern for gender equity
and social justice into international
health policy and practice. CHANGE
staff can be reached by e-mail at
change@genderhealth.org or at
http://www.genderhealth.org.
Volume XXVII, Number 4
December 1999
Ending Violence
Against Women
Around the world at least one woman in every
three has been beaten, coerced into sex, or oth-
erwise abused in her lifetime. Most often the
abuser is a member of her own family. Increas-
ingly, gender-based violence is recognized as a
major public health concern and a violation of
human rights.
The effects of violence can be devastating to a woman's reproduc-
tive health as well as to other aspects of her physical and mental
well-being. In addition to causing injury, violence increases
women's long-term risk of a number of other health problems,
including chronic pain, physical disability, drug and alcohol abuse,
and depression. Women with a history of physical or sexual abuse
are also at increased risk for unintended pregnancy, sexually
transmitted infections, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Yet victims
of violence who seek care from health professionals often have
needs that providers do not recognize, do not ask about, and do not
know how to address.
What Is Gender-Based Violence?
Violence against women and girls includes physical, sexual,
psychological, and economic abuse. It is often known as gen-
der-based violence because it evolves in part from women's
subordinate status in society. Many cultures have beliefs, norms, and
social institutions that legitimize and therefore perpetuate violence
against women. The same acts that would be punished if directed at
an employer, a neighbor, or an acquaintance often go unchallenged
when men direct them at women, especially within the family.
2
Two of the most common forms of violence against women are abuse
by intimate male partners and coerced sex, whether it takes place in
childhood, adolescence, or adulthood. Intimate partner abuseCalso
known as domestic violence, wife-beating, and batteringCis almost
always accompanied by psychological abuse and in one-quarter to
one-half of cases by forced sex as well. The majority of women who are
abused by their partners are abused many times. In fact, an atmosphere
of terror often permeates abusive relationships.
How Health Care Providers Can Help
Health care providers can do much to help their clients who are victims
of gender-based violence. Yet providers often miss opportunities to help
by being unaware, indifferent, or judgmental. With training and support
from health care systems, providers can do more to respond to the
physical, emotional, and security needs of abused women and girls.
First, health care providers can learn how to ask women about violence
in ways that their clients find helpful. They can give women empathy
and support. They can provide medical treatment, offer counseling,
document injuries, and refer their clients to legal assistance and support
services.
Family planning and other reproductive health care providers have a
particular responsibility to help because:
$ Abuse has a majorCalthough little recognizedCimpact on women's
reproductive health and sexual well-being;
$ Providers cannot do their jobs well unless they understand how
violence and powerlessness affect women's reproductive health and
decision-making ability;
$ Reproductive health care providers are strategically placed to help
identify victims of violence and connect them with other community
support services.
Providers can reassure women that violence is unacceptable and that
no woman deserves to be beaten, sexually abused, or made to suffer
emotionally. As one client said (379), Compassion is going to open up
the door. And when we feel safe and are able to trust, that makes a lot
of difference.
Societal Responses
Health workers alone cannot transform the cultural, social, and legal
environment that gives rise to and condones widespread violence
against women. Ending physical and sexual violence requires long-term
commitment and strategies involving all parts of society. Many
governments have committed themselves to overcoming violence
against women by passing and enforcing laws that ensure women's
legal rights and punish abusers. In addition, community-based strategies
can focus on empowering women, reaching out to men, and changing
the beliefs and attitudes that permit abusive behavior. Only when
women gain their place as equal members of society will violence
against women no longer be an invisible norm but, instead, a shocking
aberration.
This report was prepared by Lori Heise, Mary
Ellsberg, Lic. Med. Sci., and Megan
Gottemoeller, MPH, of the Center for Health
and Gender Equity (CHANGE). Bryant Robey,
Editor. Stephen M. Goldstein, Managing Editor.
Vera M. Zlidar, Research Analyst. Design by
Linda D. Sadler. Production by John R. Fiege,
Merridy Gottlieb, Peter Hammerer, and Deborah
Maenner.
The assistance of the following reviewers is
appreciated: Michal Avni, Suzanna Banwell,
Susan Brems, Jackie Campbell, Holly-Fluty
Dempsey, Flor de Maria Giusti, Lauren
Goodsmith, Julia Kim, Sunita Kishor, Michael
Koenig, Mary P. Koss, Laurie Liskin, Sandra L.
Martin, Alice Payne Merritt, Susan A. Notar,
Naana Otoo Oyortey, Patricia Paluzzi, Bertha
Pooley, Malcolm Potts, Vijayendra Rao, Pramilla
Senanayake, Nafissatou Diop-Sidib, J. Joseph
Speidel , Karen Welch, A. J. Alonzo Wind, and
Cathy Zimmerman.
Suggested citation: Heise, L., Ellsberg, M. and
Gottemoeller, M. Ending Violence Against Women.
Population Reports, Series L, No. 11. Baltimore,
Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health,
Population Information Program, December 1999.
Population Information Program
Center for Communication Programs
The Johns Hopkins University
School of Public Health
Phyllis Tilson Piotrow, Ph.D., Director, Center for
Communication Programs and Principal Investiga-
tor, Population Information Program (PIP)
Ward Rinehart, Project Director, PIP
Anne W. Compton, Deputy Director, PIP, and Chief,
POPLINE Digital Services
Hugh M. Rigby, Associate Director, PIP, and Chief,
Media/Materials Clearinghouse
Jose G. Rimon II, Deputy Director, Center for
Communication Programs and Project Director,
Population Communication Services, developing
family planning communication strategies, projects,
training, and materials
Population Reports (USPS 063B150) is published
four times a year (April, July, September, December)
at 111 Market Place, Suite 310, Baltimore, Maryland
21202, USA, by the Population Information Program
of the Johns Hopkins University School of Public
Health. Periodicals postage paid at Baltimore, Mary-
land, and other locations. Postmaster to send address
changes to Population Reports, Population
Information Program, Johns Hopkins University
School of Public Health, 111 Market Place, Suite
310, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, USA.
Population Reports is designed to provide an accu-
rate and authoritative overview of important
developments in family planning and related health
issues. The opinions expressed herein are those of the
authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of
the US Agency for International
Development or the Johns Hopkins
University.
Published with support from the
United States Agency for Interna-
tional Development (USAID), Global,
G/PHN/POP/CMT, under the terms of Grant No.
HRN-A-00-97-00009-00.
POPULATION REPORTS
3
The World Takes Notice
Violence against women is the most pervasive yet least
recognized human rights abuse in the world. It also is a
profound health problem, sapping women's energy,
compromising their physical health, and eroding their
self-esteem. Despite its high costs, almost every society in
the world has social institutions that legitimize, obscure,
and deny abuse. The same acts that would be punished if
directed at an employer, a neighbor, or an acquaintance
often go unchallenged when men direct them at women,
especially within the family.
For over two decades women's advocacy groups around
the world have been working to draw more attention to the
physical, psychological, and sexual abuse of women and
to stress the need for action. They have provided abused
women with shelter, lobbied for legal reforms, and chal-
lenged the widespread attitudes and beliefs that support
violent behavior against women (209).
Increasingly, these efforts are having results. Today,
international institutions are speaking out against gen-
der-based violence (see box, p. 5). Surveys and studies are
collecting more information about the prevalence and
nature of abuse. More organizations, service providers, and
policy-makers are recognizing that violence against
women has serious adverse consequences for women's
health and for society.
A growing number of reproductive health programs and
practitioners understand that they have a key role to play
in addressing violence, not only in helping individual
victims but also in preventing abuse. As more becomes
known about the scope of gender-based violence and the
reasons behind it, more programs are finding ways to
address it.
What Is Violence Against Women?
The term violence against women refers to many types
of harmful behavior directed at women
and girls because of their sex. In 1993 the
United Nations offered the first official
definition of such violence when the
General Assembly adopted the
Declaration on the Elimination of
Violence Against Women. According to
Article 1 of the declaration, violence
against women includes:
Any act of gender-based violence that
results in, or is likely to result in,
physical, sexual or psychological harm
or suffering to women, including threats
of such acts, coercion or arbitrary
deprivations of liberty, whether
occurring in public or private life. (444)
There is increasing consensus, as reflected
in this declaration, that abuse of women
and girls, regardless of where and how it
occurs, is best understood within a
gender framework because it stems in
part from women's and girls' subordinate
status in society.
Article 2 of the UN Declaration clarifies
that the definition of violence against
women should encompass, but not be limited to, acts of
physical, sexual, and psychological violence in the family
and the community. These acts include spousal battering,
sexual abuse of female children, dowry-related violence,
rape including marital rape, and traditional practices
harmful to women, such as female genital mutilation
(FGM). They also include nonspousal violence, sexual
harassment and intimidation at work and in school,
trafficking in women, forced prostitution, and violence
perpetrated or condoned by the state, such as rape in war.
This issue of Population Reports focuses principally on two
types of violence: (1) abuse of women within marriage and
other intimate relationships and (2) coerced sex, whether
it takes place in childhood, adolescence, or adulthood.
This focus reflects the types of abuse most dominant in the
lives of women and girls around the world.
Other forms of abuseCsuch as trafficking in women, rape
during war, female infanticide, and FGMCare also impor-
tant. They are not included in this report, however,
because they deserve separate consideration (see, for
example, Population Reports, Female Genital Mutilation: A
Reproductive Health Concern, Supplement to Series J, No.
41, October 1995). Limiting the focus of the report to
intimate partner violence and sexual coercion makes it
possible to discuss these issues and appropriate program
responses in more depth.
Violence against women is different from interpersonal
violence in general. The nature and patterns of violence
against men, for example, typically differ from those
against women. Men are more likely than women to be
victimized by a stranger or casual acquaintance. Women
are more likely than men to be victimized by a family
member or intimate partner (55, 96, 212, 258, 436). The
fact that women are often emotionally involved with and
financially dependent upon those who abuse them has
profound implications for how women experience violence
and how best to intervene.
Hesperian Foundation (54)
Around the world, a growing number of people are speaking out about the widespread problem of violence
against women, including both physical and psychological abuse by intimate partners and sexual abuse.
Many health providers are getting the message.
POPULATION REPORTS
4
Sample
% of Adult Women Physically
Assaulted by an Intimate Partner
Region, Place & Year of Field
Work (Ref. No.) Coverage Size
Popu-
Lation* Age
In Pre-
vious 12
Months
In Cur-
rent Re-
lationship
Ever (in
Any Rela-
tionship)
ARFICA, SUB-SAHARAN
Ethiopia 1995 (110) .............. Meskanena Woreda 673 2 15+ 10
h
45
Kenya 1984B87 (362) ............ Kisii District 612 7 15+ 42
Nigeria 1993P (331).............. Not stated 1,000 1 31
a
South Africa 1998 (235)......... Eastern Cape
Mpumalanga
Northern Province
396
418
465
3
3
3
18B49
18B49
18B49
11
b
12
b
5
b
20
b
29
b
20
b
South Africa 1998 (281)......... National 5,077 2 15B49 6 13
Uganda 1995B96 (33)............ Lira & Masaka Districts 1,660 2 20B44 41
Zimbabwe 1996 (464)............ Midlands Province 966 1 18+ 17
c
ASIA & PACIFIC
Australia 1996 (490).............. National 6,300 1 3
c
8
c
Bangladesh 1992 (407)........... National (villages) 1,225 2 <50 19 47
Bangladesh 1993B95 (422)...... Nasimagar Thana 3,611 2 32
Bangladesh 1993 (255)........... Jessore & Sirajgonj (rural) 10,368 2 15B49 42
d
Cambodia 1996P (325) .......... Phnom Penh & 6 prov. 1,374 3 16
India 1993B94 (233)............. Tamil Nadu
Uttar Pradesh
859
983
2
2
15B39
15B39
37
45
India 1995B96 (288)............. Uttar Pradesh, 5 dist. 6,695 4 15B65 30
India 1999 (496) .................. 6 states 9,938 3 15B49 14
e
40/26
f
Korea, Rep. of 1989 (253)....... National 707 2 20+ 38/12
f
New Zealand 1994 (272)........ National 2,000 6 17+ 21
g
35
g
Papua N. Guin. 1982 (437) .... National, rural (villages) 628 3** 67
Papua N. Guin. 1984 (366) .... Port Moresby (low income) 298 3** 56
Philippines 1993 (323) .......... National 8,481 5 15B49 10
d
Philippines 1998 (57)............ Cagayan de Oro City &
Bukidnon Province
1,660 2 15B49 26
Thailand 1994 (215).............. Bangkok 619 4 20
EUROPE
Moldova 1997 (410).............. National 4,790 3 15B44 7+ 14+
Netherlands 1986 (383).......... National 989 1 20B60 21/11
a,f
Norway 1989P (403) ............. Trondheim 111 3 20B49 18
Switzerland 1994B96 (178)..... National 1,500 2 20B60 6
g
21
g
Turkey 1998 (223)................. E and SE Anatolia 599 1 14B75 58
a
United Kingdom 1993P (308).. North London 430 1 16+ 12
a
30
a
LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
Antiquea 1990 (200) ............. National 97 1 29B45 30
c
Barbados 1990 ( 494)............. National 264 1 20B45 30
a,g
Bolivia 1998 (338)................ 3 districts 289 1 20+ 17
a
Chile 1993P (268) ................ Metro. Santiago & prov. 1,000 2 22B55 26/11
f
Chile 1997 (312).................. Santiago 310 2 15B49 23
Colombia 1995 (337) ............ National 6,097 2 15B49 19
Mexico 1996 (363)................ Metro. Guadalajara 650 3 15 27
Mexico 1996P (191).............. Monterrey 1,064 3 15+ 17
g
Nicaragua 1995 (130) ............ Len 360 3 15B49 27/20
f
52/37
f
Nicaragua 1995 (163, 312) ..... Managua 378 3 15B49 33/28
f
69
Nicaragua 1998 (386) ............ National 8,507 3 15B49 12/8
f
28/21
f
Paraguay 1995B96 (105)......... Natl, except Chaco reg. 5,940 3 15B49 10
Peru 1997 (188) ................... Metro. Lima (middle and
low income)
359 2 17B55 31
Puerto Rico 1995B96 (105)..... National 4,755 3 15B49 13
b
Uruguay 1997 (440) .............. Montevideo & Canelones 545 2** 22B55 10
g
NEAR EAS & NORTH AFIRCA
Egypt 1995B96 (132)............. National 7,121 3 15B49 16
d
34
b
Israel 1994 (197) .................. West Bank & Gaza Strip
(Palestinians)
2,410 2 17B65 52/37
f
Israel 1997P (196)................. Arab, except Bedouin 1,826 2 19B67 32
NORTH AMERICA
Canada 1993 (378)................ National 12,300 1 18+ 3
c,g
29
c,g
Canada 1991B92 (367) .......... Toronto 420 1 18B64 27
a
Table 1
Physical Assault on
Women by an
Intimate Male
Partner
Selected Population-
Based Studies,
1982B1999
Percentages rounded to whole
numbers
P after year indicates the year of
publication for studies not
reporting the field work dates.
*Population of respondents:
1 = all women
2 = currently married/partnered
women
3 = ever-married/partnered
women
4 = married men reporting on
own use of violence against
spouse
5 = women with a pregnancy
outcome
6 = all men reporting on own use
of violence against partners
7 = married women; half with
pregnancy outcome, half
without
**Nonrandom sampling tech-
niques used.
a
Sample group included women
who had never been in a rela-
tionship and therefore were not in
exposed group.
b
Rate of partner abuse among
ever-married/ partnered women,
recalculated from author's data.
c
Although sample includes all
women, rate of abuse is shown for
ever-married/partnered women
(N not given).
d
Perpetrator could be family
member or close friend.
e
Severe abuse
f
Any physical abuse/severe physical
abuse only
g
Physical or sexual assault
h
In past 3 months
Compiled by the Center for
Health and Gender Equity
(CHANGE) for Population Reports
United States 1995B96 (436)... National 8,000 1 18+ 1.3
a
22
a
POPULATION REPORTS
5
Intimate Partner Abuse
Worldwide, one of the most common forms of violence against women
is abuse by their husbands or other intimate male partners. Partner
violence occurs in all countries and transcends social, economic,
religious, and cultural groups. Although women can also be violent and
abuse exists in some same-sex relationships, the vast majority of partner
abuse is perpetrated by men against their female partners.
While research into intimate partner abuse is in its early stages, there is
growing agreement about its nature and the various factors that cause it.
Often referred to as wife- beating, battering, or domestic violence,
intimate partner abuse is generally part of a pattern of abusive behavior
and control rather than an isolated act of physical aggression. Partner
abuse can take a variety of forms including physical assault such as hits,
slaps, kicks, and beatings; psychological abuse, such as constant
belittling, intimidation, and humiliation; and coercive sex. It frequently
includes controlling behaviors such as isolating a woman from family and
friends, monitoring her movements, and restricting her access to
resources.
Magnitude of the Problem
In nearly 50 population-based surveys from around the world, 10% to over
50% of women report being hit or otherwise physically harmed by an
intimate male partner at some point in their lives (see Table 1). The data
in Table 1 refer only to women who have been physically assaulted.
Research into partner violence is so new that comparable data on
psychological and sexual abuse by intimate partners are few.
Physical violence in intimate relationships almost always is accompanied
by psychological abuse and, in one-third to over one-half of cases, by
sexual abuse (59, 75, 131, 258, 272). For example, among 613 abused
women in Japan, 57% had suffered all three types of abuseCphysical,
psychological, and sexual. Only 8% had experienced physical abuse
alone (485). In Monterrey, Mexico, 52% of physically abused women had
also been sexually abused by their partners (191). In Len, Nicaragua,
among 188 women who were physically abused by their partners, only
5 were not also abused sexually, psychologically, or both (131).
Most women who suffer any physical aggression generally experience
multiple acts over time. In the Len study, for example, 60% of women
abused in the previous year were abused more than once, and 20%
experienced severe violence more than six times. Among women
reporting any physical aggression, 70% reported severe abuse (130). The
average number of physical assaults in the previous year among currently
abused women surveyed in London was seven (308); in the US in 1997,
three (436).
In surveys of partner violence, women usually are asked whether or not
they have experienced any of a list of specific actions, such as being
slapped, pushed, punched, beaten, or threatened with a weapon. Asking
behavioral questionsCfor example, Has your partner ever physically
forced you to have sex against your will?Cyields more accurate
responses than asking women whether they have been abused or
raped (127). Surveys generally define physical acts more severe than
slapping, pushing, shoving, or throwing objects as severe violence.
Measuring acts of violence does not describe the atmosphere of terror
that often permeates abusive relationships. For example, in Canada's
1993 national violence survey one-third of women who had been
World Organizations Speak Out
In the 1990s violence against women has emerged as a
focus of international attention and concern:
In 1993 the UN General Assembly passed the
Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against
Women, UN Resolution 48/104 (444).
At both the 1994 International Conference on
Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo and
the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in
Beijing, women's organizations from around the
world advocated ending gender violence as a high
priority (479). The Cairo Programme of Action
recognized that gender violence is an obstacle to
women's reproductive and sexual health and rights,
and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
devoted an entire section to the issue of violence
against women.
In March 1994 the Commission on Human Rights
appointed the first Special Rapporteur on Violence
Against Women and empowered her to investigate
abuses of women's human rights (479).
In 1994 the Organization of American States (OAS)
negotiated the Inter-American Convention to
Prevent, Punish and Eradicate Violence Against
Women. As of 1998, 27 Latin American countries
had ratified the convention (82).
In May 1996 the 49th World Health Assembly
adopted a resolution (WHA49.25) declaring violence
a public health priority (479). WHO is sponsoring,
together with the Center for Health and Gender
Equity (CHANGE) and the London School of
Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, a multicountry
study on women's health and domestic violence.
In September 1998 the Inter-American Development
Bank (IDB) brought together 400 experts from 37
countries to discuss the causes and costs of domestic
violence, and policies and programs to address it.
The IDB currently funds research and demonstration
projects on violence against women in six Latin
American countries.
In 1998 UNIFEM launched regional campaigns in
Africa, Asia/Pacific, and Latin America designed to
draw attention to the issue of violence against
women globally (502). UNIFEM also manages The
Trust Fund in Support of Actions to Eliminate
Violence Against Women, an initiative that has
disbursed US$3.3 million to 71 projects around the
world since 1996 (503).
In 1999 the United Nations Population Fund
declared violence against women a public health
priority (445).
POPULATION REPORTS
6
Table 2. Approval of Wife-Beating
Percentage by Rationale, Selected Studies, 1985B1999
Country & Year (Ref. No.) Respondents
She
Neglects
Children
and/or
House
She
Refuses
Him Sex
He
Suspects
Her of
Adultery
She
Answers
Back or
Disobeys
Brazil (Salvador, Bahia) 1999
(348)
M
F
C
C
C
C
19
a
11
a
C
C
Chile (Santiago) 1999 (348) M
F
C
C
C
C
12
a
14
a
C
C
Colombia (Cali) 1999 (348) M
F
C
C
C
C
14
a
13
a
C
C
Egypt 1996 (132) Urban F
Rural F
40
61
57
81
C
C
59
78
El Salvador (San Salvador) 1999
(348)
M
F
C
C
C
C
5
a
9
a
C
C
Ghana 1999
b
(23) M
F
C
C
43
33
C
C
C
C
India (Uttar Pradesh) 1996 (319) M
C C C
10B50
Israel (Palestinians) 1996
c
(195) M
C
28 71 57
New Zealand 1995 (272) M 1 1 5
d
1
e
Nicaragua 1999
f
(386) Urban F
Rural F
15
25
5
10
22
32
C
C
Papua New Guinea 1985 (39) High school F
High school M
C
C
C
C
C
C
59
g
63
g
Singapore 1996 (83) M
C
5 33
h
4
Venezuela (Caracas) 1999 (348) M
F
C
C
C
C
8
a
8
a
C
C
F = Female M = Male
e
She won't do what she is told.
Note: C indicates this question not asked
f
Also, 11% of urban women and 23% of
a
An unfaithful woman deserves to be beaten rural women agreed husband is justified
b
Also, 51% of men and 43% of women agreed: in beating his wife if she goes out without
husband is justified in beating his wife if she his permission.
uses family planning without his knowledge.
g
She speaks disrespectfully to him.
c
Also, 23% agreed wife-beating is justified if
h
She is sexually involved with another man. she does
not respect her husband's relatives. Compiled by the Center for Health and Gender
d
He catches her in bed with another man. Equity for Population Reports
Physically assaulted by a partner said that they
had feared for their lives at some point in the
relationship (378). Women often say that the
psychological abuse and degradation are even
more difficult to bear than the physical abuse
(57, 58, 96).
Dynamics of Abuse
Many cultures hold that men have the right to
control their wives' behavior and that women
who challenge that rightCeven by asking for
household money or by expressing the needs of
the childrenCmay be punished. In countries as
different as Bangladesh, Cambodia, India,
Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea,
Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, studies find that
violence is frequently viewed as physical
chastisement Cthe husband's right to correct
an erring wife (10, 39, 94, 189, 204, 233, 303,
341, 407, 488). As one husband said in a fo-
cus-group discussion in Tamil Nadu, India, If it
is a great mistake, then the husband is justified
in beating his wife. Why not? A cow will not be
obedient without beatings (233).
Justifications for violence frequently evolve
from gender normsCthat is, social norms about
the proper roles and responsibilities of men and
women (94). Typically, men are given
relatively free reign as long as they provide
financially for the family. Women are expected
to tend the house and mind the children and to
show their husbands obedience and respect. If
a man perceives that his wife has somehow
failed in her role, stepped beyond her bounds,
Table 3. Help-Seeking by Physically
Abused Women
Selected Studies, 1993B1999
% of Abused Women Who:
Country & Year (Ref. No.)
Never Told
Anyone
Contacted
Police
Told
Freinds
Told
Family
Bangladesh 1993 (255).................. 68
C C
30
Canada 1993 (240)........................ 22 26 45 44
Cambodia 199P (325).................... 34 1 33 22
Chile 1993 (268)........................... 30 16 14 32
a
Egypt 1995B96 (132)..................... 47
C
3 44
Ireland 1995P (330) ......................
C
20 50 37
Moldova 1997 (410)......................
C
6 30 31
Nicaragua 1998 (386).................... 37 17 28 34
United Kingdom 1993P (308) ........ 38 22 46 31
a
32% told her family, 21% told his family.
P after year indicates year of publication for studies not reporting field work dates.
Compiled by the Center for Health and Gender Equity for Population Reports
or challenged his rights, then he may react violently.
Worldwide, studies identify a consistent list of events that
are said to trigger violence. These include: not obeying
her husband, talking back, not having food ready on time,
failing to care adequately for the children or home,
questioning him about money or girlfriends, going some-
where without his permission, refusing him sex, or
expressing suspicions of infidelity (10, 39, 189, 204, 233,
303, 341, 407, 451, 488). All of these constitute transgres-
sion of gender norms.
In many developing countries women share the notion
that men have the right to discipline their wives by using
force (see Table 2). In rural Egypt, for example, at least
80% of women say that beatings are justified under
certain circumstances (132). One of the circumstances
that women most often cite is refusing a man sex (23,
103, 132, 386). Not surprisingly, refusing sex is also one
of the reasons women cite most often as triggering
beatings (248, 322, 475, 488).
Societies often distinguish between just and unjust reasons
for violence, as well as between acceptable and
POPULATION REPORTS
7
unacceptable amounts of aggression. The notion of just cause
permeates findings on violence in many countries. Certain
individuals, usually husbands and elders, may have the right to
chastise a woman physically for certain transgressions, but only
within limits. If a man oversteps these limits by becoming too
violent or for beating a woman without just cause, others
have cause to intervene (189, 210, 368, 407). As a woman in
Mexico put it, If I have done something wrong..., nobody
should defend me. But if I haven't done something wrong, I
have a right to be defended (189).
Even where culture itself grants men substantial control over
female behavior, abusive men generally exceed the norm (240,
382, 386). For example, data from the Nicaragua Demographic
and Health Survey (DHS) show that, among women who were
abused physically, 32% had husbands who scored high on a
scale of marital control compared with only 2% among women
who were not abused physically. The scale included such
behavior as the husband's continually accusing his wife of
being unfaithful and limiting her access to family and friends
(386).
Women's Response to Abuse
Most abused women are not passive victims but use active
strategies to maximize their safety and that of their children
(62, 119, 202, 258). Some women resist, others flee, and still
others attempt to keep the peace by capitulating to their
husbands' demands. What may seem to an observer to be lack
of response to living with violence may in fact be strategic
assessment of what it takes for the woman to survive in the
marriage and to protect herself and her children.
A woman's response to abuse is often limited by the options
available to her (119). Women consistently cite similar reasons
that they remain in abusive relationships: fear of retribution,
lack of other means of economic support, concern for the
children, emotional dependence, lack of support from family
and friends, and an abiding hope that he will change (10,
131, 330, 413, 488). In developing countries women cite the
unacceptability of being single or unmarried as an additional
barrier that keeps them in destructive marriages (169, 368,
488).
At the same time, denial and fear of social stigma often
prevent women from reaching out for help. In surveys, for
example, from 22% to almost 70% of abused women say that
they have never told anyone about their abuse before being
asked in the interview (see Table 3, p. 6). Those who reach out
do so primarily to family members and friends. Few have ever
contacted the police.
Despite the obstacles, many women eventually do leave
violent partnersCeven if after many years, once the children
are grown (129, 227). In Len, Nicaragua, for example, the
likelihood that an abused woman will eventually leave her
abuser is 70%. The median time that women spend in a violent
relationship is five years. Younger women are more likely to
leave sooner (131).
Studies suggest a consistent set of factors that propel women to
leave an abusive relationship: The violence gets more severe
and triggers a realization that he is not going to change, or
the violence begins to take a toll on the children. Women also
cite emotional and logistical support from family or friends as
pivotal in their decisions to leave (52, 62, 65, 69, 202, 413).
Leaving an abusive relationship is a process. The process often
includes periods of denial, self-blame, and endurance before
women come to recognize the abuse as a pattern and to
identify with other women in the same situation. This is the
beginning of disengagement and recovery. Most women leave
and return several times before they finally leave once and for
all (264).
Regrettably, leaving does not necessarily guarantee a woman's
safety. Violence sometimes continues and may even escalate
after a woman leaves her partner (227). In fact, a woman's risk
of being murdered is greatest immediately after separation (60).
Explaining Intimate Partner Abuse
While intimate partner abuse is widespread, it is not universal.
Anthropologists have documented small-scale societiesCsuch
as the Wape of Papua New GuineaCwhere domestic violence
is virtually absent (95, 275). This finding stands as testament to
the fact that social relations can be organized in a way that
minimizes partner abuse.
In many places the prevalence of such violence varies substan-
tially among neighboring areas (255, 319). These local differ-
ences are often greater than the differences among countries.
For example, in Uttar Pradesh, India, the percentage of men
who said they beat their wives varied from 18% in Naintal
District to 45% in Banda (319). The percentage that physically
forced their wives to have sex varied from 14% to 36% among
districts (see Table 4).
Table 4. Variations in Mens Attitudes
and Rates of Abuse
Selected Districts, Uttar Pradesh, India, 1995B1996
District
% Who
Admit to
Forcing Wife
To Have Sex
% Who Agree That
If Wife Disobeys,
She Should Be
Beaten
% Who
Admit to
Hitting Wife
% Who Hit
Wife in Last
Year
Aligarh.................. 31 15 29 17
Banda.................... 17 50 45 33
Gonda................... 36 27 31 20
Kanpur Nagar........ 14 11 22 10
Naintal .................. 21 10 18 11
Source: Narayana 1996 (319) Population
A womans response to abuse is often limited by the options available to her.
POPULATION REPORTS
8
Why is violence more widespread in some places than in
others? While studies do not provide clear answers, they do
identify some characteristics of societies and of relationships
that help explain differences in prevalence of violence against
women.
Violence and socioeconomic status. Although domestic
violence occurs in all socioeconomic groups, studies find that
women who live in poverty are more likely to experience
violence than women of higher status (188, 215, 253, 268, 288,
25, 378, 386, 427).
A Framework for Understanding Partner Violence
What causes violence against women? Increasingly, researchers are
using an ecological framework to understand the interplay of
personal, situational, and sociocultural factors that combine to cause
abuse (118, 210). In this model, violence against women results from
the interaction of factors at different levels of the social environment.
The model can best be visualized as four concentric circles. The
innermost circle represents the biological and personal history that each
individual brings to his or her behavior in relationships. The second
circle represents the immediate context in which abuse takes
placeCfrequently the family or other intimate or acquaintance
relationship. The third circle represents the institutions and social
structures, both formal and informal, in which relationships are
embeddedCneighborhood, workplace, social networks, and peer
groups. The fourth, outermost circle is the economic and social
environment, including cultural norms.
A wide range of studies agrees on several factors at each of these levels
that increase the likelihood that a man will abuse his partner:
$ At the individual level these include being abused as a child or
witnessing marital violence in the home (218, 310), having an absent
or rejecting father (118), and frequent use of alcohol (30, 263, 291,
310, 339, 352).
$ At the level of the family and relationship, cross- cultural studies
have cited male control of wealth and decision-making within the
family (275, 339) and marital conflict as strong predictors of abuse
(215, 219).
$ At the community level women's isolation and lack of social
support, together with male peer groups that condone and legitimize
men's violence, predict higher rates of violence (159, 255, 339).
$ At the societal level studies around the world have found that
violence against women is most common where gender roles are
rigidly defined and enforced (210) and where the concept of
masculinity is linked to toughness, male honor, or dominance (95,
393). Other cultural norms associated with abuse include tolerance of
physical punishment of women and children, acceptance of violence
as a means to settle interpersonal disputes, and the perception that
men have ownership of women (210, 275, 310, 340).
By combining individual-level risk factors with findings of
cross-cultural studies, the ecological model contributes to understanding
why some societies and some individuals are more violent than others
and why womenCespecially wivesCare so consistently the victims of
abuse.
Society
Community Relationship
Individual
Perpetrator
Figure 1. Ecological Model of Factors Associated with Partner Abuse
Norms granting
men control over
female behavior
Acceptance of
violence as a way
to resolve conflict
Notion of mascu-
linity linked to
dominance, honor,
or aggression
Rigid gender roles
Poverty, low socio-
economic status,
unemployment
Associating with
delinquent peers
Isolation of women
and family
Marital conflict
Male control of
wealth and
decision-making
in the family
Being male
Witnessing marital
violence as a child
Absent or rejecting
father
Being abused as a
child
Alcohol use
Population Reports/CHANGE Source: Adapted from Heise 1998 (210)
POPULATION REPORTS
9
It is unclear, however, why poverty increases the risks of
violenceCwhether it is due to low income itself or to other
factors that accompany poverty, such as crowding or hopeless-
ness. For some men, living in poverty is likely to generate
stress, frustration, and a sense of inadequacy for having failed
to live up to their culturally defined role of provider. Poverty
may also provide cause for marital disagreements and at the
same time make it difficult for women to leave violent or
otherwise unsatisfactory relationships.
Low socioeconomic status probably reflects a variety of
conditions that in combination increase women's risk of
victimization (210). Increasingly, experts are using an ecologi-
cal model to understand the interplay of personal, situational,
and sociocultural factors that combine to cause abuse (see
Figure 1). An ecological approach to abuse argues that that no
one factor alone causes violence but rather that a number of
factors combine to raise the likelihood that a particular man in
a particular setting may act violently toward a In the
ecological framework, social and cultural normsCsuch as those
that assert men's inherent superiority over womenCcombine
with individual-level factorsCsuch as whether a man was
abused himself as a childCto determine the likelihood of
abuse. The more risk factors present, the higher the likelihood
of violence.
Other factors of the social environment combine to protect
some women. For example, when women have authority and
power outside the family, rates of abuse in intimate
partnerships appear to be lower (94, 275, 407). Likewise,
prompt intervention by family members appears to reduce the
likelihood of domestic violence, as does the presence of
all-woman collectives (94, 275). By contrast, where the family
is considered private and outside public scrutiny, rates of
wife abuse are higher (275).
Sexual Coercion
Sexual coercion exists along a continuum, from forcible rape
to nonphysical forms of pressure that compel girls and women
to engage in sex against their will. The touchstone of coercion
is that a woman lacks choice and faces severe physical or
social consequences if she resists sexual advances.
Some forms of coercionCsuch as forced penetration (rape),
sexual assault (forced sexual contact), and sexual molestation
of childrenCare recognized as crimes by many legal systems.
Other formsCsuch as intimidation, verbal pressure, or forced
marriageCare culturally tolerated and at times even condoned
(211, 390). Still others involve collusion by organized crime or
the military, such as trafficking in women and children, and
rape in war.
Most nonconsensual sex takes place among people who know
each otherCspouses, family members, courtship partners, or
acquaintances (211, 479). Sexual coercion can take place at
any point in a woman's life. Children as young as several
months old have been raped or otherwise sexually molested.
Even in old age women are not immune: Rape crisis centers
report victims in their seventies and older (211).
Much sexual coercion takes place against children or adoles-
cents in both industrial and developing countries. Between
one-third and two-thirds of known sexual assault victims are
age 15 or younger, according to information from justice
systems and rape crisis centers in Chile, Peru, Malaysia,
Mexico, Panama, Papua New Guinea, and the US (212).
During childhood young girls can become easy targets for older
male relatives or friends who obtain sex through force or
deception. Later, boyfriends, teachers, relatives, or other men
in authority may force young women into unwanted sexual
encounters.
Forced Sex in Marriage
Ironically, much nonconsensual sex takes place within consen-
sual unions. Not all women experience sex negatively, of
course, and many experience pleasure. For some, however, sex
is just another medium for male control.
For example, in a 15-country qualitative study of women's HIV
risk, women related profoundly troubling experiences of sex
within marriage. Respondents frequently mentioned being
physically forced to have sex and/or to engage in types of
sexual activity that they found degrading and humiliating
(466). Others gave in to sex out of fear of the consequences of
refusal, such as physical abuse, loss of economic support, or
accusations of infidelity. Many other studies have noted this
type of defensive acquiescence (103, 136, 248, 365).
In Papua New Guinea, for example, among 95 women inter-
viewed in depth, about half said their husbands had forced
them into sex. One-third of those forced said they had been
Woman, Law and Development Centre Nigeria
As this poster from Nigeria illustrates, violence against women takes many forms. Often,
social and cultural norms condone gender-based violence.
POPULATION REPORTS
10
beaten into sex, and one-fifth had been harangued into it by a
drunken husband (322). In Uttar Pradesh, India, about two-thirds
of 98 respondents reported being forced into sex by their
husbandsCabout one-third of them by beatings (248).
Forced Sexual Initiation
For a substantial minority of women, sexual initiation is a
traumatic occurrence accompanied by force and fear. For
others, sexual initiation, although not physically forced, is
nonetheless unwantedCan experience they perceive as
happening to them rather than as something they choose (see
Table 5).
For example, at an antenatal clinic in the outskirts of Cape
Town, South Africa, 32% of 191 teenage mothers, whose
average age was 16, reported that their first intercourse had
been forced. Some 72% reported having had sex against their
will at some point, and 11% said they had been raped. Sev-
enty-eight percent said they would be beaten if they refused
sex, 39% feared being laughed at, and 6% said they would lose
their friends. Some 58% said their sexual partner had beaten
them ten or more times (282). Also, in a study in the Eastern
Cape of South Africa, the reasons that young girls most often
gave for beginning sex was being forced by partner, at 28%,
followed by peer pressure, at 20% (50).
Culture: A Double-Edged Sword
In all societies there are cultural institutions, beliefs, and
practices that undermine women's autonomy and contribute to
gender-based violence. Certain marriage practices, for example,
can disadvantage women and girls, especially where customs,
such as dowry and bridewealth, have been corrupted by
Western consumer culture.
In recent years, for example, dowry has become an expected part
of the marriage transaction in some countries, with future
husbands demanding ever-increasing dowry both before and
after marriage. Dowry demands can escalate into harassment,
threats, and abuse; in extreme cases the woman is killed or
driven to suicide, freeing the husband to pursue another
marriage and dowry (237, 368, 407).
Elsewhere, husbands are expected to pay bridewealth to
compensate the bride's family for the loss of labor in her natal
home. In parts of Africa and Asia this exchange has likewise
become commercialized, with inflated bridewealth leaving many
men with the impression that they have purchased a wife. In a
recent survey in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, 82%
of women said it is culturally accepted that, if a man pays lobola
(bridewealth) for his wife, it means that he owns her. Some 72%
of women themselves agreed with this statement (235).
Both marriage traditions undermine the ability of women to
escape abusive relationships. For example, parents on the Indian
subcontinent are reluctant to allow their daughters to return
home for fear of having to pay a second dowry, whereas in
bridewealth cultures, women's parents must repay the man if
their daughter leaves the marriage. As an abused woman in India
observed, One often feels like running away from it all. But
where does one go? The only place is your parents' house, but
they will always try to send you back (451).
Cultural attitudes toward female chastity and male honor also
serve to justify violence against women and to exacerbate its
consequences.In parts of Latin American and the Near East, a
man's honor is often linked to the sexual purity of the women
in his family. If a woman is defiled sexuallyCeither through
rape or by engaging voluntarily in sex outside of marriageCshe
disgraces the family honor.
For example, in some Arab societies the only way to cleanse
the family honor is to kill the offending woman or girl.A study
of female homicide in Alexandria, Egypt, found that 47% of all
women killed were murdered by a relative after they had been
raped (190). At a recent conference in Jordan, experts from six
Arab countries estimated that at least several hundred Arab
women die each year as a result of honor killings (231).
Culture is neither static nor monolithic, however. Women's rights
activists argue that communities must dismantle those aspects
of culture that oppress women while preserving what is good. In
the words of Ghanaian lawyer Rosemary Ofibea Ofei-Afboagye,
A culture that teaches male mastery and domination over
women must be altered (332).
Women at the forefront of the women's human rights movement
point out that appeals to culture are often anexcuse to justify
practices oppressive to women. Sudanese physician Nahid
Toubia asks, Why is it only when women want to bring about
change for their own benefit that culture and custom become
sacred and unchangeable? (211)
Although culture can aggravate women's vulnerability, it can
also serve as a creative resource for intervention. Many
traditional cultures have mechanisms Csuch as public shaming
or community healingCthat can be mobilized as resources to
confront abuse. Activists from Canada's Yukon Territory, for
example, have developed Circle Sentencing, an updated version
of the traditional sanctioning and healing practices of the
Canadian aboriginal peoples. Within the circle, crime victims,
offenders, justice and social service personnel, as well as
community residents, listen to the victim's story and deliberate
about how best to restore justice to the victim and the
community. Sentencing often includes reparation, community
service, jail time, treatment requirements, and community healing
rituals (22, 289).
Activists in India and Bangladesh likewise have adapted the
salisheCa traditional system of local justiceCto address
domestic violence. For example, when a woman is beaten, the
West Bengali NGO Shramajibee Mahila Samity sends a female
organizer to the village to consult with the individuals and
families involved. The organizer then facilitates a salishe,
attempting to steer the discussion in a prowoman direction.
Collectively, the community arrives at a proposed solution,
which is formalized in writing and monitored by a local committee
(102).
POPULATION REPORTS
11
Adolescent boys admit that coercion of female partners is
common. In Kenya, for example, boys ages 12 to 14 and 15 to
19 in focus-group discussions observed, We seduce them at
first, but if they remain adamant we force them, including
sometimes drugging them or gagging them to prevent screams
(301). During focus-group discussions in South Africa, one
teenage girl observed, I actually think forced sex is the norm.
It is the way people interact sexually (450).
The younger a woman is at first sexual intercourse, the more
likely that sex is forced. In New Zealand, for example, one girl
in every four who had intercourse before age 14 reported that
she was forced to do so, often by a much older man (112).
Likewise in the US, 24% of those who had intercourse before
age 14 reported having been forced (2).
Even when first intercourse takes place within marriage, it can
be traumatic, especially where women and girls are given little
information about sex (186). A study among married women in
a poor community of India reported that many women
found their first sexual experience to be traumatic;
only 18% had even a vague idea of what to expect
on their wedding night. One woman recalled, It was
a terrifying experience. When I tried to resist, he
pinned my arms above my head (248).
Girls who are married off at a young age are
especially vulnerable. Although the practice of child
marriage is declining, many young girls still are
married off unwillingly, often to men many years their
elder (277).
Intercourse at young ages, even when culturally
supported, can be traumatic for girls. For example,
when anthropologist Mary Hegland interviewed
Iranian women living in the US about their sexual
initiation in Iran, many recounted
graphic stories of forced defloration.
Often, relatives held a girl down while
the man forced himself on her. The
interviewed women used terms like
rape and torture to describe their
experience but said that the word
rape would never be applied to these
experiences in Iran because the sex
took place within marriage (208).
Sexual Abuse in Childhood
Sexual abuse of children is widespread
in virtually all societies. Child sexual
abuse refers to any sexual act that oc-
curs between an adult or immediate
family member and a child, and any
nonconsensual sexual contact between
a child and a peer. Laws generally
consider the issue of consent to be irrelevant in cases of sexual
contact by an adult with a child, defined variously as someone
under 13, 14, 15, or 16 years of age.
Because of the taboo nature of the topic, it is difficult to collect
reliable statistics on the prevalence of sexual abuse in
childhood. The few representative sample surveys that exist
report that such abuse is widespread (see Table 6, p. 12). The
studies are not directly comparable because of differences in
samples and in definitions of abuse. Most distinguish between
abuse that involves physical contact and abuse that does not,
such as exhibitionism. They also report on different types of
sexual contactCfor example, genital touching versus
intercourse.
Although both girls and boys can be victims of sexual abuse,
most studies report that the prevalence of abuse among girls is
at least 1.5 to 3 times that among boys, and sometimes much
more (75, 153). In Barbados, for example, 30% of women and
For Many young women, unmarried or married, sexual initiation is a terrifying experience,
accompanied by fear and forceas young men will often admit. The younger a woman is at sexual
initiation, the more likely that sex is forced.
Table 5. Prevalence of Forced First Intercourse
Sample
Country & Year (Ref. No.) Size Type Age
% Whose First Inter-
course was Forced
Argentina 1998(186)..................... 201 Clinic-based 15B18 6 (41
a
)
Central African Rep 1989 (79) 1,307 National 15B50 21
Jamaica 1997 (226)....................... 51
b
School-based 8th grade 12
Kenya 1994 (334) ......................... 9,997 School-based 12B24 8 forced
6 tricked
Mozambique 1993 (17)................. 189 School-based 12B23 8
New Zealand 1993B94 (112)........ 458 National,
longitudinal
18 & 21 7
25
c
Sierra Leone 1998P (87)................ 144 Convenience adult 31
South Africa 1999 (453)................ 544
b
Matched
case-control
<19 32 pregnant
18 nonpregnant
United States 1992 (270)............... 1,663 National 18B59 4 (25
a
)
a
Unwanted but not forced P after year indicates year of publication
b
Sexually active girls only of studies not reporting the field work dates.
c
Of those sexually active before age 14 Compiled by the Center for Health and Gender
d
Of those sexually active before age 15 der Equity (CHANGE) for Population Reports.
POPULATION REPORTS
12
Table 6. Prevalence of Child Sexual Abuse
Country & Year
(Ref. No.) Study Method & Sample Definition of Child Sexual Abuse Prevalence
Antigua 1993
(200)
Probability sample of 97 women. Sexual contact that is unwanted or with a biological
relative; or <16 with perpetrator 5+ years older
11% of women report sexual exploi-
tation before age 20
Australia 1997
(156)
Retrospective study of 710 women Sexual contact <12 with perpetrator 5+ years older;
or unwanted sexual activity at ages 12B16
20% of women report abuse
Barbados 1993
(199)
National random sample of 264
women
Sexual contact that is unwanted or with a biological
relative; or <16 with perpetrator 5+ years older
Canada 1990
(498)
Population survey of 9,953 men and
women age 15+
Unwanted sexual activity, contact and noncontact,
while growing up
13% of women, 4% of men report
abuse
Costa Rica
1992P (497)
Retrospective survey of university
students
Unwanted sexual activity, contact and noncontact;
no ages specified
abuse
Germany 1992
(405)
Multiple-screen questionnaire an-
swered by 2,151 students in
Wrzburg and Leipzig
Distressing sexual activity, contact and noncontact,
<14; or with perpetrator 5+ years older
In Wrzburg 16% of girls, 6% boys;
in Leipzig 10% of girls, 6% of boys
report abuse
Malaysia 1996
(415)
Retrospective self-administered
questionnaire answered by 616
paramedical students
Vaginal or anal penetration, or unsolicited sexual
contact, or witnessing exhibitionism <18
abuse
New Zealand
1997 (149)
Birth cohort of 520 girls, studied
from birth to age 18
<16
14% of girls report contact abuse;
17% report any abuse
Nicaragua 1997
(336)
Anonymous self-administered ques-
tionnaire answered by 134 men and
202 women ages 25B44 drawn from
population-based sample
Sexual contact, including attempted penetration,
<13 with perpetrator 5+ years older; or
nonconsensual activity >12
abuse
Norway (Oslo)
1996 (354)
Population-based sample of 465
adolescents, ages 13B19, followed
for 6 years
Sexual contact, including intercourse after pres-
sure, occurring between a child <13 and an adult
>17; or involving force
17% of girls, 1% of boys report
abuse
Spain 1995
(279)
Face-to-face interviews and
self-adminis-tered questionnaires
answered by 895 adults ages 18B60
<17
22% of women and 15% of men
report abuse
Switzerland
(Geneva) 1996
(198)
Self-administered questionnaire
answered by 1,193 ninth grade stu-
dents
Unwanted sexual activity, contact and noncontact 20% of girls, 3% of boys report con-
tact abuse; 34% of girls, 11% of boys
report any abuse
Switzerland
(national) 1998
(501)
National survey of 3,993 girls, ages
15B 20, enrolled in schools or pro-
fessional training programs
Sexual victimization, defined as when someone
in your family, or someone else, touches you in a
place you didn't want to be touched, or does
something to you sexually which they shouldn't
have done.
19% of girls report abuse
United States
1997 (471)
National 10-year longitudinal study
of women's drinking that included
questions about sexual abuse, an-
swered by 1,099 women
<18; or <13 with perpetrator 5+ years older
United States
(Midwest) 1997
(280)
Self-administered questionnaire
answered by 42,568 students in
grades 7B12
Sexual abuse, defined as when someone in your
family or another person does sexual things to you
or makes you do sexual things to them that you
don't want to do.
12% of girls, 4% of boys report
abuse
United States
(South) 1994
(317)
Anonymous self-report survey of
3,018 adolescents, grades 8 and 10
Forced intercourse only 13% of girls, 7% of boys report
abuse
United States
(Washington
State) 1997 (424)
Multiple-choice survey of 3,128 girls
in grades 8, 10, and 12
Sexual abuse, defined as when someone in your
family or someone else touches you in a sexual way
in a place you didn't want to be touched, or does
something to you sexually which they shouldn't
have done
23% of all girls; 18% of 8th graders,
24% of 10th graders, 28% of 12th
graders report abuse
Compiled by Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE) for Population Reports
POPULATION REPORTS
13
2% of men reported behavior constituting sexual abuse in
childhood or adolescence (199). Abuse among boys may be
underreported compared with abuse among girls, however.
Women tend to report being more profoundly affected by
sexual abuse than do men, although some men and boys
undoubtedly suffer greatly (336, 373). The experience of being
penetrated appears to be especially traumatic for both boys and
girls (42, 81, 247, 336).
Studies consistently show that, regardless of the sex of the
victim, the vast majority of perpetrators are male and are
known to the victim (217, 336, 396, 414). Many perpetrators
were themselves sexually abused in childhood, although most
boys who are sexually abused do not grow up to abuse others
(462).
Sexual abuse can lead to a wide variety of unhealthy conse-
quences, including behavioral and psychological problems,
sexual dysfunction, relationship problems, low self-esteem,
depression, thoughts of suicide, alcohol and substance abuse,
and sexual risk-taking (25, 53, 81, 276, 399). Women who are
sexually abused in childhood also are at greater risk of being
physically or sexually abused as adults (26, 37, 149) .
Although for some children the effects of sexual abuse are
severe and long-term, not all will experience consequences
that persist into later life (247, 314). Sexual abuse is most likely
to cause long-term harm when it extends over a long period, is
by a father or father figure, involves penetration, or involves
force or violence (26, 247, 373).
A child's resilience and the response a child receives when
disclosing the abuse also affect the long-term consequences
(85, 247, 396). When children who disclose abuse are believed
and supported, the consequences are often less severe than
when disclosure is met with disbelief, blame, or rejection (396).
Impact on Women's
Reproductive Health
Physical and sexual abuse lie behind some of the most
intractable reproductive health issues of our timesCunwanted
pregnancies, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and
complications of pregnancy. A growing number of studies
document the ways in which violence by intimate partners and
sexual coercion undermine women's sexual and reproductive
autonomy and jeopardize their health.
Violence operates through multiple pathways to affect women's
sexual and reproductive health (see Figure 2, p. 14). Physical
violence and sexual abuse can put women at risk of infection
and unwanted pregnancies directly, if women are forced to
have sex, for example, or fear using contraception or condoms
because of their partners' reaction. A history of sexual abuse in
childhood also can lead to unwanted pregnancies and STIs
indirectly by increasing sexual risk-taking in adolescence and
adulthood.
Sexual Autonomy and
Unwanted Pregnancies
In many parts of the world marriage is interpreted as granting
men the right to unconditional sexual access to their wives and
the power to enforce this access through force if necessary
Sexual abuse in chioldhood and adolescence seems widspread virtually every where.
Most perpetrators are known t the victim.
Cousins/Women and Law in Southern Africa (500)
In some countries, such as Zimbabwe, womens groups have prepared manuals (500) and
other materials to help family, friends, and social services support the victims of sexual
abuse and domestic violence.
POPULATION REPORTS
14
(409). Women who lack sexual autonomy often are powerless
to refuse unwanted sex or to use contraception and thus are at
risk of unwanted pregnancies.
As a 40-year old woman in Uttar Pradesh said, What can I do
to protect myself from these unwanted pregnancies unless he
agrees to do something? Once when I gathered the courage and
told him I wanted to avoid sex with him, he said, 'What else
have I married you for?' He beats me for the smallest reasons
and has sex whenever he wants (248).
Not surprisingly, many women acquiesce to having sex even
if they do not want it. For example, in the Western Visayas
region of the Philippines, 43% of the married women of
reproductive age who were surveyed said they were afraid to
refuse their husbands' sexual advances, often because refusal
might cause their husbands to beat them (103).
Many studies have found that violence toward women is more
common in families with many children (103, 130, 233, 268,
288, 318, 386, 436). Researchers have long assumed that
having many children increases women's risk of being abused,
perhaps by increasing levels of stress within the family or
provoking more marital disagreements. Recent research in
Nicaragua, however, suggests that the relationship may be the
reverse, with domestic violence increasing the likelihood that
a woman will have many children. The study found that abused
women were twice as likely as other women to have four or
more children. But 50% of all physical abuse began within the
first two years of the relationship, and 80% began within four
years (131). The fact that abuse preceded having many children
suggests that violence is a risk factor for having many children,
rather than a consequence.
A large-scale survey among married men in Uttar Pradesh,
India, demonstrates directly that forced sex can lead to
unintended pregnancies. Men who admitted having forced their
wives to have sex were 2.6 times more likely than other men
to have caused an unplanned pregnancy (288) .
Contraceptive use. Many women are afraid to raise the issue
of contraception for fear that their partners might respond
violently (23, 33, 84, 135, 157, 158, 411). In some
cultures husbands may react negatively because they
think that protection against pregnancy would
encourage their wives to be unfaithful. Where having
many children is a sign of virility, a husband may
interpret his wife's desire to use family planning as an
affront to his masculinity (411). In Kenya some men
say that they oppose the use of contraception because
they fear it will weaken their control over their wives
(32, 463).
A woman's perception of her husband's attitude toward
family planning strongly influences whether or not she
will use contraception, according to studies in Ghana,
Indonesia, Kenya, the Philippines, and elsewhere (31,
135, 238, 269, 392). Across 13 DHS surveys an
average of 9% of married women with unmet need for
family planningCthat is, women who want to avoid
pregnancy but are not using any contraceptive
methodCcite their husbands' disapproval as the
principal reason that they do not use contraception
(35). While in surveys only a minority of wives and
husbands appear to disagree about using contraception,
in-depth studies suggest that these couples probably
represent a large share of couples with unmet need
(377).
Women often use contraception clandestinely because
they fear being beaten or abandoned if they do so
openly. If a woman is caught in covert use of
contraception, the consequences of undermining male
authority can be severe. In Ghana 51% of women and
43% of men agreed that a husband is justified in
beating his wife when she uses a family planning
method without his knowledge (23).
Partner Abuse
Sexual Assault
Child Sexual Abuse
Emotional/Behavioral Damage
Excessive drug & alcohol use
Depression
Low self-esteem
Post-traumatic stress
High-Risk Sex
Early sexual debut
Multiple partners
Unprotected intercourse
Prostitution
Sexual acting out
Unwanted
Pregnancy
STIs and HIV
Suicide,
homicide
Abortion
morbidity &
mortality
Maternal
mortality
Neonatal
morbidity
& mortality
Reproductive
morbidity
& mortality
Adverse
pregnancy
outcomes
Figure 2. Violence Against Women:
Direct and Indirect Pathways to Unwanted
Pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Infections
STI = sexually transmitted infection
HIV = human immunodeficiency virus (which causes AIDS)
Population Reports/CHANGE
Source: Adapted from Heise et al. 1995
(211)
Violence by intimate partners and sexual coercion harms women's reproductive health both
directly, by causing unwanted pregnancies and STIs including HIV/AIDS, and indirectly, by
causing emotional and behavioral damage that leads to a variety of risky se
POPULATION REPORTS
15
When asked what happens if a woman practices family
planning without her husband's consent, men interviewed in
Ghana gave such replies as, It is fitting enough to beat her for
not consulting you earlier before going ahead to practice
family planning, and It is not good for you to keep such a
woman since she did so without first consulting with you
(135). In Cape Town, South Africa, young women described
how their partners beat them and tore up their clinic
contraceptive cards (475).
For women living with men who are violent, the fear of a
negative reaction is often enough to cut off discussion of
contraception. As one woman said of her husband, Whenever
he hears people discussing family planning over the radio, he
fumes and shouts.... If he can threaten a wireless, what would
he do to me if I open the topic? (23).
Fortunately, not all women who fear a negative response are
necessarily at risk of abuse. Studies suggest that many husbands
are more open to family planning than their wives may think
(117). Communication within marriage about sex is often so
limited, however, that spouses often do not know their partners'
views of family planning. Wives whose husbands actually favor
family planning may assume that their husbands' attitudes
mirror cultural norms that disapprove of it. In Uganda, for
example, 24% of women thought their husbands disapproved
of contraception when in fact their husbands approved (33).
Violence Leads to High-Risk
Sexual Behavior
Children who have been sexually abused often engage in
sexual behavior, as adolescents and as adults, that puts them
at risk of unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted
infections. Some researchers view the risky sexual behavior of
abuse victims as an effort to gain control or mastery of a
childhood experience in which they felt violated and powerless
(154). Others note that the experi ence of incest and sexual
abuse can make it difficult for victims to form healthy intimate
relationships. One researcher has observed that a victim's
heightened need for intimacy, coupled with the sexualization
of affection, may lead her to seek warmth and closeness
through repeated sexual encounters (116).
Adolescent pregnancies. Victims of sexual abuse in childhood
appear more likely than other teens to become pregnant in
adolescence. In the early 1990s studies in the US began to find
a consistent association between sexual abuse in childhood and
adolescent pregnancy (25, 37, 56). The studies also found a
clear and consistent link between early sexual victimization
and a variety of risk-taking behaviors, including early sexual
debut, drug and alcohol use, more sexual partners, and less
contraceptive use (148, 455).
Noting that programs have had difficulty reducing rates of
adolescent pregnancy by providing sex education and access
to contraception alone, researchers suggested that sexual
victimization in childhood might help explain high-risk sexual
activity and pregnancies among adolescents (37). Some have
questioned whether it is the sexual victimization itself that
contributes to the risk of adolescent pregnancy or whether both
are caused by some third factor, such as an unhealthy and
disorganized home life. Studies have shown that many of the
factors that predispose a young child to sexual abuse, such as
absent or dysfunctional parents, are also risk factors for
adolescent pregnancy (314, 385).
Although the question is not fully resolved, three recent studies
that examined the independent effects of sexual abuse and
other factors suggest that sexual abuse itself has an effect on
adult sexual behavior beyond the effect of family background
(149, 314, 315). In all three studies victimization in childhood
made an independent contribution to problems of mental
health, sexuality, and social functioning in adults.
Researchers continue to explore the exact mechanism through
which sexual abuse increases the risk of teenage pregnancy.
Sexual abuse appears to contribute to teen pregnancy
indirectly, by lowering the age at first intercourse and by
increasing sexual risk-taking among young people (424).
Studies in Barbados, New Zealand, Nicaragua, and the US
confirm that, on average, sexual abuse victims start having
voluntary sex significantly earlier than nonvictims (37, 149,
155, 199, 241, 336, 385, 424). Such studies also link sexual
abuse to a variety of high-risk sexual behaviors in adolescence,
including having sex with many partners, using drugs and
abusing alcohol, not using contraception, and trading sex for
money or drugs.
Childhood abuse has also been linked to unintended
pregnancies among adult women. A study of 1,200 women in
the US found that women who reported being psychologically,
sexually, and/or physically abused, or whose mother was
beaten by a partner, had higher rates of unintended first
pregnancies than women who did not experience abuse. The
likelihood that a woman's first pregnancy was unintended
increased with both the number of different types of abuse she
experienced and the frequency of abuse (114).
STIs including HIV/AIDS. Sexual abuse in childhood appears
to increase the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
among adults, largely through its effect on high-risk sexual
behavior (98, 148, 149, 199, 239, 385, 389, 424, 455, 487).
Several studies have linked a history of sexual abuse to selling
sex for money or drugs (37, 229, 389, 423, 484). For example,
researchers in Rhode Island, US, found that men and women
who had been raped or forced to have sex in either childhood
or adolescence were four times more likely than people who
had not been abused to have worked in prostitution. They were
also twice as likely to have multiple sexual partners in a single
year and to have casual sex (487). Among women, victims of
childhood sexual assault were twice as likely to be heavy
consumers of alcohol and nearly three times as likely to
become pregnant before the age of 18. While the abused
JHU/CCP
In this scene from the Egyptian television series And the Nile Flows On, a
husband slaps his wife when he discovers that she has been using contraceptive
pills without his knowledge and consent. Many women are afraid even to raise the
issue of family planning for fear their partners might disapprove and respond
angrily and violently.
POPULATION REPORTS
16
women studied did not have higher rates of HIV, men who had
experienced childhood sexual abuse were twice as likely to be
HIV positive as men who did not, independent of a history of
intravenous drug use or prostitution (487).
In a nationally representative study of men and women in
Barbados, anthropologist Penn Handwerker found that sexual
abuse was the most important determinant of high-risk sexual
activity during adolescence, including both young age at first
sexual intercourse and a high number of sexual partners (199).
The direct effects of childhood sexual abuse on number of
partners remained significant into the respondents' mid-thirties.
For men, abuse in childhood also was closely linked to not
using condoms in adulthood, even after accounting for other
variables affecting condom use.
Abuse in childhood also increases the risk of sexually
transmitted infection through its effect on drug use. Sexually
abused or assaulted women often turn to drugs as a coping
mechanism, in addition to engaging in such unhealthy behavior
as unprotected sex and trading sex for money or drugs (21, 43,
162, 254, 349, 372, 412, 426).
In a study at an outpatient methadone maintenance clinic in
the South Bronx of New York, early sexual abuseCespecially
incestCemerged as one of the most formative experiences in
the lives of women addicted to such drugs as crack, cocaine,
and heroin. A sense of stigmatization and shame leaves
victims feeling unloved, unlovable, and unable to say 'no' to
things they do not want to do such as having sex or using
drugs, researchers concluded (482).
Not surprisingly, victims of other types of violence, most
notably partner abuse, are also at increased risk of STIs. In the
US state of North Carolina, for example, women who reported
physical and sexual abuse by a partner were more than twice
as likely to have experienced STIs as were other women, even
after accounting for confounding variables. Data from India
suggest that abusive men may be more likely to expose their
wives to infection. Abusive men were significantly more likely
to have engaged in extramarital sex and to have STI symptoms
than were nonabusive men (286).
Violence Compromises HIV Protection
In a recent speech Peter Piot, the Executive Director of
UNAIDS, noted that violence against women has many links
to HIV/AIDS. Violence against women is not just a cause of
the AIDS epidemic, he pointed out. It can also be a
consequence of it (357).
Condom negotiation. Violence influences the risk of HIV and
other STIs directly when it interferes with women's ability to
negotiate condom use. For many women, asking for condoms
can be even more difficult than discussing other contraceptives
because condoms are often associated with promiscuity,
infidelity, and prostitution.
Raising the issue of condom use within marriage or other
primary partnerships is especially difficult (107). As a
46-year-old respondent in Brazil said, If I ask my husband to
use a condom now, he is going to ask 'why?' He is going to
think I am fooling around or that I am accusing him of fooling
around, two things that shouldn't be happening (185).
The summary report of the Women and AIDS Research Program
of the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW)
concludes that initiating condom use is simply not practical
for many women around the globe (466). In Guatemala, India,
Jamaica, and Papua New Guinea, women reported that
bringing up condom useCwith its implication that one partner
or the other has been unfaithfulCrisks a violent response (170,
214, 234, 483).
Women in Brazil, Haiti, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, and
the US have voiced similar fears (33, 186, 194, 245, 441, 449,
472, 481). In South Africa the notion that violent indignation is
an appropriate response to women requesting condoms was so
ingrained among a group of migrant workers that an audience
of 1,000 men broke into cheers when the male character in an
anti-HIV street play hit his wife for suggesting that he use a
condom (172).
Voluntary counseling and testing. In some places women's fear
of men's reaction has kept them away from voluntary
HIV/AIDS counseling and testing (45). This reticence has
implications both for controlling sexual transmission of the virus
and for efforts to reduce mother-to-child transmission.
Health professionals have only recently begun to consider the
implications of encouraging women to reveal HIV infection to
their partners. Concerned that many infected women were not
sharing their test results with their part ners, researchers in
Nairobi began to explore why. Among 243 women, only 66
disclosed their status to their partners. Of these 66 women, at
least 11 had been chased away from home or replaced by
another wife, 7 had been beaten up by their partners, and one
had committed suicide, according to spontaneous reports by the
women or their relatives (431).
In response, the study team revised its protocol to allow women
to decide voluntarily whether to receive their results and to
counsel women on the possible risks and benefits of disclosure
to an intimate partner. As a result, reports of violence
diminished markedly in the next year, with no drop in the
percentage of partners counseled.
In the US findings have been mixed on the impact of fear of
violence on women's willingness to be tested for HIV. Fear of
violence was not a dominant factor in women's decision to
decline an HIV test among women attending STD clinics in
Miami or Newark. Nearly one woman in every six reported
partner violence in the past year, but victims were no more
likely than others to decline a test, except among women who
had been injured by their partner within the past 12 months
(283).
Other studies, however, find that the fear of violence is a
serious concern for some women, suggesting that domestic
violence should be considered when formulating partner
notification policies and in HIV counseling (175, 387). In a US
survey of 136 providers of HIV-related care, 24% reported
having at least one female patient who experi enced physical
violence after disclosing her HIV status to her partner, and 45%
had patients who feared such a reaction (388).
Reducing perinatal transmission. Fear of violence has also
interfered with efforts to reduce mother-to-child transmission of
HIV. In a study of perinatal programs in six African nations, for
example, fear of ostracism and domestic violence was an
important reason that pregnant women refused HIV testing or
did not return for test results (45). Elsewhere, fear of violence
has interfered with women's willingness and ability to comply
fully with a short-course regimen of AZT to reduce perinatal
transmission of HIV. In Cte d'Ivoire only 3% of women studied
took all of the recommended doses of AZT during labor.
Researchers attributed women's reluctance to take AZT to their
fear of revealing their HIV infection to friends and family, often
POPULATION REPORTS
17
for fear of violence (45).
Similar concerns have been voiced by HIV-infected women
who have been advised to bottle-feed their infants to avoid
HIV transmission. In areas where breastfeeding is the norm,
women fear that using a bottle would brand them as infected
with HIV, possibly exposing them to abuse (45).
Violence Leads to High-Risk Pregnancies
Around the world, as many as one woman in every four is
physically or sexually abused during pregnancy, usually by
her partner (18, 64, 99, 132, 167, 240, 268, 274, 325, 326,
386). Estimates vary widely, however. Within the US, for
example, estimates of abuse during pregnancy range from
3% to 11% among adult women and up to 38% among
teenage mothers (99). Some of this variation is likely due to
differences in how the questions were asked, how often, and
by whom (167, 355).
Obstetric risk factors. Violence before and during pregnancy
can have serious health consequences for women and their
children. Pregnant women who have experienced violence
are more likely to delay seeking prenatal care (99, 113, 296,
351, 430, 447, 448) and to gain insufficient weight (27, 99).
They are also more likely to have a history of STIs (6, 287),
unwanted or mistimed pregnancies (68, 88, 167, 448),
vaginal and cervical infections (99, 296, 351), kidney
infections (88), and bleeding during pregnancy (99, 351).
Adverse pregnancy outcomes. Violence may also have a
serious impact on pregnancy outcomes. Violence has been
linked with increased risk of miscarriages and abortions (6, 232,
386), premature labor (88), and fetal distress (88). Several
studies also have focused on the relationship between violence
in pregnancy and low birth weight, a leading contributor to
infant deaths in the developing world (6, 28, 51, 63, 88, 99,
121, 150, 193, 351, 355, 404, 447, 448). Although the findings
are inconclusive, seven studies suggest that violence during
pregnancy contributes substantially to low birth weight, at least
in some settings (51, 63, 99, 150, 351, 447, 448). In one study
at the regional hospital in Len, Nicaragua, researchers found
that, after controlling for other risk factors, violence against
pregnant women was associated with a threefold increase in
the incidence of low birth weight. Violence in pregnancy
accounted for 16% of low birth weight among the infants
studied and posed a greater risk of low birth weight than such
factors as pre-eclampsia, bleeding, and smoking (448).
How violence puts pregnancies at above-average risk is
unclear, but several explanations have been suggested (326,
355). Blunt abdominal trauma can lead to fetal death or low
birth weight by provoking preterm delivery (92, 342, 397).
Violence also may affect pregnancy outcome indi rectly by
increasing women's likelihood of engaging in such harmful
health behaviors as smoking and alcohol and drug abuse (see
p. 20), all of which have been linked to low birth weight (6, 67,
88, 121, 193, 285, 296, 351). Thus, particularly where smoking
and substance abuse in pregnancy are relatively common,
these behaviors may be the main ways in which violence in
pregnancy reduces birth weight (99, 351).
Extreme stress and anxiety provoked by violence in pregnancy
also may lead to preterm delivery or fetal growth retardation by
increasing stress hormone levels or immunological changes
(179, 225, 454). Stress can reduce women's ability to obtain
adequate nutrition, rest, exercise, and medical care (64, 355).
Stress resulting from abuse appears to be the most likely
explanation for the link between violence and low birth weight
found in studies in Nicaragua and Mexico, where smoking and
alcohol use in pregnancy are rare but violence in pregnancy is
common (447, 448).
Violence and maternal deaths. On the Indian subcontinent,
violence may be responsible for a sizeable but underrecog-
nized proportion of pregnancy-related deaths. In India verbal
autopsies from a recent surveillance study of all maternal
deaths in over 400 villages and 7 hospitals in three districts of
Maharastra revealed that 16% of all deaths during pregnancy
were due to domestic violence (164). In rural Bangladesh
homicide and suicide, motivated by dowry-related problems or
the stigma of rape and/or pregnancy outside of marriage,
accounted for 6% of all maternal deaths between 1976 and
1986 and 31% of maternal deaths among women ages 15 to 19
(141). The risk of injury-related death was nearly three times
higher for pregnant teenagers than for nonpregnant teenagers or
for older pregnant women (384).
Violence Increases Risks for
Other Gynecological Problems
Sexual and physical violence appears to increase women's risk
for many common gynecological disorders, some of which can
be debilitating. An example is chronic pelvic pain, which in
many countries accounts for as many as 10% of all
gynecological visits and one -quarter of all hysterectomies (125,
271, 456).
Although chronic pelvic pain is commonly caused by
adhesions, endometriosis, or infections, about half the cases of
chronic pelvic pain do not have any identifiable pathology. A
variety of studies have found that women suffering from chronic
pelvic pain are consistently more likely to have a history of
childhood sexual abuse (456), sexual assault (80, 90, 125, 230,
369), and/or physical and sexual abuse by their partners (401,
403).
Past trauma may lead to chronic pelvic pain via unidentified
injuries, by stress, or by increasing women's susceptibility to
somatization, the expression of psychological distress through
MEXFAM (299)
As this Mexican guide to coping with domestic violence suggests, physical and sexual abuse
during pregnancy is common. Worldwide, as many as one woman in every four is abused
during pregnancy.
POPULATION REPORTS
18
physical symptoms (125, 145, 259). Also, sexual abuse in
childhood has been linked to increased sexual risk-taking and
thus to STIs, which can lead to chronic pelvic pain, often due
to pelvic inflammatory disease.
Other gynecological disorders associated with sexual violence
include irregular vaginal bleeding (180), vaginal discharge,
painful menstruation (184, 230), pelvic inflammatory disease
(402), and sexual dysfunction (difficulty in orgasms, lack of
desire, and conflicts over frequency of sex) (184, 402, 403).
Sexual assault also increases risk for premenstrual distress, a
condition that affects 8% to 10% of menstruating women and
causes physical, mood, and behavioral disruptions (183). The
number of gynecological symptoms appears to be related to the
severity of abuse suffered, whether there was both physical and
sexual assault, whether the victim knew the offender, and
whether there were multiple offenders (181, 182).
Threats to Health and Development
The negative consequences of abuse extend beyond women's
sexual and reproductive health to their overall health, the
welfare of their children, and even the economic and social
fabric of nations. By sapping women's energy, undermining
their confidence, and compromising their health, gender
violence deprives society of women's full participation. As a
UNIFEM report on violence observed, Women cannot lend
their labor or creative ideas fully if they are burdened with the
physical and psychological scars of abuse (73).
Violence as a Risk Factor for Disease
Victimization is a risk factor for a variety of unhealthy
outcomes. In addition to causing immediate physical injury and
mental anguish, violence also increases women's risk of future
ill health. A wide range of studies show that women who have
experienced physical or sexual abuse, whether in childhood or
adulthood, are at greater risk of subsequent health problems
(111, 148, 181, 260, 273, 291, 292, 455).
Violence has been linked to many serious health problems,
both immediate and long-term. These include physical health
problems, such as injury, chronic pain syndromes, and
gastrointestinal disorders, and a range of mental health
problems, including anxiety and depression. Violence also
undermines health by increasing a variety of negative
behaviors, such as smoking and alcohol and drug abuse (see
Figure 3).
Violence against
women has been
linked to many seri-
ous health problems,
both immediate and
long-term. These in-
clude injuries, some-
times leading to death
or disability; a
variety of chronic
physical conditions;
reproductive health
problems; mental
health disorders, in-
cluding suicide; and
unhealthy behavior,
such as drug abuse.
Chronic Conditions
Chronic pain syndromes
Irritable bowel syndrome
Gastrointestinal disorders
Somatic complaints
Fibromyalgia
Figure 3. Health Outcomes of Violence Against Women
Nonfatal Outcomes
Mental Health
Post-traumatic stress
Depression
Anxiety
Phobias/panic disorder
Eating disorders
Sexual dysfunction
Low self-esteem
Substance abuse Reproductive Health
Unwanted pregnancy
STIs/HIV
Gynecological disorders
Unsafe abortion
Pregnancy complications
Miscarriage/low birth weight
Pelvic inflammatory disease
Negative Health
Behaviors
Smoking
Alcohol and drug abuse
Sexual risk-taking
Physical inactivity
Overeating
Physical Health
Injury
Functional impairment
Physical symptoms
Poor subjective health
Permanent disability
Severe obesity
Partner Abuse
Sexual Assault
Child Sexual Abuse
Fatal
Outcomes
Homicide
Suicide
Maternal mortality
AIDS-related
Source: Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE) Population Reports
POPULATION REPORTS
19
Because most early studies on abuse and health involved
women seeking medical treatment, their findings could have
overstated the relationship between violence and poor health.
But links between victimization and ill-health have been
confirmed in recent studies among more representative groups,
including random samples of women in the community and
women visiting primary health care facilities.
One such study in a large health maintenance organization
(HMO) in Washington state, US, found that women who
experienced any type of abuse in childhoodCwhether physical,
sexual, emotional, or neglectChad significantly poorer health
than their peers. The study found that women who suffered
maltreatment in childhood had more sexual and reproductive
health problems, poorer physical functioning, more risky
behavior, and more physical symptoms than nonabused
women. Moreover, the average woman who had been abused
in childhood also had more diagnoses across a wide range of
health problems, including infectious diseases, mental health
problems, and chronic conditions such as hypertension,
diabetes, and asthma (455).
Studies among women at HMOs provide good opportunities for
examining the cumulative impact of violence on women's
health because HMOs generally provide for all of their
members' health careCincluding drugs, surgeries, doctors'
visits, and hospital stays (148, 260). Collectively, these HMO
studies suggest three main conclusions about the health
consequences of physical and sexual abuse of women:
$ The influence of abuse can persist long after the abuse has
stopped (148, 261).
$ The more severe the abuse, the more severe its impact on
women's physical and mental health (273).
$ The impact of different types of abuse and multiple episodes
over time appears to be cumulative (148, 260, 291, 455).
Physical Consequences of Abuse
Not surprisingly, violence is a major cause of injury to women,
ranging from relatively minor cuts and bruises to permanent
disability and death. Population-based studies suggest that 40%
to 75% of women who are physically abused by a partner are
injured by this abuse at some point in life (131, 325, 330, 378,
383, 436). The consequences of such injuries can be severe: In
Canada 43% of women injured by their partners had to receive
medical care, and 50% of those injured had to take time off
from work (378).
In its most extreme form, violence kills women. Worldwide, an
estimated 40% to over 70% of homicides of women are
committed by intimate partners, often in the context of an
abusive relationship (15, 177). By contrast, only a small
percentage of men who are murdered are killed by their female
partners, and in such cases the women often are defending
themselves or retaliating against abusive men (418).
Nevertheless, injury is not the most common physical health
outcome of gender-based abuse. Abuse may lead to any
number of physical ailments including irritable bowel
syndrome, gastrointestinal disorders, and various chronic pain
syndromes. Studies consistently link such disorders to a history
of physical or sexual abuse (108, 273, 457, 458). Abused
women also have reduced physical functioning, more physical
symptoms, and spend more days in bed than nonabused women
(181, 273, 292, 383, 429, 458).
Violence Erodes Women's Mental Health
Many women consider the psychological consequences of
abuse to be even more serious than its physical effects. The
experience of abuse often erodes women's self-esteem and puts
them at greater risk of a variety of mental health problems,
including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide,
and alcohol and drug abuse.
Depression. Depression is becoming widely recognized as a
major health problem around the world (446). The situation is
particularly acute among adult women (477), who in most
countries suffer depression at nearly twice the rate seen in men
(97, 327, 467). Some researchers have suggested that most of
the difference between the incidence of depression in women
and men may be due not to biology, but rather to poverty,
gender-based discrimination, and gender-based violence (13) .
Women who are abused by their partners suffer more
depression, anxiety, and phobias than women who have not
been abused, according to studies in Australia, Nicaragua,
Pakistan, and the US (74, 100, 126, 152, 376). Among women
ages 15 to 49 in Nicaragua, for example, battered women were
six times more likely to experience emotional distress, as
measured on an international mental health scale, than were
other women. Physical abuse was the single most important risk
factor for emotional distress in this study, accounting for
roughly 70% of mental health problems among women (126).
Sexual assault in either childhood or adulthood is also closely
associated with depression and anxiety disorders (42, 53, 81,
276, 469). Most likely to lead to psychological disorders are
sexual abuse occurring before age seven or eight, abuse by
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
In the US, as elsewhere, domestic violence is a major cause of injury to women.
Over half of women who are abused by a partner are injured by this abuse at some
point in their lives, some fatally.
POPULATION REPORTS
20
more than one perpetrator, abuse that includes genital or anal
penetration, and abuse that is frequent or continues over a long
period of time (42, 81, 320).
Post-traumatic stress disorder. Many abused women experience
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), an acute anxiety disorder
that can occur when people go through or witness a traumatic
event in which they feel overwhelming helplessness or threat
of death or injury (8). The symptoms of PTSD include mentally
reliving the traumatic event through flashbacks, or flooding;
trying to avoid anything that would remind one of the trauma;
becoming numb emotionally; experiencing difficulties in
sleeping and concentrating; and being easily alarmed or
startled.
Rape, childhood sexual abuse, and domestic violence are
among the most common causes of PTSD in women (36, 42,
44, 101, 380, 400, 433, 452). The chances that a woman will
develop PTSD after
being raped are between
50% and 95%,
according to studies in
France, New Zealand,
and the US (36, 41,
101). One study in the
US found that the psy-
chological effects of
being raped were
comparable to the
effects of being tortured
or kidnapped (41).
Suicide. For some
women the burden of
abuse is so great that
they take their own lives
or try to do so. Studies from a number of countries, including
Nicaragua, Sweden, and the US, have shown that domestic
violence is closely associated with depression and subsequent
suicide (1, 6, 29, 72, 246, 386). Battered women who develop
PTSD appear to be most likely to try suicide (433).
Women who have experienced sexual assault either in
childhood or as adults are also more likely to attempt suicide
than other women (148, 280, 292, 317, 381, 470). The link is
strong even after controlling for such individual risk factors as
women's sex, age, and education and for presence of PTSD
symptoms and psychiatric disorders (104, 421).
Alcohol and drug use. Victims of partner violence and women
sexually abused as children are more likely than other women
to abuse alcohol and drugs, even after controlling for such other
risk factors as prior use, family environment, or parental
alcoholism (133, 250, 265, 291, 304, 306). In a survey among
women seeking primary care, those who had been abused by
their partners within the previous year were three times more
likely than those not recently abused to be drinking large
amounts of alcohol and four times more likely to be using drugs
(291).
Do abused women try to blunt their reactions to trauma by
dulling their senses with alcohol and drugs? Or are women who
use alcohol and drugs more likely to live in ways that put them
at greater risk of being abused by men? In the US a 2-year
longitudinal study sought to answer this question (250).
The study found that women who used illicit drugs, but not
those who used alcohol, were at increased risk of being
assaulted over the next two years of follow-up. As expected,
any past or recent history of assault was associated with
increased rates of alcohol and drug use, even after controlling
for prior use and other factors. These findings suggest that
increased alcohol use is more of an after-the-fact coping
response to victimization, whereas drug use increases risk of
being victimized at the same time that victimization increases
the likelihood of using drugs (250).
Domestic Violence Undermines
Children's Well-Being
Conflict between parents frequently affects their young
children. Children who witness marital violence face increased
risk for such emotional and behavioral problems as anxiety,
depression, poor school performance, low self-esteem, disobe-
dience, nightmares, and physical health complaints (124, 244,
294). Such children
also are more likely
to act aggressively
during childhood and
adolescence (419,
420).
Children who witness
violence between
their parents often
develop many of the
same behavioral and
psychological
problems as children
who are themselves
abused (124, 228). In
Nicaragua children
of battered women
were more than twice as likely as other children to suffer from
learning, emotional, and behavioral problems and almost seven
times as likely to be abused themselves, physically, sexually,
or emotionally (131). Among abused women in Nicaragua,
49% said that their children often witnessed the violence (131),
as did 64% of women in Ireland (330) and 50% in Monterrey,
Mexico (191).
Studies in the US have found that in 30% to 60% of families
where husbands abuse their wives, the children also are abused
(9, 123). Clinical experience suggests that this pattern exists in
the developing world as well (131). While children's reactions
to violence vary according to their age, sex, and the social
support that they receive (228), children who both witness and
experience abuse have the most severe behavioral problems
(124).
Violence may undermine child survival as well (11, 232). In
Len, Nicaragua, researchers found that the children of women
who were physically and sexually abused by their partners
were six times more likely than other children to die before the
age of five. The study controlled for other factors affecting
infant and child survival. One-third of all child deaths in this
setting were attributable to partner violence (11). A study in
the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh also found
that women who had been beaten were significantly more
likely than nonabused women to have had an infant death or
pregnancy loss from abortion, miscarriage, or stillbirth. The
(Text continues on page 25.)
Oms/OPS, Ministerio de Salud de PerMINSA y CMP Flora Tristan
No one has the right to abuse you. If you suffer violence in your home, your health is seriously affected. Consult
us, a Peruvian placard states. The reverse side reminds providers to take the opportunity to talk about violence.
POPULATION REPORTS
21
SPECIAL GUIDE:
What Health Care Providers
Can Do About Domestic Violence
Health care providers can help solve the problem of violence against women if they learn how to ask clients
about violence, become better aware of signs that can identify victims
of domestic violence or sexual abuse, and help women
protect themselves by developing a personal safety
plan. Everyone can do something to help promote
nonviolent relationships.
Health Care Workers,
Are We Part of
the Problem?
Womens advocates in the US have
used the power and control framework
for many years to describe how some men
use violence to dominate their partners
and maintain control with the relationship.
The wheel at right is adapted from that
framework to show how the behavior of
health care providers often contributes to
womens victimization.
An alternative wheel suggests how
health workers can help empower
women to overcome abuse.*
*Adapted from: The Medical Power & Control
Wheel. Developed by the Domestic Violence
Project, Inc., 6308 Eighth Ave., Kenosha, WI
53143, USA.
This guide was prepared by the Center for Health and
Gender Equity for Population Reports, Ending Violence
Against Women, Series L, No. 11, December 1999.
Or Are We
Part of the
Solution?
POPULATION REPORTS
22
How to Ask About Abuse
ne day after reading an educational
booklet on domestic violence,
Richard Jones, former president of
the American College of Gynecologists and
Obstetricians, asked a long-time patient
whether her husband had ever beaten her. To
his amazement, she replied, Doctor Jones, you
cant imagine how long Ive been waiting for
you to ask me that question (242).
Any service provider can make a difference by
asking the question. Jones now asks every
patient about abuse and encourages all of his
students to do likewise. An important first step
is considering how to broach the subject and
then developing a standard way to ask the
question for all clients. Here are some options:
Introducing the Question
! Before we discuss contraceptive choices, it might be good to
know a bit more about your relationship with your partner.
! Because violence is common in womens lives, we have begun
asking all clients about abuse.
! I dont know if this is a problem for you, but many of the women
I see as clients are dealing with tensions at home. Some are too
afraid or uncomfortable to bring it up themselves, so Ive started
asking about it routinely.
Asking Indirectly
! Your symptoms may be related to stress. Do you and your
partner tend to fight a lot? Have you ever gotten hurt?
! Does your husband have any problems with alcohol, drugs, or
gambling? How does it affect his behavior with you and the
children?
! When considering which method of contraception is best for
you, an important factor is whether you can or cannot anticipate
when you will have sex. Do you generally feel you can control
when you have sex? Are there times when your partner may force
you unexpectedly?
! Does your partner ever want sex when you do not? What
happens in such situations?
The best way to uncover a history of abuse in
female clients is to ask about it. Nonetheless,
several types of physical injuries, health
conditions, and client behavior should raise
health care providers suspicion of domestic
violence or sexual abuse. When these signs, or
red flags, are present, providers should be
sure to ask their clients about possible abuse,
remembering to be empathic and respectful of
the clients privacy.
Domestic Violence
! Chronic, vague complaints that have no obvious physical cause,
! Injuries that do not match the explanation of how they occurred,
! A male partner who is overly attentive, controlling, or unwilling to
leave the womans side,
! Physical injury during pregnancy,
! Late entry into prenatal care,
! A history of attempted suicide or suicidal thoughts,
! Delays between injuries and seeking treatment,
! Urinary tract infection,
! Chronic irritable bowel syndrome,
! Chronic pelvic pain.
POPULATION REPORTS
23
Asking Directly
! As you may know, its not uncommon these days
for a person to have been emotionally, physically, or
sexually victimized at some time in their life, and this
can affect their health many years later. Has this ever
happened to you?
! Sometimes when I see an injury like yours, its be-
cause somebody hit them. Did that happen to you?
! Has your partner or ex-partner ever hit you or
physically hurt you?
! Has your partner ever forced you to have sex when
you didnt want to?
! Did you ever have any upsetting sexual experiences
as a child?
Questions for Use in
Clinical Histories or
Patient Intake Forms
! Are you currently or have you ever been in a rela-
tionship where you were physically hurt, threatened,
or made to feel afraid?
! Have you ever been raped or forced to engage in
sexual activity against your will?
! Did you ever have any unwanted sexual experiences
as a child?
Sources: Center for Health and Gender Equity and Family
Violence Prevention Fund, 1988 (460).
Sexual Abuse
! Pregnancy of unmarried girls under age 14,
! Sexually transmitted infections in children or young
girls,
! Vaginal itching or bleeding,
! Painful defecation or painful urination,
! Abdominal or pelvic pain,
! Sexual problems, lack of pleasure,
! Vaginismus (spasms of the muscles around the
opening of the vagina),
! Anxiety, depression, self-destructive behavior,
! Sleeping problems,
! A history of chronic, unexplained physical
symptoms,
! Having difficulty with or avoiding pelvic exams,
! Problems with alcohol and drugs,
! Sexual acting out,
! Extreme obesity.
Sources: Center for Health and Gender Equity and Family Violence
When providers ask about violence, women will
have many things to tell them.
Suggestion: Discuss with colleagues how to
respond with empathy and respect
POPULATION REPORTS
24
Prevention Fund (460)
Developing a Safety Plan
Health care providers can help women protect themselves
from domestic violence, even if the women may not be ready
to leave home or report abusive partners to authorities. When
clients have a personal safety plan, they are better able to deal
with violent situations. Providers can review these points and
help each woman develop her own personal safety plan:
! Identify one or more neighbors you can tell about the
violence, and ask them to seek help if they hear a distur-
bance in your home.
! If an argument seems unavoidable, try to have it in a room
or an area that you can leave easily.
! Stay away from any room where weapons might be avail-
able.
! Practice how to get out of your home safely. Identify which
doors, windows, elevator, or stairwell would be best.
! Have a packed bag ready, containing spare keys, money,
important documents, and clothes. Keep it at the home of a
relative or friend, in case you need to leave your own home in a
hurry.
! Devise a code word to use with your children, family, friends,
and neighbors when you need emergency help or want them to
call the police.
!
! Decide where you will go if you have to leave home and have a
plan to get there (even if you do not think you will need to
leave).
! Use your instincts and judgment. If the situation is dangerous,
consider giving the abuser what he is demanding to calm him
down. You have the right to protect yourself and your
children.
! Remember: you do not deserve to be hit or
threatened.
Source: Adapted from Buel 1995 (49)
How to Promote Nonviolent Relationships Wherever You Are
Everyone can do something to promote nonviolent relationships.
Health workers can:
! Educate themselves about physical, sexual, and emotional
abuse and explore their own biases, fears, and prejudices.
! Provide supportive, nonjudgmental care to victims of violence.
! Ask clients about abuse in a friendly, gentle way.
Leaders of reproductive health programs can:
! Establish policies and procedures to ask women clients about
abuse.
! Establish protocols that clearly indicate appropriate care and
referral for victims of abuse.
! Promote access to emergency contraception.
! Lend facilities to womens groups seeking to organize support
groups and to hold meetings.
Community and religious leaders can:
! Urge understanding, compassion, and concern for victims of
violence.
! Challenge religious interpretations that justify violence and
abuse of women.
! Make their houses of worship available as temporary
sanctuary for women in crisis.
! Provide emotional and spiritual guidance to victims of abuse.
! Support the efforts of abused women to leave relationships
that put them at risk.
! Integrate discussions on healthy relationships and alternatives
to violence into religious education programs.
The mass media can:
! Respect the privacy of victims of rape by not printing their
names without their permission.
! Avoid sensationalizing cases of violence against women; place
events in their proper context, and use them as an opportunity
to inform and educate.
! Provide free airtime or space for messages about gender
violence and announcements of available services.
! Reduce the amount of violence portrayed on television.
! Develop socially responsible radio and television programming
that depicts equitable and nonviolent relationships between
men and women.
! Develop programming that creates public dialogue about
sexual coercion, rape, and abuse.
Parents can:
! Refrain from arguing in front of their children.
! Teach their children to respect others and themselves.
! Encourage the health, safety, and intellectual development of
their daughters as well as their sons, and encourage their self-
esteem.
! Avoid hitting their children; use nonviolent forms of discipline
instead.
! Teach children nonviolent ways to resolve conflicts.
! Talk to their children about sex, love, and interpersonal
relationships; emphasize that sex should always be
consensual.
POPULATION REPORTS
25
study controlled for other influences on infant mortality such as
mother's education, age, and parity (232).
While it is unclear exactly how domestic violence affects child
survival, one explanation is that the children of mothers who
are abused are more likely to be born underweight, a factor
that increases risk of dying during infancy or childhood (see p.
17). Another possible explanation is that mothers with violent
partners may have lower self-esteem, less mobility, weaker
bargaining power, and less access to resources and thus are less
able to keep their children healthy.
In rural Karnataka, India, a study found that children of mothers
who were beaten received less food than other children did,
suggesting that these women could not bargain with their
husbands on their children's behalf (165). Similarly, 1998 DHS
data from Nicaragua show that children of battered women
were more likely than other children to be malnourished. They
were more likely to have had a recent bout of diarrhea and less
likely to have received oral rehydration therapy. They also
were less likely to have been immunized against childhood
diseases (386) (see Figure 4).
Gender-Based Abuse Hinders Development
In addition to its human costs, violence against women hinders
women's participation in public life and undermines the
economic wellbeing of societies. Although techniques of
estimating the economic and social costs of violence are
imperfect, studies have begun to provide insights into the ways
that gender-based violence undermines women's participation,
reduces their productivity, and drives up costs to the economy,
including medical care costs.
Women's participation. Violence against women hinders their
participation in development projects and lessens their
contribution to social and economic development. In Mexico
a study that sought to
learn why women often
stopped participating in
development projects
found that men's threats
were a major reason.
Men perceived the
growing empowerment of
their wives as a threat to
their control and beat
them to try to stop it (73).
In Papua New Guinea
some husbands have
prevented their wives
from attending meetings
by locking them in the
house, by pulling them
off vehicles taking them
to the meetings, or by
pursuing and dragging
them home (38).
Even if men do not
prevent women's
participation, they
may use force to
deprive them of its
benefits. Women participating in micro-credit schemes in
Bangladesh and Peru and garment workers in the Mexican
maquiladoras report that husbands often beat their wives and
take what the women have earned (73, 406, 407).
To avoid violence, many women censor their behavior to suit
what they think will be acceptable to their partners, in effect
making women their own jailers (38). In Papua New Guinea,
for example, a study by the Department of Education found that
a main reason that female teachers gave for not taking
promotions was fear that it would provoke their husbands to
more violence (174).
Such fears can lead to adverse effects on the health of women
and their families, as well as reducing earnings. Fear of rape,
for example, has contributed to undernutrition among Ethiopian
refugee families living in Sudanese border camps (266).
Ethiopian women refugees surveyed said they cooked fewer
meals for their children because they feared being raped while
out collecting firewood. In fact, many had been raped during
the 2- to 3-hour forays to collect fuel. In Gujarat, India, female
rural health promoters discussing obstacles to their work
emphasized their reluctance to travel alone between villages
for fear of being raped. They asked for self-defense training to
continue their work (249).
Women's productivity. Researchers have only begun to explore
the possible impact of domestic violence on women's labor
force participation and earnings, and studies yield inconsistent
conclusions. In studies in Santiago, Chile, Managua,
Nicaragua, and Chicago, for example, the impact of domestic
violence on women's likelihood of being employed varied
greatly (278, 312). Some women worked less in order to protect
their children or because their partners would not allow them
to work, while other women sought employment to lessen
financial dependence on their abuser.
Figure 4. Partner Abuse and Child Health, Nicaragua
All differences significant at the level of p < .05
Source: Rosales Ortiz 1999 (386)
Population Reports/CHANGE
Infant mortality Under-5 mortality Diarrhea Malnutrition % children immunized
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
47
60
19
24
68
37
46
12
21
75
Mother experiencing violence Mother not experiencing violence
Domestic violence damages infants and young children as well as their mothers. As DHS research in Nicaragua shows, children whose
mothers have experienced violence are more likely to suffer poor health and die.
POPULATION REPORTS
26
Domestic violence does appear to have a consistent impact on
women's earnings and their ability to remain in a job, however
(47, 278, 312). The study in Chicago found that women with
histories of domestic violence were more likely to have
experienced spells of unemployment, to have more job
turnover, and to suffer more physical and mental health
problems that could affect their job performance. They also had
lower incomes and were much more likely to receive public
assistance (278). Similarly, in Managua abused women earned
46% less than women who did not suffer abuse, even after
controlling for other factors affecting earnings (312).
Evidence from the US suggests that victimization in childhood
may also reduce a woman's educational attainment and
income. Researcher Batya Hyman found that women who were
sexually abused in childhood earned 3% to 20% less annually
than women who had not been abused, depending on the type
of abuse experienced and the number of perpetrators (222).
Incestuous abuse affected income indirectly through its impact
on educational attainment and mental and physical health
status. Women sexually abused by strangers suffered an
additional direct effect on income.
Costs to the economy. For countries the costs of gender-based
violence are substantial. For example, in Canada a 1995 study
estimated that violence against women cost the country 1.5
billion Canadian dollars (US$1.1 billion) in lost labor
productivity and increased use of medical and community
support services (106). Another study in Canada put the cost of
violence against women much higher, after including costs for
social services, criminal justice, labor and employment, and
the health care system. The study estimated that physical and
sexual abuse of girls and women cost the economy 4.2 billion
Canadian dollars each year, nearly 90% of that borne by the
government (192).
Not surprisingly, women who have experienced physical or
sexual assault in either childhood or adulthood use health
services more often than other women, as studies in Nicaragua,
the US, and Zimbabwe show (147, 257, 273, 312, 394, 455,
464, 473). Over their lifetimes, victims of abuse average more
surgeries, physician and pharmacy visits, hospital stays, and
mental health consultations than other women, even after
accounting for other factors affecting health care use.
Such increased need for health care adds considerably to
health care costs. For example, in the Washington state HMO
study (see p. 19), the added cost associated with childhood
abuse for this plan alone was estimated at over US$8 million
per year (459). Another US HMO study found that female
victims of partner violence cost the health plan 92% more than
a random sample of other women who received services from
the health plan that year. The extra costs were not due to
excess emergency room charges (473).
Health Providers
Play a Key Role
Health care providers can play a crucial role in addressing
violence against women. In most countries the health care
system is the only institution that interacts with almost every
woman at some point in her life. Thus health care providers
often are well placed to recognize victims of violence and to
help them. Moreover, because violence increases the risk of
other health problems for women, early help can prevent
serious conditions that follow from abuse.
Recently, the health community has begun to mobilize to meet
this challenge. In 1993 the Pan American Health Organization
(PAHO) became the first international health institution to
recognize violence against women as a high-priority concern,
when it passed resolution CD39.R8, urging all member
governments to establish national policies and plans for the
prevention and management of violence against women (344).
In 1996 the 49th World Health Assembly followed suit,
declaring violence a public health priority (478). Both PAHO
and WHO initiated programs on violence against women in the
mid-1990s.
Some health care systems have started to address domestic
violence as part of clinical practice. In 1992, for example, the
American Medical Association published diagnostic and
treatment guidelines for domestic violence, and the US Joint
Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
(JCAHO) began including an evaluation of emergency room
policies and procedures for dealing with abuse victims in its
accreditation reviews (7, 489). More recently, Brazil, Ireland,
Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragua, and the Philippines have
developed pilot programs that train health workers to identify
and respond to abuse (115, 277, 370). Several Latin American
countries also have incorporated guidelines for addressing
domestic violence into their national health sector policies
(345).
Despite such efforts, progress is slow. In most countries doctors
and nurses rarely ask women whether they are being abused,
even when there are obvious signs of abuse (71, 161, 347).
Facilities that have established guidelines often do not monitor
or enforce their implementation (86, 144, 298). US studies have
found that few health care facilities have complied with the
JCAHO requirements (139).
Barriers to Addressing Violence
Why have health care providers been slow to address violence
against women? Doctors often think that their patients, rather
than themselves, constitute the main obstacle to better care
(139). But health workers themselves often are part of the
problem (see p. 21).
A complex interplay of professional, cultural, personal, and
institutional concerns shape the ability and willingness of
health workers to address domestic violence, according to
studies in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the US (86, 143,
252, 361, 374, 428, 465). Some of the biggest barriers that
block effective response are health care providers' lack of
technical competence, cultural stereotypes and negative social
attitudes, and institutional constraints.
Lack of technical competence and resources. Health workers
often do not ask women about their experience with violence
because they feel unprepared to respond to the needs of
victims. Some view domestic violence as a private issue and
POPULATION REPORTS
27
fear that clients would be upset or offended if asked about
violence. Others feel that they do not have the time or
resources to help (86, 374, 428).
Practitioners who have received special training on violence
are more likely to inquire about violence and to feel competent
to address the needs of abused women (309, 434). Although
some professional schools are making efforts to address
domestic violenceCfor example, nursing schools in the US
(476)Cmost professional schools worldwide do not address
violence or do so only minimally (5, 321, 353). For example,
a study in the US found that two-thirds of health practitioners
had never received training on domestic violence (434). In
Mexico and Zimbabwe health care providers said that their
medical training was in fact an obstacle to dealing with abuse
because it prepared them only to address a patient's physical
symptoms rather than the whole person (143, 465).
Cultural stereotypes and negative social attitudes. Health care
providers typically share the same cultural values and societal
attitudes toward abuse that are dominant in the society at
large. Thus they may think that some women deserve abuse or
that a wife's obligation is to be sexually available to her
husband at all times (252). They also frequently assume that
domestic violence and sexual assault occur only among poor
women or among women of certain ethnic or religious back-
grounds (86, 252). Such attitudes stand in the way of sympa-
thetic and caring response to abused women who seek care.
For example, in South Africa a study found that female nurses
generally recognized domestic violence as a serious problem
for women but also thought that women themselves held
attitudes and acted in ways that could provoke violence,
including rape (252). Male nurses reported a long list of reasons
that would justify a man in beating his wife, including if she
disobeyed him, was disrespectful, or neglected household or
childcare duties. They did not think that a man had committed
rape if he forced his wife to have sex, and they thought that the
practice of wife-beating was both a means of discipline and a
way of expressing love or forgiveness (252).
Even in cultures where partner violence is considered
unacceptable, negative social attitudes about battered women
are often deeply imbedded and difficult to overcome. These
beliefs may affect how health workers assess a woman's
truthfulness or her responsibility for her situation. In the US, for
example, clinicians revealed their biased attitudes by making
such statements as A battered woman tells you what you want
to hear and Women in violent situations are difficult to deal
with. We find it hard to accept women who don't get out of
such a situation (86).
Some male clinicians may hesitate to accept a woman's
account of violence because they identify with the offender. As
one US doctor said, Maybe my discomfort with it is that I've
experienced that kind of rage myself (374). Female health
workers who have themselves been victims of abuse also may
have a hard time discussing violence with their clients. Studies
have found that as many as one female health practitioner in
every three has experienced violence herself (252, 309, 370,
428).
Institutional constraints. Clinicians working with victims of
violence often feel that their institutions and colleagues value
their work less than other types of clinical intervention (86).
Most programs designed to address abuse in health care settings
have been the work of very committed individuals, but their
initiatives rarely have become institutional policy. With the
departure of these key leaders, many programs lose
momentum, and some end (86, 298).
Legal liability or involvement is a major concern that keeps
health workers from doing more for victims of abuse. In some
countries health workers often refuse to examine raped or
otherwise abused women because they want to avoid having
to testify in court (221, 347, 465). Other countries have passed
laws mandating that health care providers report child abuse
and, sometimes, abuse of adult women. With adult victims,
however, such laws are generally counterproductive because
they take control away from the abused woman, jeopardize her
safety, and may make it less likely that she will seek health
care for fear that her partner will be arrested as a result (7, 78,
221, 236, 461).
Women's needs are often neglected because of bureaucratic
gaps or inadequate coordination between the health and
criminal justice systems. In some countries doctors are
prohibited from treating women who have been raped or
battered without authorization from the courts or police. In
others, only court-appointed forensic doctors may examine
crime victims (461). In Zimbabwe, for example, a woman who
has been raped may have to wait three days or more for an
appointment with a government medical officer. These officers
are the only physicians authorized to document rape or assault
cases. By that time time most of the physical evidence may be
lost (465). Similar requirements exist elsewhere, including the
countries of Central America, India, and Peru (202, 220, 361).
The lack of referral services and insufficient coordination
between health workers and referral services often prevent
women from receiving necessary medical care, including
emergency contraception and STI screening. In Zimbabwe a
woman who had been raped reported that, The police said
they could not file my case without a medico-legal exam. I
went to the matron (at the health center). I was then advised to
come to the (women's center). They sent me to Social Welfare.
At Social Welfare I kept on being referred from one person to
another the whole day. I went back the next day and was told
to go back to the police station (465).
Women's reluctance to disclose violence. Unless women are
asked directly about violence, many do not volunteer
information. For example, as noted in Table 3, the 1998
Nicaragua DHS found that over one-third of women who had
been abused by their partners had never told anyone. Although
Sando Moore/Women's Rights International
Community leaders commitment is key. Playing roles in the story of a woman
raped in wartime, traditional birth attendants in Liberia learn to lead community
response to sexual abuse of women.
POPULATION REPORTS
28
57% of the women had suffered injuries, only 13% had ever
received medical attention. Even then, most women did not
disclose the cause of their injuries. Only 7% of women reported
having ever sought help at a health center or hospital for
violence (386).
Shame was one of the main reasons that women in Nicaragua
gave for not disclosing violence. As one woman explained, I
thought that there were only a few people who lived like this
and that it would be embarrassing for someone to find out that
he was hurting me this way (131). Many women say nothing
about violence because they fear that they will be blamed for
it. A US woman told researchers that, even though her injuries
often brought her to the doctor, she had kept their cause to
herself for nine years (379).
Fear of reprisals from their abusers is another reason that many
women stay silent. As one woman in the US observed, I knew
that if I was to tell them what actually happened, they would
call the police and I would have to file a report, and they
couldn't guarantee me that they
would be there 24 hours to
protect me from this maniac
(379).
In much of the world women are
unable to obtain health care
without the knowledge or per-
mission of their spouses or other
male family members (333, 386).
Women living in abusive rela-
tionships typically are subject to
strict controls over their mobility,
and abusive husbands may go to
great lengths to keep them from
getting help. Often, men will not
allow their wives to visit a health
center unescorted, especially if
they are going to be treated for
injuries due to violence (293).
Women are especially unlikely
to disclose abuse to a health care
provider in front of their abuser.
Asking About Abuse
Once a woman decides to seek
help from a health care institu-
tion, the response she receives is
crucial. Many clinicians fear that
asking patients about violence
and sexual abuse will open a
Pandora's Box, unleashing
issues that they have neither the
time nor the skills to deal with
(428). When health workers fail
to ask about violence, however,
particularly when there are
obvious signs of it, women are
likely to assume that they are not interested (465). An
indifferent or hostile reaction from health care providers
reinforces a woman's feelings of isolation and self-blame and
makes it harder for her to mention the topic again.
Lack of confidentiality can be particularly devastating, as well
as placing women at risk for further abuse. A women in
Zimbabwe complained, I went to the hospital because my
husband beat me when I got pregnant. What hurt me was that
there was no confidentiality by the doctors and nurses treating
me. Everyone in the ward got to know that I had been beaten
by my husband (465).
For many women, facing indifference and hostility from health
personnel is like being victimized again by the very system
that is supposed to help. One Latin American woman who went
to a health center said, I felt hurt, wounded, because when
you go, you hope that someone would at least give you a little
help. But when you get there you feel even more dejected....
They don't give you any encouragement.... They treat you like
the cashier in the supermarket (202).
A Panamanian woman who miscarried as a result of her
husband's beatings described her experience with the health
center in this way:
When the doctor attended me, I explained to him what
happened, that I had been beaten, and I said, I know
this isn't your job, but I need a favor. My husband is out-
side in the hallway, and I need you to call a policeman
to help me stop him before he
catches me again. The doctor
answered that this wasn't his
problem, that I was free to leave
however I wanted. He just said,
Take this for the swelling and
left me alone in the room. (347)
It is my impression that some
women have been waiting their
whole lives for someone to ask,
notes Ana Flavia d'Oliveria, a
Brazilian public health physician
who began an abuse screening
program among her prenatal care
patients (213). In fact, most
women, regardless of whether they
have been abused themselves, feel
that physicians should routinely ask
their patients about abuse (71,
161). Among South African women
attending a community health
clinic in Cape Town, for example,
88% said they would welcome
routine inquiry about violence
during health visits (251).
The way in which a woman is
asked about violence makes an
enormous difference to whether she
will disclose her situation. If asked
about violence in a nonjudgmen-
tal, empathic way, she is more
likely to answer truthfully. Women
are more inclined to discuss abuse
if they perceive the clinician to be
caring and easy to talk to, and if
follow-up is offered (293, 379).
Placing brochures or posters about domestic violence in a
clinic or office can increase women's comfort in talking about
abuse (293). Sometimes, medical staffs have found it helpful to
wear buttons with the message It's OK to talk to me about
family violence and abuse. A US medical association
produced a poster to place in waiting rooms saying, We may
forget to ask, but we always want to know if you are
experiencing violence at home (48).
Domestic Violence Center of Howard County, Maryland
Strategically placing posters or brochures around health clinics can encourage
women to feel at ease in bringing up the topic of abuse. This US poster has a
pocket to hold brochures.
POPULATION REPORTS
29
When there are obvious signs of abuse, such as unexplained
injuries, health workers should ask, Who did this to you? If
there are no signs, clinicians have found that the best way to
ask about violence is to bring it up routinely as part of taking
a clinical history (see pp. 22B23). For example, the provider
can say, Because violence is so common these days, I ask all
my patients whether they have ever been hurt by someone
close to them. This phrasing can help to keep a woman from
feeling that she has been singled out for questions.
Several short screening questionnaires have been developed to
help health care providers identify victims of abuse (120, 146,
295). At one prenatal clinic, detection of lifetime violence rose
from 14% with routine inquiry during a social service interview
to 41% using the 5-question Abuse Assessment Screen (328).
Another study found that asking three brief questions correctly
identified the majority of abused women:
(1) Have you been hit, kicked, punched or otherwise hurt by
someone within the last year? If so, by whom?
(2) Do you feel safe in your current relationship?
(3) Is there a partner from a previous relationship who is
making you feel unsafe now?
The questions took an average of just 20 seconds to ask, less
time than measuring the client's vital signs (146).
There is no international consensus on whether all women
should be routinely screened for violence when they visit a
health care facility. Some advocates argue that failure to
screen is a serious breach in the quality of health care (49).
Others feel that screening all women on every visit may not be
feasible, particularly where budgets are low and personnel are
overworked. Some express concern that identifying women
who are abused may be counterproductive if there are no
services or resources to offer them and could lead to greater
frustration for both clients and providers (277).
Each health service should decide upon a detection policy that
best meets its clients' needs and local resources. Options other
than universal screening include:
Ask when there are signs
of abuse. Without asking,
it is difficult to identify
women suffering abuse.
Providers should keep in
mind that, contrary to
popular belief, physical
injury is not the most
common symptom of
abuse in women. More
common are chronic
vague complaints with no
obvious physical cause.
Such complaints and
other key symptoms raise red flags about domestic violence
and sexual abuse that should arouse providers' suspicions (166,
343, 370) (see pp. 22B23). When one or more of these
symptoms are present, health workers should ask directly about
abuse.
Strategic screening. Another option is to screen all women for
abuse in certain services that are considered strategic because
of the number of abused women attending them, because
special risks are involved, or because they present good
opportunities for discussing abuse. Routine screening might be
especially appropriate in the following services:
$ Maternal and child health services. Because violence is at
least as common and often more serious than a variety of
other conditions that health workers routinely screen for
during pregnancy, most experts contend that all women
attending prenatal care should be screened for abuse (64,
295). The prenatal care setting is especially conducive to
discussing abuse because trust can develop as women return
for repeat visits. Postpartum screening is also important, since
violence may become more frequent or more severe after
delivery (176). Pediatric and well-baby visits provide another
good opportunity to identify and provide support for mothers
and children living with violence (20).
$ Reproductive health services. Discussions about contra-
ception or STI prevention provide a good opportunity for
discussing abuse. Women who have been abused in the past
or who currently suffer violence may be unable to control the
timing of sexual encounters or to negotiate condom use.
Therefore routine screening in family planning and STI
prevention programs is essential to ensure that counseling
messages are tailored to the needs of battered and sexually
or emotionally abused women.
$ Mental health services. Because violence is associated with
such mental health disorders as depression and post-traumatic
stress disorder (53, 66, 375), women attending mental health
services should be considered a particularly high-risk group
for violence.
$ Emergency departments. Partner violence is a cause of many
physical injuries among adult women (see p. 19), and women
with injuries that warrant emergency medi cal attention are
likely to be among those most severely abused. Therefore, a
reasonable policy is to ask all women coming to emergency
rooms with traumatic injury whether their injuries are due to
intimate partner violence (120, 297).
Supporting Women Who Disclose Abuse
Health workers often feel that there is little they can do when
a woman discloses abuse. But what providers say and do can
have an important influence on a woman's course of action
(171, 293). The act of asking questions about violence can let
women know that providers consider violence to be an
When a woman discloses
abuse, it is important that
providers ask questions in
ways that are sensitive and
supportive, that do not tell
women what to do but that
help them examine their
options. What providers say
and counsel often influences
their clients attitudes and
actions.
POPULATION REPORTS
30
important medical problem and not the client's fault. A Latin
American woman said, The doctor helped me feel better by
saying that I didn't deserve this treatment, and he helped me
make a plan to leave the house the next time my husband
came home drunk (202).
Women in the US also emphasize the power of validation,
noting that it provided relief, comfort, planted a seed,
and started the wheels turning toward changing their
perception of their own situation (171). Some of the ways in
which health workers can promote healing for women living
with violence are described in the Empowerment Wheel used
in violence prevention training (see p. 21).
Even if an abused woman does not disclose the violence on a
first visit, asking about it shows that the clinician cares, and
thus she may decide to talk about it later. While health workers
ideally should coordinate their actions with community-based
services, such as local women's groups, providers can take
several useful actions immediately during the clinic visit (350,
460):
1. Assess for immediate danger. Find out whether the woman
feels that she or her children are in immediate danger. If so,
help her consider various courses of action. Is there a friend or
relative who can help her? If there is a women's shelter or a
crisis center in the area, offer to make contact. Some hospitals
and clinics have adopted explicit policies allowing abused
women to be admitted overnight if it is unsafe for them to
return home (243, 277). Leaving a violent partner temporarily
does not necessarily end the violence, however. The most
dangerous moment for a woman with an abusive partner is
often immediately after she leaves or decides to leave a
relationship (60).
2. Provide appropriate care. For women who have suffered
sexual assault, appropriate care may include providing
emergency contraception and presumptive treatment for
gonnorhea, syphilis, or other locally prevalent STIs. Unless
clearly necessary, clinicians should avoid prescribing
tranquilizers and mood-altering drugs to women who are living
with an abusive partner since these may impair their ability to
predict and react to their partners' attacks.
3. Document women's condition. Few providers adequately
document cases of abuse against women. In Johannesburg,
South Africa, a review found that in 78% of cases of abuse
providers had not recorded the identity of the perpetrator.
Clinical records included such graphic but general descriptions
as chopped with an axe or stabbed with a knife (313).
Careful documentation of a woman's symptoms or injuries, as
well as her history of abuse, is helpful for future medical
follow-up. Documentation is also important in the event that
she decides to press charges against the abuser or to seek
custody of children. Documentation should be as thorough as
possible and clearly state the identity of the offender and his or
her relationship to the victim.
4. Develop a safety plan. Although women cannot prevent
violence from recurring, and they may not be ready to report
their partner to the police, there are ways that they can protect
themselves and their children. These include keeping a bag
packed with important documents, keys, and a change of
clothes, or developing a signal to let children know they need
to seek help from neighbors. Health care providers should
review a sample safety plan with the woman and decide
together which actions may help in her situation (see p. 24).
Sample safety plans can also be taped to clinic bathroom and
examining room walls, where women can read them without
embarrassment.
5. Inform women of their rights. When a woman takes the step
of disclosing her situation, it is crucial that medical
practitioners reaffirm that the violence is not her fault and that
no one deserves to be beaten or raped. The penal codes of most
countries criminalize rape and physical assault, even if specific
laws against domestic violence do not exist. Medical staff
should find out what legal protections exist for victims of abuse
and where women and children can turn for genuine help in
enforcing their rights.
6. Refer women to community resources. Health care providers
can help victims of abuse by identifying them early and
referring them to available local resources. The needs of
victims generally extend beyond what the health sector alone
can provide. Therefore it is essential that health care providers
know in advance what other resources are available to help
victims of abuse. It is especially useful for health workers to
meet personally with others who provide services for victims of
violence because a provider will be more likely to refer a
woman to someone whom they knowCwhen there is a face
behind the name.
Moving Outside the Clinic
To address violence against women, it is important for health
care programs to move outside the clinic. Most health programs
engage in community activities. Some of these can be
mobilized to address abuse. Especially important is addressing
gender inequity and abuse through community health
promotion activities and mass-media campaigns.
Community health promotion. For years health projects have
used community outreach and peer education techniques to
promote family planning, oral rehydration therapy, and other
healthy behavior. Such techniques also can address the
problem of violenceCfor example, by challenging harmful
Most health care providers can do more to document cases of abuse.
POPULATION REPORTS
31
traditional gender norms and promoting new norms.
For example, the Mexican Family Planning Association
(MEXFAM) has begun integrating antiviolence work into all of
its programming. With funding from the MacArthur Foundation,
MEXFAM has produced posters and workshop materials that
encourage rural and indigenous men and women, including
young people, to reflect upon domestic violence and its
negative impacts. The goal is to help men and women begin to
recognize the costs of abusive behavior and thereby become
more motivated to change it (299).
In Honduras the Programa Feminina Hondurea de Salud
Comunitaria (PROFEHSAC) has added drama, discussion, and
role-playing on domestic violence to its training program for
health promoters. As a result, PROFESHSAC health promoters
have become major agents of change in their community,
offering support to victims and holding discussion sessions with
men, women, and youth (284).
The new popular education manual, Where Women Have No
Doctor, should greatly facilitate such work because it features
entire chapters on sexuality, domestic violence, mental health,
and rape (54). Designed for low-literacy populations, this
resource manual includes basic information on the dynamics of
abuse and suggests how
community health workers
can assist victims and work to
change cultural norms.
Programs also can include
gender and violence themes
in small-group sessions
designed for other purposes.
An example is Stepping
Stones, a curriculum for
sexual health and HIV
prevention. Building on the
pioneering work of two
BraziliansCeducator Paolo
Freire and theater director
and social activist Augusto
BoalCthe curriculum uses a
problem posing approach to
encourage reflection on
complex issues such as trust,
risk, the meaning of love, and
learning to say no (468). A
recent South African adapta-
tion of the Stepping Stones curriculum adds a module
specifically to address abuse and coercion in relationships
(216).
Communication campaigns. Reproductive health programs also
can use the mass media to address violence against women.
During the 1990s, for example, a network of over 100 women's
organizations in Nicaragua mounted an annual mass-media
campaign to raise awareness of the impact of violence on
women (128). Using slogans such as Quiero vivir sin
violencia (I want to live without violence), the campaign
mobilized communities against abuse. According to the 1998
DHS, more than half of the Nicaraguan population had heard
at least one of the campaign's messages, and one-half of all
women who had heard the messages were able to repeat at
least one of the slogans (386).
Another Nicaraguan organization, Puntos de Encuentro,
recently mounted a campaign specifically to reach men (307)
(see photo). The campaign built on the results of an in-depth
qualitative study designed to explore what benefits, if any,
nonviolent men perceived from their nonviolence.
Another innovative communication program in Western
Australia used radio and television spots to encourage abusive
men to seek help voluntarily by calling a Men's Domestic
Violence Helpline. The Helpline offers phone counseling and
refers men to free, government -sponsored treatment programs.
After only 7 months, 69% of adult men in the general
population were aware of the helpline for abusive men, and
1,385 men had called, including 867 self-admitted batterers,
almost half of whom accepted a referral for counseling (493).
Reproductive health programs also can ensure that communica-
tion campaigns do not inadvertently reinforce negative gender
roles or deliver negative messages about gender-based abuse.
The imagery used in campaigns helps shape how people think
and behave (16, 358). Campaigns that seek to promote
contraceptives or condoms specifically by appealing to macho
imagery, for example, run the risk of reinforcing negative male
stereotypes that undermine women's power within sexual
relationships. The Jamaican marketing campaign for Slam
condoms, for example, used
explicit references to rough
sex and pictures of scantily
clad dance hall girls to
promote condom use to men
(395).
Similarly, evaluation of
Hum Log (We the People),
India's first television soap
opera designed to promote
social themes, found that its
plot inadvertently reinforced
domestic violence.
Characters intended to be
positive role models did not
consistently benefit from
treating women better, while
the negative role models
were not consistently
punished for treating women
poorly (46). Many viewers of
the program praised the
long-suffering woman who
accepted abuse from her husband and noted that she kept
peace in her family, thus benefiting from her self-effacing
behavior (416).
In contrast, the South African television drama Soul City
successfully used entertainment media to challenge attitudes
and norms that perpetuate abuse. This prime-time television
drama weaves social responsibility themes concerning sexual
coercion, harassment, and domestic violence into its stories. In
addition, the program collaborates with the National Network
on Violence Against Women to provide a toll-free hotline and
free counseling services for victims of violence. Once people
can witness their own situations on television, and watch the
characters they relate to solve their problems, they are
empowered to take action in their own lives, said Soul City
researcher Thuli Shongwe (34).
Puntos de Encuentro
Unlike the recent disastrous HurricaineMitch, violence against women is a disaster that men
can prevent, this Nicaraguan poster points out. It urges men on the verge of violence to
control their anger, talk about their feelings, and respect their wives.
POPULATION REPORTS
32
An Agenda For Change
Ending violence against women requires strategies coordi nated
among many sectors of society and at community and national
levels. In some countries reproductive health programs have
taken the lead in addressing violence against women (see box
above). But efforts must go far beyond the health sector alone.
An agenda for change must include: empowering women and
girls; raising the costs to abusers; providing for the needs of
victims; coordinating institutional and individual responses;
involving youth; reaching out to men; and changing
community norms.
Empowering Women and Girls
Empowering women and girls is not only a worthy goal in its
own right but also a key strategy for eliminating violence.
Women will never escape violence as long as they are
financially dependent on men and derive their social value
exclusively from their role as wife and mother. Legal codes and
customary practices in many parts of the world still treat
women as second-class citizens, denying them the right to own
property, to travel freely, and to gain access to economic and
productive resources. In virtually all countries women are
underrepresented in positions of leadership, and their specific
concerns are rarely reflected in public policy. As a result,
women frequently lack the power necessary to make basic
decisions and informed choices about their own health or
sexuality (442).
Empowerment is generally viewed as a long-term process,
occurring at the international, national, community, and
individual level. Its goals are to:
$ Eliminate laws that discriminate against women and
children,
$ Strengthen women in leadership and decision-making,
$ Increase access to education for women and girls,
$ Increase women's access to and control over economic
resources,
$ Increase women's access to health information and women's
control over their own bodies,
$ Improve women's self-esteem and sense of personal power.
Worldwide, networks of women's groups are working to
achieve these goals through grassroots activism and lobbying
at a political level to change discriminatory policies and
practices. Women's organizing has achieved some impressive
gains. For example, in the last decade 24 Latin American and
Caribbean countries have reformed laws related to domestic
violence, largely due to pressure from women's groups (346,
480).
Reproductive Health Programs in the Lead
In developing countries a number of reproductive health programs have taken the lead in addressing violence against women. The efforts of these
programs are making it easier for other programs to tackle the complex issues of gender-based violence.
South Africa: Addressing violence as part of life skills workshops.
The Planned Parenthood Association of South Africa (PPASA), together
with AVSC International's Men as Partners Program, has developed a
program that integrates participatory activities on gender, sexual power,
and intimate relationships into PPASA's life skills workshops. The
program began after a survey of 2,000 South African men found that 58%
believed that the concept of rape did not apply to a husband forcing his
wife to have sex, 48% thought the way a woman dressed caused her to be
raped, and 22% approved of a man hitting his partner (compared with 5%
who approved of a woman hitting her partner) (371).
Latin America: Integrating violence issues into other reproductive
health care. The IPPF Western Hemisphere Region is currently working
with affiliates in the Dominican Republic, Peru, and Venezuela to integrate
attention to gender-based violence into other sexual and reproductive health
programming. For example, in Venezuela PLAFAM has trained service
providers, redesigned patient routing forms, and created new case
registration forms (12).
Peru: Women listening to women's voices. ReproSalud, an innovative
reproductive health program of the Peruvian women's organization
Manuela Ramos, helps rural women organize to address reproductive
health issues that they identify as most important. Of the 51 communities
that had held diagnosticos as of March 1998, 12 communities had
identified domestic violence as one of their three most important problems
(262).
The Philippines: Organizing against violence. The Davao City
Coordinating Council on Violence Against Women has carried out activities
to reduce violence at all levels of society. These activities range from
puppet shows that encourage community dialogue about gender-based
violence to city-wide training for police, health workers, and government
officials (70). In 1997 the Davao City Council passed the Women's
Development Code, a landmark ordinance that promotes
and protects the rights of women and includes extensive provisions
on gender-based violence, including comprehensive counseling, medical
and legal support for victims, and women's desks in all Davao City
police departments (109).
Tanzania: Organizing to protect refugee women. The International
Rescue Committee (IRC) has launched a project on sexual abuse and
gender-based violence among the Burundian refugee women housed in
camps in the Kibondo district of Tanzania. The project has used
participatory research and peer outreach workers to organize the camp
communities to deal with gender-based violence. The project provides
counseling, 24 hour a day medical services, and access to emergency
contraception through four drop-in centers (324).
Liberia: Training traditional birth attendants. In 1993 Mother
Patern College of Health Sciences in Monrovia, Liberia, joined with
Women's Rights International, a US-based NGO, to address the
aftermath of rape during Liberia's seven-year civil war. The project's
Liberian staff developed a participatory program for traditional birth
attendants. The program uses exercises such as Kaymah's Trouble, a
story of a woman raped during the war, to help traditional birth
attendants expand their roles as community leaders to address violence
against women (474).
Nicaragua: Researching the reproductive health consequences of
violence. Since its 1991 inception, the research collaboration between
UmeC University, Sweden, and the Faculty of Medicine in Len,
Nicaragua, has yielded some of the richest data available anywhere on
the reproductive health consequences of violence against women.
Working closely with the Nicaraguan Women's Network Against
Violence, researchers integrated questions on violence into a series of
studies exploring infant mortality, adolescent pregnancy, HIV risk, and
low birth weight. As frequent references in this report indicate, these
pioneering studies have produced a wealth of information (129).
POPULATION REPORTS
33
In addition, thousands of NGOs are working to instill a greater
sense of entitlement among women via human rights
education, legal literacy programs, gender training, and other
small-group efforts. In Nepal, for example, the Asia Foundation
sponsored human rights workshops in 1998 for 90,000 rural
women to educate them about their rights and to encourage
collective action. In the Muslim world the Sisterhood Is Global
Institute runs similar workshops for women. Their manual, Safe
and Secure: Eliminating Violence Against Women in Muslim
Societies, uses case studies to spark discussion of issues such as
child marriage, honor killings, and spousal violence (4).
According to the institute, Women must reclaim and
re-interpret their culture in order to reach the goal of
self-empowerment (417).
Raising the Costs to Abusers
Research in the US shows that rates of interpersonal violence
decrease in response to policies and laws that make violent
behavior more costly to abusers (137). Western countries have
relied heavily on the criminal justice system to achieve this
goal, and in response to women's activism many developing
countries have followed suit. At least 53 countries have passed
legislation against domestic violence. More than 27 have
enacted laws against sexual harassment, and 41 now regard
marital rape as an offense (82, 346, 443, 480).
Although such legislation varies, most laws include some
combination of protective or restraining orders and increased
penalties for offenders. Protective orders allow judges to
remove an abuser temporarily from the home and to order him
to seek counseling, to get treatment for substance abuse, to pay
maintenance and child support, or some combination of these.
If a man violates a protective order, he can be arrested and
jailed.
In most countries, however, procedural barriers, gaps, and
biases undermine the law's ability to deter violence and to
protect women and children (91). Laws are enforced by male
judges, prosecutors, and police officers, many of whom share
the same victim-blaming attitudes of the society at large. Thus,
as well as passing laws, it is crucial to sensitize police officers,
lawyers, judges, and other members of the legal system and to
help women know enough about the legal system to be able to
insist on their rights.
In addition, many communities have explored other means to
raise the costs to individual abusers of their violent behavior,
such as public shaming, picketing an abuser's home or work-
place, and requiring community service for offenders. Such
practices presume that community disapproval can help deter
domestic violence. As a Cambodian activist notes, If a man
feels that he will be severely 'looked down on' for battering his
wife..., it is likely that domestic assault will decrease (488).
In the US state of Texas, for example, an innovative judge is
sentencing batterers to shame sentences, ordering one
abusive man to apologize to his wife publicly on the steps of
City Hall, for example, and another to carry a sign around a
local shopping mall that read, I went to jail for assaulting my
wife. This could be you (173). Similarly, Indian activists often
stage dharnas, a form of public shaming and protest, in front of
the house or workplace of abusive men (305).
Providing for the Needs of Victims
The needs of victims are complex. A woman in crisis needs
physical safety, emotional support, and assistance in resolving
such issues as child support, custody, and employment. If she
chooses to press legal charges against her abuser, she also
needs help negotiating police and court procedures. Often,
what she needs most is a safe, supportive environment in which
to explore her options and decide what to do next.
In many countries advocates have responded by setting up
crisis centers or other services to address the many needs of
abused women and girls. Such centers generally offer medical,
legal, and counseling services, often all in one location. Some
services are funded and run by government, and others, by
women's organizations or other nonprofit groups.
Services run by women's groups have pioneered the use of
support groups and nondirective feminist counseling designed
to empower women. Support groups can play an important role
in reducing women's sense of isolation, allowing them to
develop a common understanding of violence and to share
coping strategies (408).
Developed countries often have relied on shelters to protect
women in crisis. Shelters are costly to maintain, however, and
require women to uproot themselves and their children just
when familiar surroundings and continuity in schools and
friendships could be a great support. Communities are now
experimenting with other low-cost ways to increase women's
safety, such as providing safe home networks and sanctuary
churches where women can seek safety and support. In
industrial countries such as Sweden and the US, municipal
governments and private companies have tried providing
battered women with cellular phones, alarm devices, and even
guard dogs to help protect them from abusive partners (360).
Elsewhere, governments have experimented with police
stations staffed only by womenCan innovation that began in
Brazil and has now spread throughout Latin America and parts
of Asia (267, 359). Although good in theory, such efforts to date
have faced many problems, evaluations show (134, 205, 302,
305, 359, 432).
Alice Payne Merritt, JHU/CCP
In Bolivia girls march to celebrate the International Day of the Child. Empowering
women is not only a worthy goal in its own right but also a key strategy for
eliminating gender-based violence.
POPULATION REPORTS
34
Table 7. How Health Care Systems Can Respond
Community Level
Typical Staff Include:
Community health
workers (CHWs)
Trained traditional
birth
attendants (TBAs)
Traditional healers
Pharmacists
First-Order Response
$ Integrate lessons on
abuse, sexuality, and
healthy relationships
into CHW and TBA
training.
Goal: To sensitize
workers and help them
respond sympatheti-
cally to victims of
abuse.
Additional, More Advanced Response
$ Encourage CHWs to become active community change agents by:
C starting public discussion of violence via role-playing, posters,
and community events,
C holding workshops to change community norms and attitudes.
$ Train CHWs to facilitate support groups for abused women.
$ Encourage CHWs to accompany women to the police and the
medical examiner's office when they choose to report rape or
domestic assault.
Primary Care Level
Health post:
Nurses
Auxiliary nurse-
midwives
Clinic:
General practitioner
Midwives
$ Sensitize staff to vio-
lence by providing
experiential training that
examines attitudes and
beliefs.
All of the above plus:
$ Train staff to identify and respond appropriately to victims of abuse.
$ Encourage proper documentation and safety planning.
$ Facilitate linkage with local women's groups, where they exist.
$ Display posters and pamphlets in waiting areas.
Polyclinic or Hospital Level
Midwives
General practitioners
Medical specialists
Social workers
$ Train staff to identify
and respond appropri-
ately to victims of
abuse.
$ Encourage proper doc-
umentation and safety
planning.
$ Facilitate linkage with
local women's groups,
where they exist.
$ Display posters and
pamphlets in waiting
areas.
$ Initiate active screening for abuse among selected patient popula-
tions, e.g., in prenatal care clinics, casualty departments, mental
health clinics.
$ Develop site-specific protocols for responding to victims.
$ Incorporate questions on abuse into intake forms or patient inter-
view schedules; prompts can be rubber-stamped on existing forms.
$ Organize a self-help support group for women or lend facility to
groups willing to do so.
$ Coordinate with a local women's group to have an advocate on call
to help abused women (or train someone in-house).
$ Establish specialized services for victims of sexual assault, including
proper collection of forensic evidence.
Prepared by the Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE) for Population Reports
While the presence of a women's police station increases the
number of abused women coming forward, frequently the
women require servicesCsuch as legal advice and emotional
counselingCthat are not available at the stations. Moreover,
the assumption that female officers will be more sympathetic
to victims has not always proved true. Female officers assigned
to all-women stations frequently have been ridiculed by their
peers and have become demoralized. To be viable, this
strategy must be accompanied by sensitivity training for
officers, mechanisms to reward and legitimate the work, and
provision of a wider array of services (205, 305, 359).
Coordinating Institutional and
Individual Responses
In most countries women have to overcome many institutional
barriers to get the help they need (347). There is little
coordination among the many institutions with which abuse
victims interact, such as health care, child welfare, and law
enforcement agencies (347, 438). Even worse, when victims
seek help, some of these agencies tend to be unresponsive or
even hostile.
Institutions at all levels of the health care delivery system and
in the community can best respond to the needs of abused
women if they are trained and organized to do so. The
appropriate types of response depend on the level and staffing
of the institution (see Tables 7 and 8). People not only in health
care but in other areas as wellCincluding community and
religious leaders, the mass media, and parentsCcan promote
nonviolent relationships (see p. 24).
Many countries have developed national and local plans to
improve coordination between public officials and community
advocates and to monitor the quality of services for
victims. The Pan American Health Organization has sponsored
project in 10 Latin American countries to explore how best to
facilitate coordinated community action. The project includes
creating community-level coordinating councils, reforming the
response of formal institutions such as the police and health
system, and creating support groups for victims and treatment
programs for perpetrators (201, 486). A similar project is
underway in six additional countries with support from the Inter
American Development Bank (224, 311).
POPULATION REPORTS
35
Table 8. Applying Communication Strategies to Address Violence
Communication Focus for Different Audiences
Strategies for Clients/Community Members Strategies for Health Care Providers
When Audience Is Adults
$ Conduct workshops and campaigns to de-legitimize violence as
a way to resolve conflict or to discipline women or children.
$ Highlight the prevalence of abuse and its costs to families and
society (e.g., impact of witnessing violence in childhood).
$ Promote supportive responses (not blaming) to victims of physi-
cal or sexual abuse, using street theater, alternative media, and
public education campaigns.
$ Integrate plot lines about physical and sexual abuse into TV and
radio programming, especially into social dramas produced to
promote reproductive health.
$ Ensure that all media projects produced to promote family
planning or other health goals promote gender equity by por-
traying competent women and caring men.
$ Conduct health campaigns to discourage use of alcohol and
drugs.
$ Promote human rights education and other ways to empower
women.
$ Stress key role that health care providers can play in
early detection, treatment, and referral of victims of
violence.
$ Educate providers on the long-term health conse-
quences of physical and sexual abuse.
$ Promote an ethic of care so that providers see them-
selves as responsible for the whole person, not just
the person's symptoms.
When Audience Is Children
$ Promote life-skills training in schools and out-of-school settings;
include age-appropriate content on sexuality, conflict resolution,
building healthy relationships, and personal safety.
$ Initiate specialized campaigns to prevent violence, e.g., Hands
are not for hitting.
$ Alert providers to the prevalence and epidemiology
of child abuse, including sexual abuse.
$ Educate providers on the long-term consequences of
early abuse, both sexual and nonsexual.
$ Encourage providers to promote nonphysical forms
of child discipline.
When Audience Is Adolescents
$ Provide comprehensive sexuality education including exercises
that examine gender norms, double standards for male and
female sexual behavior; role-playing on resisting pressure to
engage in unwanted sexual behavior.
$ Enable boys and girls (first separately, then in mixed groups) to
discuss relationships, love, anger, jealousy, and abuse. Educate
young women about their rights.
$ Alert providers to the high possibility of sexual abuse
in cases of STI or pregnancy in girls underage 14.
$ Help providers confront their own attitudes toward
adolescent sexuality, proper gender roles, and vic-
tims of rape or abuse.
Prepared by the Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE) for Population Reports
Involving Youth
Social behavior is learned at an early age. Around the world a
number of programs are working with young people to
encourage nonviolent forms of conflict resolution, to challenge
traditional gender norms, and to create new models of healthy
relationshipsCfor example:
$ In Mexico the Instituto Mexicano de Investigacin de
Familia y Poblacin A.C. (IMIFAP), a nongovernmental
organization, has developed an experiential workshop for
adolescents to help prevent violence in dating and
friendship relationships. The workshop, called Rostros y
Mscaras de la Violencia (Faces and Masks of Violence), uses
participatory techniques to help young people explore
expectations and feelings about love, sex, and romance; to
distinguish between romantic and controlling behavior; and
to understand how traditional gender roles inhibit both male
and female behavior (142).
$ The Ugandan magazine for teens, Straight Talk, focuses on
relationships and stresses gender equity, positive values, and
interpersonal skills. A recent edition entitled A NO Means
NO uses a comic-book style to discuss sexual coercion and
abuse. More than 115,000 copies of Straight Talk are
Straight Talk
A Ugandan teens magazine directly addresses sexual coercion.
POPULATION REPORTS
36
Strengthening Health Service Responses: Lessons Learned
Globally, health systems and providers have only recently begun to
tackle the challenge of responding to physical and sexual abuse. Most
violence interventions in health care settingsCwith the exception of a
handful in the USChave not been formally evaluated, and pilot
interventions in resource-poor settings are just beginning (78, 277).
There is an urgent need for more demonstration projects, with thorough
evaluation, to determine what works or does not work in different
settings. Nonetheless, some tentative lessons have emerged:
1. Do more than train. While training health care providers is
important, training alone is seldom enough to change providers' behavior
toward victims of domestic violence (298, 435). Although training can
improve providers' knowledge and practice in the short term, the impact
of training generally erodes unless a variety of other measures also are
taken that support and sustain new approaches (203, 298).
2. Adopt a systems approach. Achieving lasting change requires
transforming the health system itself as well as changing the behavior of
individual providers (40, 89). When managers, administrators, and the
health care system itself encourage and reward new, caring behavior
towards victims of abuse, providers will feel better able to recognize and
address violence (61, 355, 398, 491).
Adopting a systems approach to addressing violence means developing
policies and protocols and ensuring that they become expected practice
throughout a health care system, from the top policy makers to the
front-line providers. (For a description of systems approaches in
reproductive health care, see Population Reports, Family Planning
Programs: Improving Quality, J-47, November 1998).
3. Make procedural changes in client care. Often, making such
procedural changes as adding prompts for providers on medical charts
(e.g., stickers asking about abuse, or a stamp that prompts providers to
screen) or including appropriate questions on intake forms and interview
schedules can encourage attention to domestic violence (329).
For example, in one US study identification rates almost doubled after
staff were given a one-hour presentation on domestic violence and a
violence screening question was added to the emergency department
patient record chart. Evaluation showed that the addition of the chart
prompt, rather than the training, made the difference (335). In another
US study identification of abused women in a primary care clinic rose
from none, with discretionary inquiry, to 12% when a single question
on abuse was added to the client health history form (160).
4. Confront underlying attitudes and beliefs. Most training
programs for health care workers have focused on the clinical
management of victims. This approach yields limited results, however,
because providers themselves generally share the same biases,
prejudices, and fears regarding abuse as the society at large. As programs
have gained experience, it has become clear that providers must examine
their own attitudes and beliefs about gender, power, abuse, and sexuality
before they can develop new professional knowledge and skills about
dealing with victims (252, 277).
In South Africa, for example, the Agisanang Domestic Abuse Prevention
and Training Project (ADAPT) and its partner, the Health Systems
Development Unit of the University of Witwatersrand,
developed a gender training program to be incorporated into a
four-week reproductive health curriculum for nurses. The program
focused first on the nurses, not as health care professionals but rather
as men and women themselves. It used role-playing, popular sayings,
and wedding songs to help participants analyze common notions about
violence and about the proper roles of men and women. Only then did
the training turn to the nurse's responsibilities as health professionals.
A post-training survey found that participants no longer believed that
beating a woman was justified and that most accepted the concept of
marital rape (252).
5. Redefine success. Health workers often feel reluctant to address
cases of domestic violence because it is a problem that cannot easily be
cured or even addressed. In response, some training projects have tried
to help the provider reframe their role from fixing the problem and
dispensing advice to providing support. Revising expectations in this
way has helped providers overcome feelings of resentment and
impotence in addressing domestic violence (374).
Reframing the provider's role also helps promote women's
self-determination. Counseling concerning abuse, like contraceptive
counseling, should be nondirective and respect women's choices. As
one advocate put it, We are trying to work through the frustration of
providers who don't understand that it takes time for a battered woman
to take action. When we ask a woman to make a decision within 10
minutes, we are saying, `We know what's good for you.' This is no
different from the batterer who makes all the decisions for her (452).
6. Provide opportunities to model new behavior. Two major barriers
to asking clients about abuse are providers' belief that violence is
uncommon among their clients and providers' fear of how the clients
will respond (151, 428). Opportunities to practice new behavior can
help overcome both barriers. In working with medical students, for
example, Pakistani physician Fariyal Fikree often issues a challenge:
Go out and ask your next five clinic patients a simple screening
question for abuse. With this direct experience base, you will be in a
better position to evaluate the utility of this practice.
This exercise breaks down the student's resistance, replaces
assumptions with experience, and stimulates their interest in learning
more about family violence. Generally, students come back from the
experience amazed at how many women disclosed abuse and how
willing women were to discuss such matters (151).
7. Be strategic about where you start. Changing health systems is
difficult. Thus the best practice is usually to start where success is
most likely. Often this strategy means choosing to undertake pilot
interventions first in settings where there is substantial internal and
external support for change.
Internally, it is important to gain the commitment and support of top
managers early. Efforts to integrate concern for sexuality into family
planning programs have shown that institutional support is absolutely
essential to program success (24, 398).
Externally, it is best to undertake pilot interventions where support
and referral services for abuse victims already exist. This will not be
possible in all instances, but, given that there are so few pilot
initiatives yet in resource-poor settings, it makes sense to begin where
there are community resources to draw upon.
POPULATION REPORTS
37
distributed monthly throughout Uganda
and supplemented with workshops (425)
(see photo, p. 35).
A Canadian group, Men for Change, has
developed an anti-violence curriculum
called Healthy Relationships.
Designed for middle-school youth, it
includes three modules: Dealing with
Agression; Gender Equality and Media
Awareness; and Forming Healthy Rela-
tionships (391).
Reaching Out to Men
Working with men to change their behavior
is an important part of any solution to the
problem of violence against women. To date,
most programmatic work with men has
focused on establishing treatment programs
for men who batter. Begun in the US, such
programs have since spread to Argentina,
Australia, Canada, Mexico, and Sweden,
among other countries (14, 77, 93).
In the US the courts generally require men's
participation in treatment programs instead
of imprisonment for domestic and sexual
abuse, although some men participate
voluntarily. The content and philosophy of
the programs vary, as does their length,
which can range from three to nine months.
The primary goal is for participants to accept
personal responsibility for their violent
behavior and to learn nonviolent ways to
manage their anger and interpersonal
conflict. Some programs attempt explicitly to
confront traditional attitudes regarding
gender roles and male dominance in
relationships (78, 207).
Only a handful of such programs have been
rigorously evaluated. Evaluations suggest
that the majority of men (53% to 85%) who
complete such programs remain physically
nonviolent for up to two years after treatment
(122, 187). But between one-third and
one-half of men who enroll in such programs
never complete them. Thus the proportion of
all male abusers who benefit from treatment
programs is small (122). Moreover, while
men may refrain from physical violence after
treatment, many continue other types of
threatening or coercive behavior toward their
partners (122, 439). Nevertheless, a recent
evaluation of programs in four US cities
found that most abused women felt better
off and safer after their partners entered a
treatment program (187).
Other recent programs encourage men to
examine their assumptions about gender
roles and masculinity and to become agents
for change in the community. In the
Philippines, for example, the NGO
Harnessing Self-Reliant Initiatives and
Knowledge (HASIK) uses gender training as
a point of entry for organizing against
violence in depressed areas of Quezon City.
8. Plan for staff turnover. In most health systems, particularly in developing
countries, staff members routinely rotate in and out of clinics and other health
centers. Thus policies on violence must be institutionalized, and training will be
needed for new staff members on a continuing basis (329).
9. Follow up. Programs should provide continuing support to individuals and
institutions attempting to reform their response to domestic violence. Projects
that have attempted to spark change by using a train the trainer
modelCinviting providers to attend a centralized training and then expecting
them to duplicate the training in their home settingChave generally found that
such schemes do not work well without substantial continuity and support (61).
High-Priority First Steps
Reproductive health professionals often feel that the issue of violence against women is
too complex and too overwhelming to tackle. But fundamental change canCand often
mustCbegin incrementally. A graduated response to violence could begin with the
following steps:
Priorities for Donors
Research into vaginal microbicides. Changing the power balance between women and
men in sexual relationships will take timeCtime that women at risk of HIV and other
sexually transmitted infections today do not have. Thus a high-priority investment by
donors must be research into vaginal microbicidesCsubstances, similar to today's
spermicides, that women could use to protect themselves from infectionCif necessary,
without the knowledge or cooperation of their sex partners. Scientists predict that a
first-generation microbicide could be developed within 5 years given sufficient
investment. Presently, research in this area is inadequate. Women's and AIDS groups
have organized the Global Campaign for HIV/STI Prevention Alternatives for Women
to demand more investment in microbicide development (495).
Pilot projects. More must be learned about how to integrate concern for gender-based
abuse into other reproductive health programs. Immediate support is needed for pilot
projects with strong evaluation components to discover what works best in different
settings, particularly where resources are few.
Priorities for Program Planners
Integration into ongoing training. The most effective way to improve training about
abuse for reproductive health care providers is to integrate it into current training,
especially when training addresses quality of care, counseling, and male involvement. At
a minimum all training for providers can add sensitization exercises about gender,
sexuality, and abuse.
Make new norms a program objective. Measurable indicators of reproductive health
program success can include, for example, changes in the percentage of women and men
who agree that a married woman has a right to refuse sex. The DHS now include such
questions. With new norms as a program objective, managers will focus attention on how
best to encourage changes in public attitudes about women's autonomy and men's
behavior.
Priorities for Providers
Dicuss with women clients how much they can control sexual encounters. This is
a crucial consideration in choice of a family planning method. Providers can point to
methods that a woman can use without her partner's knowledge or if she cannot
anticipate sex. Also, providers can emphasize that sexCincluding sex within
marriageCshould be wanted by both parties, not forced by the man.
POPULATION REPORTS
38
Men in the Talanay community formed a group
named SWAT, for Support for Women Advocates of Talanay, to
help men become better aware of gender issues. Members of
the group intervene with the abusive husbands of women who
have sought help at the local crisis center (364).
In some communities groups of men have come together to
challenge male violence and to explore new models of
manhood. Hundreds of men from Nairobi recently took part in
a march to speak out against gender-based violence. We are
here to assert men's commitment to eradicate the customs,
beliefs and attitudes that influence men to violate women and
mete out violence against them, said Reverend Timothy
Njoya, organizer of the march (138). Men's groups against
violence exist in Canada, Nicaragua, Zimbabwe, and
elsewhere (206, 300, 307, 465).
Changing Community Norms
Ending violence against women means changing the
community norms and cultural attitudes and beliefs that give
rise to men's abusive behavior toward women and that permit
it to persist. Changing community norms alone will not
eliminate violence. Nevertheless, it is difficult to make
progress until there is a consensus in society that violent
behavior is wrong.
A variety of norms and beliefs are particularly powerful in
perpetuating violence against women. These include a belief
that men are inherently superior to women, that men have a
right to correct female behavior, that hitting is an
appropriate way to discipline women, that a man's honor is
linked to a woman's sexual behavior, and that family matters
are private and it is inappropriate for others to intervene (210).
Programs designed to change these beliefs must draw people
into discussion rather than alienate them by appearing to
demonize men. To encourage people to consider new norms,
programs have used such techniques as community theater and
small-group work. In Cambodia, for example, the Project
Against Domestic Violence sponsored a traveling theater troupe
to encourage discussion about domestic violence and to portray
models of new behavior. The troupe performed in 35 villages
around the country and drew crowds of 5,000 to 30,000 people
at each performance (19).
Laws can be changed and programs enacted that better protect
victims of abuse, raise the social cost to the abuser, and
influence cultural values. Perhaps most important, however,
social attitudes must change so that women gain greater
control over their own bodies, over economic and family
resources, and over their lives in general.
Health programs and other institutions can help change the
perceptionCoften so deep-seated that it is unconsciousCthat
women are fundamentally of less value than men. In the words
of human rights activist Charlotte Bunch, Only when women
and girls gain their place as strong and equal members of
society will violence against women no longer be an invisible
norm, but instead a shocking aberration (443).
Bibliography
An asterisk (*) denotes an item that was
particularly useful in the preparation of this
issue of Population Reports.
1. ABBOTT, J., JOHNSON, R., KOZIOL-MCLAIN, J., and LOWENSTEIN,
S.R. Domestic violence against women. Incidence and prevalence in an
emergency department population. Journal of the American Medical
Association 273(22): 1763-1767. 1995.
2. ABMA, J., DRISCOLL, A., and MOORE, K. Young women's degree of
control over first intercourse: An exploratory analysis. Family Planning
Perspectives 30(1): 12-18. Jan./Feb. 1998.
3. ABMA, J.C., CHANDRA, A., MOSHER, W.D., PETERSON, L.S., and
PICCININO, L.J. Fertility, family planning, and women's health: New data
from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth. Vital Health Statistics
23(19): 1-114. 1997.
4. AFKHAMI, M., NEMIROFF, G.H., and VAZIRI, H. Safe and secure:
Eliminating violence against women and girls in Muslim societies.
Bethesda, Maryland, Sisterhood is Global Institute, 1998. 258 p.
5. ALPERT, E.J., TONKIN, A.E., SEEHERMAN, A.M., and HOLTZ, H.A.
Family violence curricula in U.S. medical schools. American Journal of
Preventive Medicine 14(4): 273-282. 1998.
6. AMARO, H., FRIED, L.E., CABRAL, H., and ZUCKERMAN, B. Violence
during pregnancy and substance use. American Journal of Public Health
80(5): 575-579. 1990.
7. AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OBSTETRICIANS AND GYNECOLOGISTS
(ACOG). ACOG committee opinion. Mandatory reporting of domestic
violence. No. 200, March 1998. Committee on Health Care for
Underserved Women. International Journal of Gynaecology and
Obstetrics 62(1): 93-95. 1998.
8. AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION (APA). Diagnostic and
statistical manual of mental disorders: IV. Washington, D.C., APA, Jun.
1994. 886 p.
9. APPEL, A.E. and HOLDEN, G.W. The co-occurance of spouse and
physical child abuse: A review and appraisal. Journal of Family
Psychology 12(4): 578-599. 1998.
10. ARMSTRONG, A. Culture and choice: Lessons from survivors of
gender violence in Zimbabwe. Harare, Zimbabwe, Violence Against
Women in Zimbabwe Research Project, 1998. 149 p.
11. SLING-MONEMI, K., PEA, R., ELLSBERG, M., and PERSSON, L..
Violence against women increases the risk of infant and child mortality:
A case-referent study in Nicaragua. 1999. 35 p. (Submitted).
12. ASOCIACIN DE PLANIFICACIN FAMILIAR (PLAFAM). Informe
tcnico: Primera etapa del programa de violencia de genero. Caracus,
Venezuela, PLAFAM, 1999. 46 p.
13. ASTBURY, J. Promoting women's mental health. Geneva, World
Health Organization, 1999. 29 p. (In press).
14. AXELSON, B.L. Violence against womenA male issue. Choices 26(2):
9-14. 1997.
15. BAILEY, J.E., KELLERMANN, A.L., SOMES, G.W., BANTON, J.G.,
RIVARA, F.P., and RUSHFORTH, N.P. Risk factors for violent death of
women in the home. Archives of Internal Medicine 157(7): 777-782. 1997.
16. BAIRD, V. Mass media: A powerful tool for social change. Proceedings
of the Changing Communication Strategies for Reproductive Health and
Rights, Washington D.C., 1997. Health and Development Policy Project
and Population Council. p. 41-43.
17. BALBINA DORSAN, S. and MARIA JOS, A. Comportamentos,
atitudes e prcticas entre jovens escolares. [POR] [Knowledge, attitudes,
and practices of schoolchildren]. Maputo, Mozambique, Ministry of
Health, 1993.
18. BALLARD, T.J., SALTZMAN, L.E., GAZMARARIAN, J.A., SPITZ, A.M.,
LAZORICK, S., and MARKS, J.S. Violence during pregnancy:
Measurement issues. American Journal of Public Health 88(2): 274-276.
1998.
19. BANWELL, S. (Asia Foundation) [Project against domestic violence]
Personal communication, Jul. 11, 1998.
20. BARKAN, S.E. and GARY, L.T. Woman abuse and pediatrics:
Expanding the web of detection. Journal of the American Medical
Women's Association 51(3): 96-100. 1996.
21. BARTHOLOW, B.N., DOLL, L.S., JOY, D., DOUBLAS, J.M., BOLAN,
G., HARRISON, J.S., MOSS, P.M., and MCKIRNAN, D. Emotional,
behavioral and HIV risks associated with sexual abuse among adult
homosexual and bisexual men. Child Abuse and Neglect 18(9): 747-761.
1994.
22. BASEMORE, G. and GRIFFITHS, C.T. Conference, circles, boards, and
mediations: Scouting the new wave of community justice decisionmaking
approaches. (Website). <http://www.cjprimer.com/ circles.htm> 1997.
Accessed Nov. 17, 1999.
23. BAWAH, A.A., AKWEONGO, P., SIMMONS, R., and PHILLIPS, J.F.
Women's fears and men's anxieties: The impact of family planning on
gender relations in northern Ghana. Studies in Family Planning 30(1):
54-66. 1999.
24. BECKER, J. and LEITMAN, E. Introducing sexuality within family
planning: The experience of the HIV/STD prevention projects from Latin
America and the Caribbean. Calidad/Quality/Qualit (8): 28. New York,
Population Council. Oct. 1998.
25. BEITCHMAN, J.H., ZUCKER, K.J., and HOOD, J.E. A review of the
short-term effects of child sexual abuse. Child Abuse and Neglect 15:
537-556. 1991.
26. BEITCHMAN, J.H., ZUCKER, K.J., HOOD, J.E., DACOSTA, G.A.,
AKMAN, D., and CASSAVIA, E. A review of the long-term effects of child
sexual abuse. Child Abuse and Neglect 16: 101-118. 1992.
27. BERENSON, A.B., WIEMANN, C.M., ROWE, T.F., and RICKERT, V.I.
Inadequate weight gain among pregnant adolescents: Risk factors and
relationship to infant birth weight. American Journal of Obstetrics and
Gynecology 176(6): 1220-1224. 1997.
28. BERENSON, A.B., WIEMANN, C.M., WILKINSON, G.S., JONES,
W.A., and ANDERSON, G.D. Perinatal morbidity associated with
violence experienced by pregnant women. American Journal of
Obstetrics and Gynecology 170(6): 1760-1769. 1994.
29. BERGMAN, B. and BRISMAR, B. Suicide attempts by battered wives.
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 83: 380-384. 1991.
30. BERTRAND, J.T., WARD, V., and PAUC, F. Sexual practices among
the Quiche-speaking Mayan population of Guatemala. International
Quarterly of Community Health Education 12(4): 265-282. 1992.
31. BIDDLECOM, A.E., CASTERLINE, J.B., and PEREZ, A.E. Spouses views
of contraception in the Philippines. International Family Planning
Perspectives 32(3): 108-115. Sep. 1997.
32. BIDDLECOM, A.E. and FAPOHUNDA, B.M. Covert contraceptive
use: Prevalence, motivations and consequences. Studies in Family
Planning 29(4): 360-372. 1998.
33. BLANC, A.K., WOLFF, B., GAGE, A.J., EZEH, A.C., NEEMA, S., and
SSEKAMATTE-SSEBULIBA, J. Negotiating reproductive outcomes in
Uganda. Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics and Macro
International, 1996. 215 p.
34. BLANKENBERG, N. Hitting out at abuse. Mail and Guardian.
(Johannesburg). COMTEX Newswire wire service. Aug. 6, 1999.
35. BONGAARTS, J. and BRUCE, J. The causes of unmet need for
contraception and the social content of services. Studies in Family
Planning 26(2): 57-73. 1995.
36. BOWNES, I.T., O'GORMAN, E.C., and SAYERS, A. Assault
characteristics and post-traumatic stress disorder in rape victims. Acta
Psychiatrica Scandinavica 83(1): 27-30. 1991.
37. BOYER, D. and FINE, D. Sexual abuse as a factor in adolescent
pregnancy. Family Planning Perspectives 24(4): 4-11. 1992.
38. BRADLEY, C. Why male violence against women is a development
issue: Reflections from Papua New Guinea. In: Davies, M. Women and
Violence. London, Zed Books Ltd. 1994. p. 10-27.
39. BRADLEY, C.S. Attitudes and practices relating to marital violence
among the Tolai of East New Britain. In: Toft, S., ed. Domestic Violence in
Papua New Guinea (PNG). Boroko, PNG, PNG Law Reform Commission.
1985. p. 32-71.
40. BRADLEY, J., LYNAM, P.F., DWYER, J.C., and WAMBWA, G.E.
Whole-site training: A new approach to the organization of training. New
York, AVSC International, Aug. 1998. (AVSC Working Paper No. 11) 16 p.
41. BRESLAU, N., KESSLER, R.C., CHILCOAT, H.D., SCHULTZ, L.R.,
DAVIS, G.C., and ANDRESKI, P. Trauma and post-traumatic stress
disorder in the community: The 1996 Detroit area survey of trauma.
Archives of General Psychiatry 55(7): 626-632. 1998.
42. BRIGGS, L. and JOYCE, P.R. What determines post-traumatic stress
disorder symptomatology for survivors of childhood sexual abuse? Child
Abuse and Neglect 21(6): 575-582. 1997.
43. BRITTON, B.M. Gender, power and HIV: The impact of partner
violence in the context of poverty on women's risk of infection in the USA
(Abstract # 23466). Proceedings of the 12th World Conference on
HIV/AIDS, Geneva, Switzerland, Jul. 1998. 1184 p.
44. BROMET, E., SONNEGA, A., and KESSLER, R.C. Risk factors for
DSM-III-R posttraumatic stress disorder: Findings from the National
Comorbidity Survey. American Journal of Epidemiology 147(4): 353-361.
1998.
POPULATION REPORTS
39
45. BROWN, D. In Africa, fear makes HIV an inheritance. Washington
Post. Jun. 30, 1998. p. A28.
46. BROWN, W. and CODY, M. Effects of a pro-social television soap
opera in promoting women's status. Human Communication Research
18(1): 114-142. 1991.
47. BROWNE, A., SALOMON, A., and BASSUK, S.S. The impact of
recent partner violence on poor women's capacity to maintain work.
Violence Against Women 5(4): 393-426. 1999.
48. BUEL, S. Screening for abuse in the health care setting. Presented at
the Conference on Violence and Reproductive Health, Atlanta, Georgia,
Jun. 14-16, 1999. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 1999.
49. BUEL, S.M. and HARVARD, J.D. Family violence: Practical
recommendations for physicians and the medical community. Women's
Health Issues 5(4): 158-172. 1995.
50. BUGA, G., AMOKO, D., and NCAYIYANA, D. Sexual behavior,
contraceptive practice and reproductive health among school adolescents
in rural Transkei. South African Medical Journal 86(5): 523-527. 1996.
51. BULLOCK, L.F. and MCFARLANE, J. The birth-weight/battering
connection. American Journal of Nursing 89(9): 1153-1155. 1989.
52. BUNGE, V.P. and LEVETT, A. Family violence in Canada: A statistical
profile. Ottawa, Canada, Statistics Canada, 1998. 38 p.
53. BURNAM, M.A., STEIN, J.A., GOLDING, J.M., SIEGEL, J.M.,
SORENSON, S.B., FORSYTHE, A.B., and TELLES, C.A. Sexual assault and
mental disorders in a community population. Journal of Consulting and
Clinical Psychology 56(6): 843-850. 1988.
54. BURNS, A., LOVICH, R., MAXWELL, J., and SHAPIRO, K. Where
Women Have No Doctor: A Health Guide for Women. Berkeley,
California, Hesperian Foundation, 1998. 383 p.
55. BUTCHART, A. and BROWN, D. Non-fatal injuries due to
interpersonal violence in Johannesburg-Soweto: Incidence, determinants
and consequences. Forensic Science International 52: 35-51. 1991.
56. BUTLER, J.R. and BURTON, L.M. Rethinking teenage childbearing: Is
sexual abuse a missing link? Family Relations 39: 73-80. 1990.
57. CABARABAN, M. and MORALES, B. Social and economic
consequences for family planning use in southern Philippines. Cagayan de
Oro City, Philippines, Research Institute for Mindanao Culture, Xavier
University, 1998. 206 p.
58. CABREJOS, M.E.B., RIVERA, A.C., GARCIA, A.G., MEDRANO, L.A.,
and BIANCHI, E.B. Los caminos de las mujeres que rompieron el silencio:
Un estudio cualitativo sobre la ruta crtica que siguen las mujeres
afectadas por la violencia intrafamiliar. [SPA] [Paths of women who broke
the silence: A qualitative study of help-seeking by women affected by
family violence]. Lima, Peru, World Health Organization, 1998. 24 p.
59. CAMPBELL, J. and SOEKEN, K. Forced sex and initimate partner
violence: Effects on women's risk and women's health. Violence Against
Women 5(9): 1017-1035. 1999.
60. CAMPBELL, J. Assessing Dangerousness: Violence by Sexual
Offenders, Batterers, and Child Abusers. Thousand Oaks, California, Sage
Publications, 1995. 152 p.
61. CAMPBELL, J., COHEN, J.H., MCLONGHLIN, E., DEARWATER, S.,
GLASS, N., LEE, D., and DURBEROW, N. An evaluation of a system
change training model to improve emergency department response to
battered women. 1999. 18 p. (Submitted).
62. CAMPBELL, J., ROSE, L., KUB, J., and NEDD, D. Voices of strength
and resistance: A contextual and longitudinal analysis of women's
responses to battering. Journal of Interpersonal Violence 13(6): 743-762.
1999.
63. CAMPBELL, J., TORRES, S., RYAN, J., KING, C., CAMPBELL, D.W.,
STALLINGS, R.Y., and FUCHS, S.C. Physical and nonphysical partner
abuse and other risk factors for low birth weight among full term and
preterm babies: A multiethnic case-control study. American Journal of
Epidemiology 150(7): 714-726. 1999.
64. CAMPBELL, J.C. Addressing battering during pregnancy: Reducing low
birth weight and ongoing abuse. Seminars in Perinatology 19(4): 301-306.
1995.
65. CAMPBELL, J.C. Abuse during pregnancy: Progress, policy, and
potential. American Journal of Public Health 88(2): 185-187. 1998.
66. CAMPBELL, J.C. and LEWANDOWSKI, L.A. Mental and physical
health effects of intimate partner violence on women and children.
Psychiatric Clinics of North America 20(2): 353-374. 1997.
67. CAMPBELL, J.C., POLAND, M.L., WALLER, J.B., and AGER, J.
Correlates of battering during pregnancy. Research in Nursing and Health
15(3): 219-226. 1992.
68. CAMPBELL, J.C., PUGH, L.C., CAMPBELL, D., and VISSCHER, M. The
influence of abuse on pregnancy intention. Women's Health Issues 5(4):
214-222. 1995.
69. CAMPBELL, J.C. and SOEKEN, K.L. Women's responses to battering:
A test of the model. Research in Nursing and Health 22(1): 49-58. 1999.
70. CANSON, L. Comprehensive community-coordinated response to
violence against women. Presented at the Regional Consultation on
Violence Against Women and the Role of the Health Sector, Yangon,
Myanmar, Jan. 12-15, 1999. World Health Organization Regional Office
for Southeast Asia. 1999. 15 p.
71. CARALIS, P.V. and MUSIALOWSKI, R. Women's experiences with
domestic violence and their attitudes and expectations regarding medical
care of abuse victims. Southern Medical Journal 90(11): 1075-1080. 1997.
72. CARMEN, E.H., RIEKER, P.P., and MILLS, T. Victims of violence and
psychiatric illness. American Journal of Psychiatry 141(3): 378-383. 1984.
73. CARRILLO, R. Battered dreams: Violence against women as an
obstacle to development. New York, United Nations Development Fund
for Women, 1992. 38 p.
74. CASCARDI, M., O'LEARY, K.D., LAWRENCE, E.E., and SCHLEE, K.A.
Characteristics of women physically abused by their spouses and who
seek treatment regarding marital conflict. Journal of Consulting and
75. CENTER FOR HEALTH AND GENDER EQUITY (CHANGE). Mental
health and behavioral outcomes of sexual abuse: Data summary (table).
Takoma Park, Maryland, CHANGE, 1999. 3 p. (Forthcoming).
76. CENTRO PARAGUAYO DE ESTUDIOS POBLACIN, US CENTERS
FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC), and US AGENCY
FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. Paraguay: Encuesta nacional de
demografa y de salud reproductiva 1995-1996. [SPA] [Paraguay national
demographic and reproductive health survey 1995-1996]. Asuncin, Para-
guay, CDC, Oct. 1997. 278 p.
77. CERVANTES ISLAS, F. Helping men overcome violent behavior
toward women. In: Morrison, A.R. and Biehl, M.L., eds. Too Close to
Home: Domestic Violence in the Americas. Washington D.C.,
Inter-American Development Bank. 1999. p. 143-147.
78. CHALK, R. and KING, P.A., eds. Violence in Families: Assessing
Prevention and Treatment Programs. Washington D.C., National
Academy Press, 1998. 392 p.
79. CHAPKO, M.K., SOMSE, P., KIMBALL, A.M., HAWKINS, R.V., and
MASSANGA, M. Predictors of rape in the Central African Republic. Health
Care of Women International 20(1): 71-79. 1999.
80. CHAPMAN, J.D. A longitudinal study of sexuality and gynecologic
health in abused women. Journal of the American Osteopathic Association
89(5): 619-624. 1989.
81. CHEASTY, M., CLARE, A.W., and COLLINS, C. Relation between
sexual abuse in childhood and adult depression: Case-control study. British
Medical Journal 316(7126): 198-201. 1998.
82. CHIAROTTI, S. Una puesta al da. [SPA] [An update]. In: Vidas sin
Violencia: Nuevas Voces, Nuevos Desafos. [SPA] [Lives Without
Violence: New Voices, New Challenges]. Santiago, Chile, Isis
Internacional. 1998. p. 21-28.
83. CHOI, A. and EDLESON, J. Social disapproval of wife assaults: A
national survey of Singapore. Journal of Comparative Family Studies 27(1):
73-88. Spring 1996.
84. CHOQUE, M.E., SCHULER, S.R., and RANCE, S. Reasons for
unwanted fertility and barriers to use of family planning services among
urban Aymara in Bolivia. Arlington, Virginia, John Snow, Inc., Jan. 26,
1994. 19 p.
85. COHEN, J.A. and MANNARINO, A.P. Factors that mediate treatment
outcome of sexually abused preschool children: Six- and 12-month
follow-up. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry 37(1): 44-51. 1998.
86. COHEN, S., DE VOS, E., and NEWBERGER, E. Barriers to physician
identification and treatment of family violence: Lessons from five
communities. Academic Medicine 72(1 Suppl.): S19-S25. 1997.
87. COKER, A.L. and RICHTER, D.L. Violence against women in Sierra
Leone: Frequency and correlates of intimate partner violence and forced
sexual intercourse. African Journal of Reproductive Health 2(1): 61-72.
1998.
88. COKKINIDES, V.E., COKER, A.L., SANDERSON, M., ADDY, C., and
BETHEA, L. Physical violence during pregnancy: Maternal complications
and birth outcomes. Obstetrics and Gynecology 93(5): 661-666. 1999.
89. COLE, T.B. Case management for domestic violence. Journal of the
American Medical Association 282(6): 513-514. 1999.
90. COLLETT, B.J., CORDLE, C.J., STEWART, C.R., and JAGGER, C. A
comparative study of women with chronic pelvic pain, chronic nonpelvic
pain and those with no history of pain attending general practitioners.
British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 105(1): 87-92. 1998.
91. CONNERS, J. Government measures to confront violence against
women. In: Davies, M. Women and Violence: Realities and Response
Worldwide. London, Zed Books Ltd. 1994. p. 182-199.
92. CONNOLLY, A.M., KATZ, V.L., BASH, K.L., MCMAHON, M.J., and
HANSEN, W.F. Trauma and pregnancy. American Journal of Perinatology
14(6): 331-336. 1997.
93. CORSI, J. Treatment for men who batter women in Latin America.
American Psychologist 54(1): 64. Jan. 1999.
94. COUNTS, D., BROWN, J.K., and CAMPBELL, J.C. To Have and To
Hit. 2nd ed. Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1999. 315 p.
95. COUNTS, D.A., BROWN, J., and CAMPBELL, J. eds. Sanctions and
Sanctuary: Cultural Perspectives on the Beating of Wives. Boulder,
Colorado, Westview Press, 1992. 268 p.
96. CROWELL, N. and BURGESS, A.W., eds. Understanding Violence
Against Women. Washington D.C., National Academy Press, 1996. 225
p.
97. CULBERTSON, F.M. Depression and gender. An international review.
American Psychologist 52(1): 25-31. 1997.
98. CUNNINGHAM, R.M., STIFFMAN, A.R., DORE, P., and EARLS, F.
The association of physical and sexual abuse with HIV risk behaviors in
adolescence and young adulthood: Implications for public health. Child
99. CURRY, M.A., PERRIN, N., and WALL, E. Effects of abuse on maternal
complications and birth weight in adult and adolescent women. Obstetrics
and Gynecology 92(4 Pt. 1): 530-534. 1998.
100. DANIELSON, K.K., MOFFITT, T.E., CASPI, A., and SILVA, P.A.
Comorbidity between abuse of an adult and DSM-III-R mental disorders:
Evidence from an epidemiological study. American Journal of Psychiatry
155(1): 131-133. 1998.
101. DARVES-BORNOZ, J.M. Rape-related psychotraumatic syndromes.
European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology
71(1): 59-65. 1997.
102. DATTA, B. and MOTIHAR, R. Breaking down the walls: Violence
against women as a health and human rights issue. New Delhi, Ford
Foundation, 1999. 32 p.
103. DAVID, F. and CHIN, F. Economic and psychosocial influences of
family planning on the lives of women in Western Visayas. Iloilo City,
Philippines, Central Philippines University and Family Health International,
Jun. 1998. 85 p.
104. DAVIDSON, J.R., HUGHES, D.C., GEORGE, L.K., and BLAZER,
D.G. The association of sexual assault and attempted suicide within the
community. Archives of General Psychiatry 53(6): 550-555. 1996.
105. DVILA, A.L., RAMOS, G., and MATTEI, H. Encuesta de salud
reproductiva: Puerto Rico, 1995-1996. [SPA] [Reproductive health survey:
Puerto Rico, 1995-1996]. San Juan, Puerto Rico, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, May 1998. 82 p.
106. DAY, T. The health-related costs of violence against women in
Canada: The tip of the iceberg. Unpublished, 1995. 40 p.
107. DE ZOYSA, I., SWEAT, M.D., and DENISON, J.A. Faithful but fearful:
Reducing HIV transmission in stable relationships. AIDS 10(Suppl. A):
S197-S203. 1996.
108. DELVAUX, M., DENIS, P., and ALLEMAND, H. Sexual abuse is more
frequently reported by IBS patients than by patients with organic digestive
diseases or controls. Results of a multicentre inquiry. European Journal of
Gastroenterology and Hepatology 9(4): 345-352. 1997.
109. DEVELOPMENT OF PEOPLES FOUNDATION. A primer on the
women's development code of Davao City (booklet). Davao City,
Philippines, Development of Peoples Foundation, December 1997. 15 p.
110. DEYESSA, N., KASSAYE, M., DEMEKE, B., and TAFFA, N.
Magnitude, type and outcomes of physical violence against married
women in Butajira, southern Ethiopia. Ethiopian Medical Journal 36(2):
83-92. 1998.
111. DICKINSON, L.M., DEGRUY 3RD, F.V., DICKINSON, W.P., and
CANDIB, L.M. Health-related quality of life and symptom profiles of
female survivors of sexual abuse. Archives of Family Medicine 8(1):
35-43. 1999.
112. DICKSON, N., PAUL, C., HERBISON, P., and SILVA, P. First sexual
intercourse: Age, coercion, and later regrets reported by a birth cohort.
British Medical Journal 316(7124): 29-33. 1998.
113. DIETZ, P.M., GAZMARARIAN, J.A., GOODWIN, M.M., BRUCE,
F.C., JOHNSON, C.H., and ROCHAT, R.W. Delayed entry into prenatal
care: Effect of physical violence. Obstetrics and Gynecology 90(2):
221-224. 1997.
114. DIETZ, P.M., SPITZ, A.M., ANDA, R.F., WILLIAMSON, D.F.,
MCMAHON, P.M., SANTELLI, J.S., NORDENBERG, D.F., FELITTI, V.J.,
and KENDRICK, J.S. Unintended pregnancy among adult women exposed
to abuse or household dysfunction during their childhood. Journal of the
American Medical Assocation 282(14): 1359-1364. Oct. 13, 1999.
(Available: <http://jama.ama-assn.org/issues/v282n14/ full/joc90424.html>
Accessed Oct. 13, 1999.
115. D'OLIVERIA, A.F.P.L. and SCHRAIBER, L.B. Violence against
women: A physician's concern? Proceedings of the 15th FIGO World
Congress of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Copenhagen, Aug. 3-8, 1997. p.
157-163.
116. DONALDSON, P., WHALEN, M., and ANASTAS, J. Teen pregnancy
and sexual abuse: Exploring the connection. Smith College Studies in
Social Work 59(3): 289. Jun. 1, 1989.
117. DRENNAN, M. Reproductive health: New perspectives on men's
participation. Population Reports, Series J, No. 46. Baltimore, Johns
Hopkins School of Public Health, Population Information Program, Oct.
1998. 36 p.
118. DUTTON, D.G. The Domestic Assault of Women: Psychological and
Criminal Justice Perspectives. Vancouver, British Colombia, University of
British Colombia Press, 1995. 337 p.
119. DUTTON, M.A. Battered women's strategic response to violence:
The role of context. In: Edelson, J.L. and Eisikovits, Z.C. Future
Interventions with Battered Women and Their Families. London, Sage
Publications. 1996. p. 105-124.
120. DUTTON, M.A., MITCHELL, B., and HAYWOOD, Y. The
emergency department as a violence prevention center. Journal of the
American Medical Women's Association 51(3): 92-95, 117. 1996.
121. DYE, T.D., TOLLIVERT, N.J., LEE, R.V., and KENNEY, C.J. Violence,
pregnancy and birth outcome in Appalachia. Paediatric and Perinatal
Epidemiology 9(1): 35-47. 1995.
122. EDELSON, J. Controversy and change in batterer's programs. In:
Edleson, J.L. and Eisikovits, Z.C. Future Interventions With Battered
Women and Their Families. Thousand Oaks, California, Sage Publications.
1995. p. 154-169.
123. EDLESON, J. The overlap between child maltreatment and woman
battering. Violence Against Women 5(2): 134-154. 1999.
124. EDLESON, J.L. Children witnessing of adult domestic vio-lence.
Journal of Interpersonal Violence 14(8): 839C870. 1999.
125. EHLERT, U., HEIM, C., and HELLHAMMER, D.H. Chronic pelvic
pain as a somatoform disorder. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 68(2):
87-94. 1999.
126. ELLSBERG, M., CALDERA, T., HERRERA, A., WINKVIST, A., and
KULLGREN, G. Domestic violence and emotional distress among
Nicaraguan women. American Psychologist 54(1): 30-36. 1999.
127. ELLSBERG, M., HEISE, L., and SHRADER, E. Researching violence
against women: A practical guide for researchers and advocates.
Washington D.C., Center for Health and Gender Equity, 1999. 154 p.
(Draft).
128. ELLSBERG, M., LILJESTRAND, J., and WINKVIST, A. The Nicaraguan
Network of Women Against Violence: Using research and action for
change. Reproductive Health Matters 10: 82-92. 1997.
129. ELLSBERG, M.C. Candies in hell: Domestic violence against women
in Nicaragua. Licentiate thesis, Department of Epidemiology and Public
Health, Ume University, Ume, Sweden, 1997. 105 p.
130. ELLSBERG, M.C., PEA, R., HERRERA, A., LILJESTRAND, J., and
WINKVIST, A. Wife abuse among women of childbearing age in
Nicaragua. American Journal of Public Health 89(2): 241-244. 1999.
131. ELLSBERG, M.C., PEA, R., HERRERA, A., LILJESTRAND, J., and
WINKVIST, A. Candies in hell: Women's experience of violence in
Nicaragua. Social Science and Medicine. 1999. (Forthcoming)
132. EL-ZANATY, F., HUSSEIN, E.M., SHAWKY, G.A., WAY, A.A., and
POPULATION REPORTS
40
KISHOR, S. Egypt demographic and health survey 1995. Calverton,
Maryland, Macro International, 1996. 348 p.
133. EPSTEIN, J.N., SAUNDERS, B.E., KILPATRICK, D.G., and RESNICK,
H.S. PTSD as a mediator between childhood rape and alcohol use in adult
women. Child Abuse and Neglect 22(3): 223-234. 1998.
134. ESTREMADOYRO, J. Violencia en la Pareja: Comisarias de Mujeres
en el Peru. [SPA] [Partner Violence: Women's Police Stations in Peru].
Cuadernos de Trabajo. Lima, Peru, Ediciones Flora Tristan, 1993. 78 p.
135. EZEH, A.C. The Influence of spouses over each other's contraceptive
attitudes in Ghana. Studies in Family Planning 24(3): 163-174. 1993.
136. FABROS, M.L., PAGUNTALAN, A.M.C., ARCHES, L.L., and
GUIA-PADILLA, M.T. From sanas to dapat: Negotiating entitlement in
reproductive decision-making in the Philippines. In: Petchesky, R. and
Judd, K. Negotiating Reproductive Rights: Women's Perspectives Across
Countries and Cultures. London, Zed Books Ltd. 1998. p. 217-255.
137. FAGAN, J. Cessation of family violence: Deterrence and dissuasion.
In: Ohlin, L. and Tonry, M. Family Violence, Crime and Justice: An Annual
Review of Research. Chicago, University of Chicago Press. 1989. p.
377-425.
138. FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION FUND (FVPF). Frontlines. News
from the Homefront, San Francisco. FVPF, Winter 1999/2000. p. 8.
139. FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION FUND (FVPF). California hospital
emergency departments response to domestic violence: Survey report.
San Francisco, FVPF, 1993.
140. FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION FUND (FVPF). Children learn that
"hands are not for hitting". You can make a difference!, San Francisco.
FVPF, no date. p. 1-8.
141. FAUVEAU, V. and BLANCHET, T. Deaths from injuries and induced
abortion among rural Bangladeshi women. Social Science and Medicine
29(9): 1121-1127. 1989.
142. FAWCETT, G. Rostros y mascaras de la violencia: Un taller sobre
amistad y noviazgo para adolescentes. [SPA] [Faces and masks of
violence: A workshop on love and friendship for adolescents]. Mexico
City, Instituto Mexicano de Investigacion de Familia y Poblacion, 1999.
103 p.
143. FAWCETT, G., VENGUER, T., VERNON, R., and PICK, S. Deteccion
y manejo de mujeres victimas de violencia domestica: Desarrollo y
evaluacion de un programa dirigido al personal de salud. [SPA]
[Detection and management of female victims of domestic violence:
Development and evaluation of a program for health care personnel].
Mexico City, Population Council, 1998. 30 p.
144. FAWCETT, G.M., HEISE, L., ISITA-ESPEJEL, L., and PICK, S. Changing
community responses to wife abuse: A research and demonstration
project. Iztacalco, Mexico. American Psychologist 54(1): 41-49. 1999.
145. FEHER, T.L. Pain in pelvic and gynecologic disorders. In: Foley, K.M.
and Payne, R.M. Current Therapy of Pain. Philadelphia, BC Decker Inc.
1989. p. 245-250.
146. FELDHAUS, K.M., KOZIOL-MCLAIN, J., AMSBURY, H.L.,
NORTON, I.M., LOWENSTEIN, S.R., and ABBOTT, J.T. Accuracy of
three brief screening questions for detecting partner violence in the
emergency department. Journal of the American Medical Association
277(17): 1357-1361. 1997.
147. FELITTI, V.J. Long-term medical consequences of incest, rape, and
molestation. Southern Medical Journal 84(3): 328-331. 1991.
148. FELITTI, V.J., ANDA, R.F., NORDENBERG, D., WILLIAMSON, D.F.,
SPITZ, A.M., EDWARDS, V., KOSS, M.P., and MARKS, J.S. Relationship
of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading
causes of death in adults. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine 14(4): 245-258. 1998.
149. FERGUSSON, D.M., HORWOOD, L.J., and LYNSKEY, M. T.
Childhood sexual abuse, adolescent sexual behaviors and sexual
revictimization. Child Abuse and Neglect 21(8): 789-803. 1997.
150. FERNANDEZ, F.M. and KRUEGER, P.M. Domestic violence: Effect
on pregnancy outcome. Journal of the American Osteopath Association
99(5): 254-256. 1999.
151. FIKREE, F. Health consequences of domestic violence: A case-control
study in Pakistan. Proceedings of the Second Annual Meeting of the
International Research Network on Violence Against Women, Washington
D.C., Dec. 8-10, 1996. Center for Health and Gender Equity. 65 p.
152. FIKREE, F.F. and BHATTI, L.I. Domestic violence and health of
Pakistani women. International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics
65(2): 195-201. 1999.
153. FINKELHOR, D. The international epidemiology of child sexual
abuse. Child Abuse and Neglect 18(5): 409-417. 1994.
154. FINKELHOR, D. and BROWNE, A. The traumatic impact of child
sexual abuse: A conceptualization. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry
55(4): 530-541. 1985.
155. FISCELLA, K., KITZMAN, H.J., COLE, R.E., SIDORA, K.J., and OLDS,
D. Does child abuse predict adolescent pregnancy? Pediatrics 101(4 Pt. 1):
620-624. 1998.
156. FLEMING, J.M. Prevalence of childhood sexual abuse in a
community sample of Australian women. Medical Journal of Australia
166(2): 65-68. 1997.
157. FOLCH-LYON, E., MACORA, L., and SCHEARER, S.B. Focus group
and survey research in family planning in Mexico. Studies in Family
Planning 12(12): 409-432. 1981.
158. FORT, A.L. Investigation of the social context of fertility and family
planning: A qualitative study in Peru. International Family Planning
Perspectives 15(3): 88-94. 1989.
159. FOURNIER, M., DE LOS RIOS, R., ORPINAS, P., and
PIQUET-CARNEIRO, L. Estudio multicntrico sobre actitudes y normas
culturales frente a la violencia (proyecto ACTIVA): Metodologia. [SPA]
[Multicenter study on cultural attitudes and norms towards violence
(ACTIVA project): Methodology]. Revista Panamericana de Salud Pblica
5(4-5): 222-231. 1999.
160. FREUND, K.M., BAK, S.M., and BLACKHALL, L. Identifying domestic
violence in primary care practice. Journal of General Internal Medicine
11(1): 44-46. 1996.
161. FRIEDMAN, L.S., SAMET, J.H., ROBERTS, M.S., HUDLIN, M., and
HANS, P. Inquiry about victimization experiences. A survey of patient
preferences and physician practices. Archives of Internal Medicine 152(6):
1186-1190. 1992.
162. FULLILOVE, M.T., LOWN, E.A., and FULLILOVE, R.E. Crack 'hos
and skeezers: Traumatic experiences of women crack users. The Journal
of Sex Research 29(2): 275-287. 1992.
163. FUNDACIN INTERNACIONAL PARA EL DESAFO ECONOMICO
GLOBAL. (FIDEG) [Additional calculations of partner abuse from
Managua data] Personal communication, Nov. 10, 1998.
164. GANATRA, B., COYAJI, K.J., and RAO, V.N. Community cum
hospital based case-control study on maternal mortality. Pune, India, Kem
Hospital Research Center, Dec. 1996. 62 p.
165. GANATRA, B.R., COYAJI, K.J., and RAO, V.N. Too far, too little, too
late: A community-based case-control study of maternal mortality in rural
west Maharashtra, India. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 76(6):
591-598. 1998.
166. GANLEY, A.L., FAZIO, J., HYMAN, A., JAMES, L., and
RUIZ-CONTRERAS, A. Improving the health care response to domestic
violence: A trainer's manual for health care providers. San Francisco,
Family Violence Prevention Fund, Apr. 1998. 301 p.
167. GAZMARARIAN, J.A., LAZORICK, S., SPITZ, A.M., BALLARD, T.J.,
SALTZMAN, L.E., and MARKS, J.S. Prevalence of violence against
pregnant women. Journal of the American Medical Association 275(24):
1915-1920. 1996. (Published erratum appears in Journal of the American
Medical Association Apr. 9, 1997;277(14):1125)
168. GELDSTEIN, R.N., PANTELIDES, E.A., CALANDRA, N., and
VAZQUEZ, S. "I didn't want it but...": Sexual initiation under coercion in
the Buenos Aires metropolitan area. Proceedings of the meeting Unequal
Partnerships: Gender and Initiation of Sexual Activity, Bethesda, Maryland,
Jun. 25-26, 1998. Center on Population, Gender and Social Inequality. 31
p.
169. GEORGE, A. Differential perspectives of men and women in
Mumbai, India on sexual relations and negotiations within marriage.
Reproductive Health Matters 6(4): 87-95. 1998.
170. GEORGE, A. and JASWAL, S. Understanding sexuality: Ethnographic
study of poor women from Bombay. Washington, D.C., International
Center for Research on Women, 1995. (Women and AIDS Research
Report Series No. 12). 75 p.
171. GERBERT, B., ABERCROMBIE, P., CASPERS, N., LOVE, C., and
BRONSTONE, A. How health care providers help battered women: The
survivor's perspective. Women's Health 29(3): 115-135. 1999.
172. GEVISSER, M. Women's fight against that invisible little virus.
Weekly Mail. (South Africa). Nov. 30, 1990.
173. GHEZ, M. and MARIN, L. United States: Prevention at a crossroads.
In: Marin, L., Zia, H., and Soler, E. Ending Domestic Violence: Reports
from the Global Frontline. San Francisco, Family Violence Prevention
Fund. 1999. 9 p.
174. GIBSON, M.A. Equity for female teachers: A national survey of
employment, Papua New Guinea (PNG). Port Moresby, PNG National
Research Institute, 1990.
175. GIELEN, A.C., O'CAMPO, P., FADEN, R.R., and EKE, A. Women's
disclosure of HIV status: Experiences of mistreatment and violence in an
urban setting. Women's Health 25(3): 19-31. 1997.
176. GIELEN, A.C., O'CAMPO, P.J., FADEN, R.R., KASS, N.E., and XUE,
X. Interpersonal conflict and physical violence during the childbearing
years. Social Science and Medicine 39(6): 781-787. 1994.
177. GILBERT, L. Urban violence and healthCSouth Africa 1995. Social
Science and Medicine 43(5): 873-886. 1996.
178. GILLIOZ, L., DEPUY, J., and DUCRET, C. Domination masculine et
violence envers les femmes dans la famille en Suisse. [FRE] [Male
domination and violence against women within the family in Switzerland].
Geneva, unpublished, Oct. 1996. 7 p.
179. GLOVER, V. Maternal stress or anxiety in pregnancy and emotional
development of the child. British Journal of Psychiatry 171: 105-106. 1997.
180. GOLDING, J. Sexual assault history and women's reproductive and
sexual health. Psychology of Women Quarterly 20: 101-121. 1996.
181. GOLDING, J.M. Sexual assault history and limitations in physical
functioning in two general population samples. Research in Nursing and
Health 19(1): 33-44. 1996.
182. GOLDING, J.M., COOPER, M.L., and GEORGE, L.K. Sexual assault
history and health perceptions: Seven general population studies. Health
Psychology 16(5): 417-425. 1997.
183. GOLDING, J.M. and TAYLOR, D.L. Sexual assault history and
premenstrual distress in two general population samples. Journal of
Women's Health 5(2): 143-152. 1996.
184. GOLDING, J.M., WILSNACK, S.C., and LEARMAN, L.A. Prevalence
of sexual assault history among women with common gynecologic
symptoms. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 179(4):
1013-1019. 1998.
185. GOLDSTEIN, D. The cultural, class, and gender politics of a modern
disease: Women and AIDS in Brazil. ABIA, Colectivo Feminista
Sexualidade e Saude, Oct. 1992. 92 p.
186. GOLDSTEIN, D.M. AIDS and women in Brazil: The emerging
problem. Social Science and Medicine 39(7): 919-929. 1994.
187. GONDOLF, E. A 30-month follow-up of court mandated batterers in
four cities. (Website). <http://www.iup.edu/maati/publica
tions/30month.htmlx> Feb. 28, 1999. Accessed Dec. 5, 1999.
188. GONZALES DE OLARTE, E. and GAVILANO LLOSA, P. Does
poverty cause domestic violence? Some answers from Lima. In: Morrison,
A., R. and Biehl, M.L. Too Close to Home: Domestic Violence in the
Americas. Washington, D.C., Inter-American Development Bank. 1999.
p. 35-49.
189. GONZALEZ MONTES, S. Domestic violence in Cuetzalan, Mexico:
Some research questions and results. Center for Health and Gender Equity
(CHANGE), ed. Proceedings of the Third Annual Meeting of the
International Research Network on Violence Against Women, Jan. 9-11,
1998. CHANGE, p. 36-41.
190. GRAITCER, P. and YOUSSEF, Z. Injury in Egypt: An analysis of
injuries as a health problem. Washington, D.C. and Cairo, U.S. Agency for
International Development and Ministry of Health, 1993. 119 p.
191. GRANADOS SHIROMA, M. Salud reproductiva y violencia contra
la mujer: Un anlisis desde la perspectiva de gnero. [SPA] [Reproductive
health and violence against women: An analysis from a gender
perspective]. Asociacin Mexicana de Poblacin, Consejo Estatal de
Poblacin, Nuevo Len, El Colegio de Mxico, 1996. 42 p.
192. GREAVES, L., HANKIVSKY, O., and KINGSON-RIECHTERS, J.
Selected estimates of the costs of violence against women. London, Centre
for Research on Violence against Women and Children, 1995. 44 p.
193. GRIMSTAD, H., SCHEI, B., BACKE, B., and JACOBSEN, G. Physical
abuse and low birthweight: A case-control study. British Journal of
Obstetrics and Gynaecology 104(11): 1281-1287. 1997.
194. HADDEN, B. An HIV/AIDS prevention intervention with female and
male STD patients in a peri-urban settlement in KwaZulu Natal, South
Africa. Washington D.C., International Center for Research on Women,
1998. (Women and AIDS Research Program) 36 p.
195. HAJ-YAHIA, M.M. A patriarchal perspective of beliefs about
wife-beating among Arab Palestinian men from the West Bank and Gaza
Strip. Ramallah, West Bank, unpublished, Nov. 1996. 34 p.
196. HAJ-YAHIA, M.M. The first national survey of abuse and battering
against Arab women from Israel: Preliminary results. Ramallah, West
Bank, unpublished, 1997. 45 p.
197. HAJ-YAHIA, M.M. The incidence of wife-abuse and battering and
some socio-demographic correlates as revealed in two national surveys
in Palestinian society. Ramallah, West Bank, Besir Center for Research
and Development, 1998. 108 p.
198. HALPERIN, D.S., BOUVIER, P., JAFFE, P.D., MOUNOUD, R.-L.,
PAWLAK, C.H., LAEDERACH, J., WICKY, H.R., and ASTIE, F. Prevalence
of child sexual abuse among adolescents in Geneva: Results of a cross
sectional study. British Medical Journal 312(7042): 1326-1329. 1996.
199. HANDWERKER, W. Gender power differences between parents and
high-risk sexual behavior by their children: AIDS/STD risk factors extend
to a prior generation. Journal of Women's Health 2(3): 301-316. 1993.
200. HANDWERKER, W.P. Antiguan women's adolescent responses to
childhood exploitative experiences. Proceedings of the inaugural meeting
of National Leaders in Women's Health. Gainesville, Florida. 1997. 187
p.
201. HARTIGAN, P. PAHO focuses on the problem of violence against
women. 1997. (RevistaPanamericana de Salud PblicaNo. 4) p. 290-294.
202. HARTIGAN, P. Summary of findings: The critical path women take
to find a solution to domestic violence. Proceedings of the meeting on The
Role of the Health Sector in Violence Against Women, Copenhagen, Aug.
1, 1997. 10 p.
203. HARWELL, T.S., CASTEN, R.J., ARMSTRONG, K.A., DEMPSEY, S.,
COONS, H.L., and DAVIS, M. Results of a domestic violence training
program offered to the staff of urban community health centers. Evaluation
Committee of the Philadelphia Family Violence Working Group.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine 15(3): 235-242. 1998.
204. HASSAN, Y. The haven becomes hell: A study of domestic violence
in Pakistan. In: Cantt, L. Pakistan: Women Living Under Muslim Laws.
Aug. 1995. p. 72.
205. HAUTZINGER, S. Machos and policewomen, battered women and
anti-victims: Combatting violence against women in Brazil. Doctoral
dissertation, Department of Anthropology, Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, 1998. 455 p.
206. HAYWARD, R.F. Needed: A new model of masculinity to stop
violence against girls and women. Kathmandu, Nepal, United Nations
Children's Fund Regional Office for South Asia, Jul. 1997. (No. 17) 10 p.
207. HEALEY, K.M. and SMITH, C. Batterer programs: What criminal
justice agencies need to know. Washington D.C., Office of Justice
Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, 1998. (Available: <http://www.
ncjrs.org/txtfiles/171683.txt> Accessed Dec. 7, 1999)
208. HEGLAND, M. (Santa Clara University) [Interviews of Iranian
women] Personal communication, 1997.
209. HEISE, L. Violence against women: Global organizing for change. In:
Edleson, J.L. and Eisikovits, Z.C. Future Interventions with Battered
Women and Their Families. Thousand Oaks, California, Sage Publications.
1996. p. 7-33.
210. HEISE, L. Violence against women: An integrated, ecological
framework. Violence Against Women 4(3): 262-290. 1998.
211. HEISE, L., MOORE, K., and TOUBIA, N. Sexual coercion and
women's reproductive health: A focus on research. New York, Population
Council, 1995. 59 p.
212. HEISE, L., PITANGUY, J., and GERMAIN, A. Violence against
women: The hidden health burden. Washington D.C., World Bank
Discussion Paper #255, 1994. 72 p.
213. HEISE, L. Health workers: Potential allies in the battle against woman
abuse in developing countries. Journal of the American Medical Women's
Association 51(3): 120-122. 1996.
214. HIRSCHMANN, A. Guatemala City women: Empowering a
vulnerable group to prevent HIV transmission. Guatemala City,
Asociacion Guatemalteca para la Prevencion y Control del SIDA,
International Center for Research on Women. 1998. (Women and AIDS
Research Report Series)
215. HOFFMAN, K.L., DEMO, D.H., and EDWARDS, J.N. Physical wife
abuse in a non-western society: An integrated theoretical approach.
Journal of Marriage and the Family (56): 131-146. 1994.
216. HOLDEN, S. Guidelines for adapting stepping stones. London,
Stepping Stones Training and Adaption Project, ACTIONAID, 1998. 40 p.
217. HOLMES, W.C. and SLAP, G.B. Sexual abuse of boys: Definition,
POPULATION REPORTS
41
prevalence, correlates, sequelae, and management. Journal of the
American Medical Association 280(21): 1855-1862. 1998.
218. HOTALING, G.T. and SUGARMAN, D.B. An analysis of risk markers
in husband to wife violence: The current state of knowledge. Violence and
Victims 1: 101-124. 1986.
219. HOTALING, G.T. and SUGARMAN, D.B. A risk marker analysis of
assaulted wives. Journal of Family Violence 5(1): 1-13. 1990.
220. HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH. Untold terror: Violence against women
in Peru's armed conflict. Washington D.C., Human Rights Watch, Dec.
1992. 62 p.
221. HYMAN, A., SCHILLINGER, D., and LO, B. Laws mandating
reporting of domestic violence: Do they promote patient well-being?
Journal of the American Medical Association 273(22): 1781-1787. 1995.
222. HYMAN, B. Economic consequences of child sexual abuse in
women. Doctoral dissertation, Heller School of Public Policy, Brandeis
University, Waltham, Massachusetts, 1993.
223. ILKKARACAN, P. Exploring the context of women's sexuality in
eastern Turkey. Reproductive Health Matters 6(12): 66-75. Nov. 1998.
224. INTER AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK. IDB activities related to
domestic violence. (Website). <http://www.iadb.org/sds/utility.cfm
/548/english/general/1086> 1999. Accessed Dec. 7, 1999.
225. ISTVAN, J. Stress, anxiety and birth outcomes: A critical review of the
evidence. Psychological Bulletin 100: 331-348. 1986.
226. JACKSON, J., LEITCH, J., LEE, A., EGGLESTON, E., and HARDEE, K.
Jamaica: The Jamaica adolescent study. Kingston, Jamaica, University of
West Indies, and Family Health International, Jun. 1998. 14 p.
227. JACOBSON, N.S., GOTTMAN, J.M., GORTNER, E., BERNS, S., and
SHORTT, J.W. Psychological factors in the longitudinal course of battering:
When do the couples split up? When does the abuse decrease? Violence
and Victims 11(4): 371-392. 1996.
228. JAFFE, P.G., WOLFE, D.A., and WILSON, S.K. Children of Battered
Women. Newbury Park, California, Sage Publications, 1990.
229. JAMES, J. and MEYERDING, J. Early sexual experiences and
prostitution. American Journal of Psychiatry 132: 1381-1385. 1977.
230. JAMIESON, D.J. and STEEGE, J.F. The association of sexual abuse
with pelvic pain complaints in a primary care population. American
Journal of Obstetrics Gynecology 177(6): 1408-1412. 1997.
231. JEHL, D. Arab honor's price: A woman's blood. The New York Times.
June 20, 1999. p. A-1.
232. JEJEEBHOY, S.J. Associations between wife-beating and fetal and
infant death: Impressions from a survey in rural India. Studies in Family
Planning 29(3): 300-308. 1998.
233. JEJEEBHOY, S.J. Wife-beating in rural India: A husband's right?
Economic and Political Weekly (India) 23(15): 588-862. 1998.
234. JENKINS, C. Women and the risk of AIDS: Study of sexual and
reproductive knowledge and behavior in Papua New Guinea. Washington
D.C., International Center for Research on Women, Sep. 1993. 29 p.
235. JEWKES, R., PENN-KEKANA, L., LEVIN, J., RATSAKA, M., and
SCHRIEBER, M. He must give me money, he mustn`t beat me: Violence
against women in three South African Provinces. Pretoria, South Africa,
Medical Research Council, 1999. 29 p.
236. JEZIERSKI, M.B., EICKHOLT, T., and MCGEE, J. Disadvantages to
mandatory reporting of domestic violence [letter]. Journal of Emergency
Nursing 25(2): 79-80. 1999.
237. JHA, M.R. India: Chappal, sticks and bags. In: Marin, L., Zia, H., and
Soler, E. Ending Domestic Violence: Reports from the Global Frontline.
San Francisco, Family Violence Prevention Fund. 1998. (Available:
<http://www.fvpf.org/global/gf_india.html> Accessed Dec. 1, 1999)
238. JOESOEF, M.R., BAUGHMAN, A.L., and UTOMO, B. Husband's
approval of contraceptive use in metropolitan Indonesia: Program
implications. Studies in Family Planning 19(3): 162-168. 1988.
239. JOHNSEN, L.W. and HARLOW, L.L. Childhood sexual abuse linked
with adult substance use, victimization, and AIDS-risk. AIDS Education
and Prevention 8(1): 44-57. 1996.
240. JOHNSON, H. Dangerous Domains: Violence Against Women in
Canada. Ontario, Canada, Nelson Canada Publishing, 1996. 252 p.
241. JOHNSON, T.P., ASCHKENASY, J.R., HERBERS, M.R., and
GILLENWATER, S.A. Self-reported risk factors for AIDS among homeless
youth. AIDS Education and Prevention 8(4): 308-322. 1996.
242. JONES III, R.F. The American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists: A decade of responding to violence against women.
International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics 58: 43-50. 1997.
243. JOSIAH, I. The health sector working with women's organizations: A
case study. Proceedings of the WHO/FIGO Pre-Congress Workshop on
Elimination of Violence Against Women: In Search of Solutions,
Copenhagen, Jul. 30-31, 1998.
244. JOURILES, E.N., MURPHY, C.M., and O'LEARY, K.D. Interspousal
aggression, marital discord, and child problems. Journal of Consulting and
245. KARIM, Q.A., KARIM, S.S., SOLDAN, K., and ZONDI, M. Reducing
the risk of HIV infection among South African sex workers:
Socioeconomic and gender barriers. American Journal of Public Health
85(11): 1521-1525. 1995.
246. KASLOW, N.J., THOMPSON, M.P., MEADOWS, L.A., JACOBS, D.,
CHANCE, S., GIBB, B., BORNSTEIN, H., HOLLINS, L., RASHID, A., and
PHILLIPS, K. Factors that mediate and moderate the link between partner
abuse and suicidal behavior in African American women. Journal of
Consulting and Clinical Psychology 66(3): 533-540. 1998.
247. KENDALL-TACKETT, K.A., WILLIAMS, L.M., and FINKELHOR, D.
Impact of sexual abuse on children: A review and synthesis of recent
empirical studies. Psychological Bulletin 113(1): 164-180. 1993.
248. KHAN, M.E., TOWNSEND, J.W., SINHA, R., and LAKHANPAL, S.
Sexual violence within marriage. In: Seminar. New Delhi, Population
Council. 1996. p. 32-35.
249. KHANNA, R. (Social Action for Rural and Tribal Inhabitants of India)
[Rape in Gujarat, India] Personal communication, 1992.
250. KILPATRICK, D.G., ACIERNO, R., RESNICK, H.S., SAUNDERS, B.E.,
and BEST, C.L. A two-year longitudinal analysis of the relationships
between violent assault and substance use in women. Journal of Consulting
and Clinical Psychology 65(5): 834-847. 1997.
251. KIM, J. Health sector initiatives to address domestic violence against
women in Africa. Proceedings of the Health Care Strategies for
Combatting Violence Against Women in Developing Countries meeting,
Ghent, Belgium, Aug. 1999. International Centre for Reproductive Health,
University of Ghent, p. 101-107.
252. KIM, J. and MOTSEI, M. "Women enjoy punishment:" Attitudes and
experience of gender violence among PHC nurses in South Africa. 1999,
unpublished, 10 p.
253. KIM, K.-I. and CHO, Y.-G. Epidemiological survey of spousal abuse
in Korea. In: Viano, E.C. Intimate Violence: Interdisciplinary Perspectives.
Washington, D.C., Hemisphere Publishing Corperation. 1992. p. 277-282.
254. KLEIN, H. and CHAO, B.S. Sexual abuse during childhood and
adolescence as predictors of HIV-related sexual risk during adulthood
among female sexual partners of injection drug users. Violence Against
Women 1(1): 55-76. 1995.
255. KOENIG, M., HOSSAIN, M.B., AHMED, S., and HAAGA, J.
Individual and community-level determinants of domestic violence in
rural Bangladesh. Baltimore, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health,
Department of Population and Family Health Sciences, May 1999.
(Hopkins Population Center Paper on Population No. WP-99-04) 32 p.
256. KOLS, A. and SHERMAN, J.E. Family planning programs: Improving
quality. Series J, No. 3. Baltimore, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health,
Population Information Program, Nov. 1998. 40 p.
257. KOSS, M. The impact of crime victimization of women's medical
use. Journal of Women's Health 2(1): 67-72. 1993.
258. KOSS, M.P., GOODMAN, L.A., BROWNE, A., FITZGERALD, L.F.,
KEITA, G.P., and RUSSO, N.F. No safe haven: Male violence against
women at home, at work, and in the community. Washington D.C.,
American Psychological Association, 1994. 344 p.
259. KOSS, M.P. and HESLET, L. Somatic consequences of violence
against women. Archives of Family Medicine 1(1): 53-59. 1992.
260. KOSS, M.P., KOSS, P.G., and WOODRUFF, W.J. Deleterious effects
of criminal victimization on women's health and medical utilization.
Archives of Internal Medicine 151(2): 342-347. 1991.
261. KOSS, M.P., WOODRUFF, W.J., and KOSS, P.G. Criminal
victimization among primary care medical patients: Prevalence,
incidence, and physician usage. Behavioral Science and Law 9(1): 85-96.
1991.
262. KOUMPOUNIS, A. (Reprosalud) [Domestic violence in Peru]
Personal communication, 1999.
263. KYRIACOU, D.N., MCCABE, F., ANGLIN, D., LAPESARDE, K., and
WINER, M.R. Emergency department-based study of risk factors for acute
injury from domestic violence against women. Annals of Emergency
Medicine 31(4): 502-506. 1998.
264. LANDENBURGER, K.M. The dynamics of leaving and recovering
from an abusive relationship. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and
Neonatal Nursing 27(6): 700-706. 1998.
265. LANGELAND, W. and HARTGERS, C. Child sexual and physical
abuse and alcoholism: A review. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 59(3):
336-348. 1998.
266. LAPIN, D. Assessing psychosocial needs of refugee women and
children using rapid field techniques. Presented at 120th meeting of the
American Public Health Association, Washington, D.C. Nov. 8C12, 1992.
267. LARRAIN, S. Curbing domestic violence: Two decades of activism.
In: Morrision, A.R. and Biehl, M.L., eds. Too Close to Home: Domestic
Violence in the Americas. Washington, D.C., Inter-American
Development Bank. 1999. p. 105-130.
268. LARRAIN, S.H. Violencia Puertas Adentro: La Mujer Golpeada. [SPA]
[Violence Behind Closed Doors: The Battered Women]. Santiago, Chile,
Editorial Universitaria, 1994. 149 p.
269. LASEE, A. and BECKER, S. Husband-wife communication about
family planning and contraceptive use in Kenya. International Family
Planning Perspectives 23(1): 15-20. 1997.
270. LAUMANN, E.O. Early sexual experiences: How voluntary? How
violent? Smith, M.D., Besharov, D.J., Gardiner, K.N., and Hoff, T., eds.
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 1994. 37 p.
271. LEE, N.C., DICKER, R.C., RUBIN, G.L., and ORY, H.W. Confirmation
of the preoperative diagnoses for hysterectomy. American Journal of
272. LEIBRICH, J., PAULIN, J., and RANSOM, R. Hitting home: Men speak
about domestic abuse of women partners. Wellington, New Zealand, New
Zealand Department of Justice and AGB McNair, 1995. 243 p.
273. LESERMAN, J., DROSSMAN, D.A., LI, Z., TOOMEY, T.C.,
NACHMAN, G., and GLOGAU, L. Sexual and physical abuse history in
gastroenterology practice: How types of abuse impact health status.
Psychosomatic Medicine 58(1): 4-15. 1996.
274. LEUNG, W.C., LEUNG, T.W., LAM, Y.Y., and HO, P.C. The
prevalence of domestic violence against pregnant women in a Chinese
community. International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics 66(1):
23-30. 1999.
275. LEVINSON, D. Violence in Cross Cultural Perspective. Newbury
Park, California, Sage Publications, 1989. 139 p.
276. LEVITAN, R.D., PARIKH, S.V., LESAGE, A.D., HEGADOREN, K.M.,
ADAMS, M., KENNEDY, S.H., and GOERING, P.N. Major depression in
individuals with a history of childhood physical or sexual abuse:
Relationship to neurovegetative features, mania, and gender. American
Journal of Psychiatry 155(12): 1746-1752. 1998.
277. LEYE, E., GITHANIGA, A., and TEMMERMAN, M. Health care
strategies for combating violence against women in developing countries.
Ghent, Belgium, International Center for Reproductive Health, Aug. 1999.
125 p.
278. LLOYD, S. and TALUC, N. The effects of male violence on female
employment. Violence Against Women 5(4): 370-392. 1999.
279. LPEZ, F., CARPINTERO, E., HERNANDEZ, A., MARTIN, M.J., and
FUERTES, A. Prevalence and sequelae of childhood sexual abuse in Spain.
Child Abuse and Neglect 19(9): 1039-1050. 1995.
280. LUSTER, T. and SMALL, S.A. Sexual abuse history and problems in
adolescence: Exploring the effects of moderating variables. Journal of
Marriage and the Family 59: 131-142. 1997.
281. MACRO INTERNATIONAL (MI) and SOUTH AFRICA DEPARTMENT
OF HEALTH. South Africa demographic and health survey 1998:
Preliminary report. Calverton, Maryland, MI, Aug. 1999. 41 p.
282. MAFORAH, F., JEWKES, R., and VUNDULE, C. Youth sexuality:
Findings of a case-control study of pregnant and non-pregnant teenagers.
Presented at the 18th African Health Sciences Congress, Cape Town, South
Africa, Apr. 1997.
283. MAHER, J., PETERSON, J., HASTINGS, K., DAHLBERG, L., SEALS,
B., SHELLY, G., and KAMB, M. Partner violence and women's decision
to have an HIV test (Abstract #43110). Proceedings of the 12th World
Conference on AIDS, Geneva, Jul. 1998. 1184 p.
284. MAHER, M. From victims of violence to women of well-being: A
case study of rural health promoters response to gender violence. Takoma
Park, Maryland, Center for Health and Gender Equity, 1997. 20 p.
285. MARTIN, S.L., ENGLISH, K.T., CLARK, K.A., CILENTI, D., and
KUPPER, L.L. Violence and substance use among North Carolina pregnant
women. American Journal of Public Health 86(7): 991-998. 1996.
286. MARTIN, S.L., KILGALLEN, B., TSUI, A.O., MAITRA, K., SINGH,
K.K., and KUPPE, L.L. Sexual behaviors and reproductive health outcomes
associations with wife abuse in India. Journal of the American Medical
Association 282(20): 1967-1972. Nov. 24, 1999.
287. MARTIN, S.L., MATZA, L.S., KUPPER, L.L., THOMAS, J.C., DALY,
M., and CLOUTIER, S. Domestic violence and sexually transmitted
diseases: The experience of prenatal care patients. Public Health Report
114(3): 262-268. 1999.
288. MARTIN, S.L., TSUI, A.O., MAITRA, K., and MARINSHAW, R.
Domestic violence in northern India. American Journal of Epidemiology
150(4): 417-426. 1999.
289. MATCH INTERNATIONAL CENTRE. The circle of healing: Aboriginal
women organizing in Canada. In: Davies, M. Women and Violence:
Realities and Responses Around the World. London, Zed Books Ltd. 1994.
p. 234-239.
290. MAZZA, D., DENNERSTEIN, L., and RYAN, V. Physical, sexual and
emotional violence against women: A general practice-based prevalence
study. Medical Journal of Australia 164(1): 14-17. 1996.
291. MCCAULEY, J., KERN, D.E., KOLODNER, K., DILL, L.,
SCHROEDER, A.F., DECHANT, H.K., RYDEN, J., BASS, E.B., and
DEROGATIS, L.R. The "battering syndrome:" Prevalence and clinical
characteristics of domestic violence in primary health care internal
medicine practices. Annals of Internal Medicine 123(10): 737-746. 1995.
292. MCCAULEY, J., KERN, D.E., KOLODNER, K., DILL, L.,
SCHROEDER, A.F., DECHANT, H.K., RYDEN, J., DEROGATIS, L.R., and
BASS, E.B. Clinical characteristics of women with a history of childhood
abuse: Unhealed wounds. Journal of the American Medical Association
277(17): 1362-1368. 1997.
293. MCCAULEY, J., YURK, R.A., JENCKES, M.W., and FORD, D.E. Inside
"Pandora's box:" Abused women's experiences with clinicians and health
services. Journal of General Internal Medicine 13(8): 549-555. 1998.
294. MCCLOSKEY, L.A., FIGUEREDO, A.J., and KOSS, M.P. The effects
of systemic family violence on children's mental health. Child
Development 66(5): 1239-1261. 1995.
295. MCFARLANE, J. and PARKER, B. Preventing abuse during pregnancy:
An assessment and intervention protocol. American Journal of Maternal
Child Nursing 19(6): 321-324. 1994.
296. MCFARLANE, J., PARKER, B., and SOEKEN, K. Abuse during
pregnancy: Associations with maternal health and infant birth weight.
Nursing Research 45(1): 37-42. 1996.
297. MCLEER, S.V. and ANWAR, R.A. The role of the emergency
physician in the prevention of domestic violence. Annals of Emergency
Medicine 16(10): 1155-1161. 1987.
298. MCLEER, S.V., ANWAR, R.A., HERMAN, S., and MAQUILING, K.
Education is not enough: A systems failure in protecting battered women.
Annals of Emergency Medicine 18(6): 651-653. 1989.
299. MEJIA, R.I., ELIAS, M.G.H., and OLAVARRIETA, C.D. Asi hemos
sido...Asi queremos ser. [SPA] [This is how we've been...This is how we
want to be]. Mexico City, Fundacion Mexicana para la Planefecation
Familiar, 1998.
300. MEN FOR CHANGE. Healthy relationships: A violence prevention
curriculum. Halifax, Nova Scotia, Men For Change, 1994. 280 p.
301. MENSCH, B. Locating adolescence: An overview of adolescents'
reproductive behavior and it social consequences. Presented at the World
Bank, Washington D.C., 1996.
302. MESQUITA DA ROCHA, M. Women's police stations: Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil. In: Domestic Violence in Latin America and the
Caribbean. Washington D.C., Inter-American Development Bank. Oct.
20-21, 1997. 49 p.
303. MICHAU, L. Community-based research for social change in
Mwanza, Tanzania. Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE), ed.
Proceedings of the Third Annual Meeting of the International Research
Network on Violence Against Women, Washington D.C., Jan. 9-11, 1998.
CHANGE, p. 4-9.
304. MILLER, B.A., DOWNS, W.R., and TESTA, M. Interrelationships
between victimization experiences and women's alcohol use. Journal of
Studies on Alcohol 11(Suppl.): 109-117. 1993.
305. MITRA, N. Best practices among responses to domestic violence: A
study of government and non-government response in Madhya Pradesh
and Maharashtra [draft]. Washington D.C., International Center for
POPULATION REPORTS
42
Research on Women, 1998. 252 p.
306. MONCRIEFF, J. and FARMER, R. Sexual abuse and the subsequent
development of alcohol problems. Alcohol and Alcoholism 33(6): 592-601.
1998.
307. MONTOYA, O. Nadando Contra Corriente: Buscando Pistas para
Prevenir la Violencia Masculina en las Relaciones de Pareja. [SPA]
[Swimming Upstream: Looking for Clues to Prevent Masculine Violence
in Intimate Relationships]. Managua, Nicaragua, Fundacin Puntos de
Encuentro, 1998. 140 p.
308. MOONEY, J. The Hidden Figure: Domestic Violence in North
London. London, Middlesex University, 1993. 80 p.
309. MOORE, M.L., ZACCARO, D., and PARSONS, L.H. Attitudes and
practices of registered nurses toward women who have experienced
abuse/domestic violence. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal
Nursing 27(2): 175-182. 1998.
310. MORENO MARTN, F. La violencia en la pareja. [SPA] [Intimate
partner violence]. Revista Panamericana de Salud Pblica 5(4/5): 245-258.
1999.
311. MORRISON, A. (Inter-American Development Bank) [Project
description] Personal communication, Jun. 3, 1998.
312. MORRISON, A.R. and ORLANDO, M.B. Social and economic costs
of domestic violence: Chile and Nicaragua. In: Morrison, A.R. and Biehl,
M.L. Too Close to Home: Domestic Violence in the Americas.
Washington, D.C., Inter-American Development Bank. 1997. p. 51-80.
313. MOTSEI, M. and CENTRE FOR HEALTH POLICY. Detection of
Women Battering in Health Care Settings: The Case of Alexandra Health
Clinic. Cape Town, South Africa, Galvin and Sales, 1993.
314. MULLEN, P.E., MARTIN, J.L., ANDERSON, J.C., ROMANS, S.E., and
HERBISON, G.P. The effect of child sexual abuse on social, interpersonal
and sexual function in adult life. British Journal of Psychiatry 165: 35-47.
1994.
315. MULLEN, P.E., MARTIN, J.L., ANDERSON, J.C., ROMANS, S.E., and
HERBISON, G.P. The long-term impact of the physical, emotional, and
sexual abuse of children: A community study. Child Abuse and Neglect
20(1): 7-21. 1996.
316. MULLEN, P.E., ROMANS-CLARKSON, S.E., WALTON, V.A., and
HERBISON, G.P. Impact of sexual and physical abuse on women's mental
health. Lancet 1(8590): 841-845. Apr. 16, 1988.
317. NAGY, S., ADCOCK, A.G., and NAGY, M.C. A comparison of risky
health behaviors of sexually active, sexually abused, and abstaining
adolescents. Pediatrics 93(4): 570-575. 1994.
318. NAJERA, T.P., GUTIERREZ, M., and BAILEY, P. Bolivia: Follow-up to
the 1994 demographic and health survey, and women's economic
activities, fertility and contraceptive use. Research Triangle Park, North
Carolina, Family Health International, Jun. 1998. 8 p.
319. NARAYANA, G. Family violence, sex and reproductive health
behavior among men in Uttar Pradesh, India, unpublished, 1996. 11 p.
320. NASH, M.R., ZIVNEY, O.A., and HULSEY, T. Characteristics of
sexual abuse associated with greater psychological impairment among
children. Child Abuse and Neglect 17(3): 401-408. 1993.
321. NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN. The
national strategy on violence against women. Canberra, Australia,
Australian Government Publishing Service, 1993.
322. NATIONAL SEX AND REPRODUCTION RESEARCH TEAM AND
JENKINS, C. National study of sexual and reproductive knowledge and
behaviour in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Goroka, PNG, PNG Institute of
Medical Research, Mar. 1994. 147 p.
323. NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE AND MACRO INTERNATIONAL
INC. (MI). Philippine safe motherhood survey 1993. Calverton, Maryland,
MI, Oct. 1994.
324. NDUNA, S. A safe space created by and for women: Sexual and
gender-based violence program phase II report. Kibondo, Tanzania,
International Rescue Committee, 1998. 26 p.
325. NELSON, E. and ZIMMERMAN, C. Household survey on domestic
violence in Cambodia. Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Ministry of Women's
Affairs and Project Against Domestic Violence, Aug. 1996. 82 p.
326. NEWBERGER, E.H., BARKAN, S.E., LIEBERMAN, E.S.,
MCCORMICK, M.C., YLLO, K., GARY, L.T., and SCHECHTER, S. Abuse
of pregnant women and adverse birth outcome. Current knowledge and
implications for practice. Journal of the American Medical Association
267(17): 2370-2372. 1992.
327. NOLEN-HOEKSEMA, S. and GIRGUS, J.S. The emergence of gender
differences in depression during adolescence. Psychological Bulletin
115(3): 424-443. 1994.
328. NORTON, L.B., PEIPERT, J.F., ZIERLER, S., LIMA, B., and HUME, L.
Battering in pregnancy: An assessment of two screening methods.
329. NUDELMAN, J., DURBOROW, N., GRAMBS, M., and LETELLIER,
P. Best practices: Innovative domestic violence programs in health care
settings. Grambs, M., ed. San Francisco, Family Violence Prevention
Fund, Apr. 1997. 33 p.
330. O'CONNER, M. Making the links: Towards an integrated strategy for
the elimination of violence against women in intimate relationships with
men. Dublin, Ireland, Women's AID, 1995. 153 p.
331. ODUJINRIN, O. Wife battering in Nigeria. International Journal of
Gynecology and Obstetrics (41): 159-164. 1993.
332. OFEI-ABOAGYE, R. Domestic violence in Ghana: An initial step.
Columbia Journal of Gender and Law 4(1): 1-25. 1994.
333. OKOJIE, C.E. Gender inequalities of health in the third world. Social
Science and Medicine 39(9): 1237-1247. 1994.
334. OKUMU, M.I., CHEGE, I.N., YOURI, P., and ORANGA, H.O.
Female adolescent health and sexuality in Kenyan secondary schools: A
survey report. African Medican and Research Foundation, Feb. 1994. 30
p.
335. OLSON, L., ANCTIL, C., FULLERTON, L., BRILLMAN, J.,
ARBUCKLE, J., and SKLAR, D. Increasing emergency physician
recognition of domestic violence. Annals of Emergency Medicine 27(6):
741-746. 1996.
336. OLSSON, A., ELLSBERG, M., BERGLUND, S., HERRERA, A.,
ZELAYA, E., and PERSSON, L.-. Lifetime experiences of sexual abuse
among Nicaraguan men and women: A population-based anonymous
survey. 1999. 25 p. (Submitted).
337. ORDOEZ, M., OCHOA, L.H., OJEDA, G., ROJAS, G., GMEZ,
L.C., and SAMPER, B. Colombia: Encuesta nacional de demografa y
salud, 1995 [SPA] [Colombia: National demographic and health survey,
1995]. Calverton, Maryland, Macro International, Oct. 1995. 248 p.
338. ORGANIZACIN PANAMERICANA DE SALUD. Estudio de
prevalencia de la violencia domestica en tres municipios: Bolivia 1998.
[SPA] [A study of domestic violence in three municipalities: Bolivia 1998].
La Paz, Bolivia, unpublished, Jan. 1999. 18 p.
339. OROPESA, R.S. Development and marital power in Mexico. Social
Forces 75(4): 1291-1317. 1997.
340. ORPINAS, P. Who is violent? Factors associated with aggressive
behaviors in Latin America and Spain. Pan American Journal of Public
Health 5(4/5): 232-243. 1999.
341. OSAKUE, G. and HILBER, A.M. Women's sexuality and fertility in
Nigeria. In: Petchesky, R. and Judd, K. Negotiating Reproductive Rights.
London, Zed Books Ltd. 1998. p. 180-216.
342. PAK, L.L., REECE, E.A., and CHAN, L. Is adverse pregnancy outcome
predictable after blunt abdominal trauma? American Journal of Obstetrics
and Gynecology 179(5): 1140-1144. 1998.
343. PALUZZI, P.A. and QUIMBY, C.H. Domestic violence education
module. Washington D.C., American College of Nurse-Midwives, 1995.
48 p.
344. PAN AMERICAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION (PAHO). Resolution
CD37.R19 on Violence. PAHO (Website). <http://www.gvpi.net/ paho>
Sept./Oct. 1993. Accessed Dec. 1, 1999.
345. PAN AMERICAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION (PAHO). Achievements
of project "Toward a comprehensive model approach to domestic
violence: Expansion and consolidation of interventions coordinated by the
state and civil society". Washington, D.C., Women, Health and
Development Program, PAHO, 1999. 5 p.
346. PAN AMERICAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION (PAHO). Para vivir sin
violencia: Dimensiones del problema, compromisos de solucin. [SPA]
[To live without violence: Dimensions of the problem, potential solutions].
Washington, D.C., PAHO, Nov. 1999. 12 p.
347. PAN-AMERICAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION. Ruta crtica que
siguen las mujeres vctimas de violencia intrafamiliar: Anlisis y
resultados de investigacin. [SPA] [Help-seeking by victims of family
violence: Analysis and research results]. Panama City, Panama,
Organizacin Panamericana de la Salud en Panam, 1998. 94 p.
348. PAN-AMERICAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION (PAHO). Proyecto
ACTIVA data. [SPA] [Project ACTIVA data]. Pan American Journal of
Public Health 5(4/5): 347-356. PAHO. Apr./May 1999.
349. PAONE, D., CHAVKIN, W., WILETS, I., P, F., and DESJARLAIS, D.
The impact of sexual abuse: Implications for drug treatment. Journal of
Women's Health 1(2): 149-153. 1992.
350. PARKER, B. and CAMPBELL, J. Care of victims of abuse and violence.
In: Wis, G. and Sundeen, S.J. Principles and Practice of Psychiatric
Nursing. St. Louis, Missouri, Mosby. 1991. p. 906-927.
351. PARKER, B., MCFARLANE, J., and SOEKEN, K. Abuse during
pregnancy: Effects on maternal complications and birth weight in adult
and teenage women. Obstetrics and Gynecology 84(3): 323-328. 1994.
352. PARRY, C., TIBBS, J., VAN DER SPUY, J., and CUMMINS, G. Alcohol
attributable fractions for trauma in South Africa. Curationis 19(1): 2-5.
1996.
353. PARSONS, L.H. and MOORE, M.L. Family violence issues in
obstetrics and gynecology, primary care, and nursing texts. Obstetrics and
Gynecology 90(4 Pt. 1): 596-599. 1997.
354. PEDERSEN, W. and SKRONDAL, A. Alcohol and sexual
victimization: A longitudinal study of Norwegian girls. Addiction 91(4):
565-581. 1996.
355. PETERSEN, R., GAZMARARIAN, J.A., SPITZ, A.M., ROWLEY, D.L.,
GOODWIN, M.M., SALTZMAN, L.E., and MARKS, J.S. Violence and
adverse pregnancy outcomes: A review of the literature and directions for
future research. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 13(5): 366-373.
1997.
356. PHILADELPHIA FAMILY VIOLENCE WORKING GROUP. The
RADAR domestic violence training project for health care providiers:
Overview and evaluation. Philadelphia Physicians for Social
Responsibility, Aug. 1, 1996. 27 p.
357. PIOT, P. HIV/AIDS and violence against women. Presented at the
Panel on Women and Health 43rd Session, New York, Mar. 3, 1999.
United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. (Available
<http://www.unaids.org/highband/speeches/ny3march99.html> accessed
Dec. 3, 1999.)
358. PIOTROW, P.T., KINCAID, D. L., HINDIN, M. J., LETTENMAIER, C.
L., KUSEKA, I., SILBERMAN, T., ZINANGA A., CHIKARA, F.,
ADAMCHAK, D. J., MBIZVO, M. T., OPIA, W. L., KUMAH, M., and KIM,
Y. Changing men's attitudes and behavior: The Zimbabwe Male
Motivation Project. Studies in Family Planning 23(6 Pt.1): 365-375.
Nov./Dec. 1992.
359. POONACHA, V. and PANDEY, D. Response to domestic violence in
Karnataka and Gujurat. In: Duvvury, N. Domestic Violence in India.
Washington D.C., International Center for Research on Women. Sep.
1999. p. 28-41.
360. PR NEWSWIRE. Maryland domestic violence victims get added
protection with cell phone contribution. (Baltimore). PR Newswire. Oct.
1, 1998.
361. PRASAD, S. Medicolegal response to violence against women in
India. Violence against Women 5(5): 478-506. 1999.
362. RAIKES, A. Wife abuse as a health issue in the context of changing
gender relations in Kenya today: A case study from Kisii. Copenhagen,
unpublished, 1992. 18 p.
363. RAMIREZ RODRIGUEZ, J.C. and VARGAS BECERRA, P.N. Una
espada de doble filo: La salud reproductiva y la violencia domstica
contra la mujer [SPA] [A double-edged sword: Reproductive health and
domestic violence against women]. Proceedings of the Seminario "Salud
Reproductiva en Amrica Latina y el Caribe: Temas y Problemas," Brazil,
1996. 24 p.
364. RAMOS-JIMENEZ, P. Philippine strategies to combat domestic
violence against women. Manila, Task Force on Social Science and
Reproductive Health, Social Development Research Center, and De La
Salle University, Nov. 1996. 25 p.
365. RANCE, S. Control and resistance: Empowering strategies in the
reproductive lives of La Paz market women. Arlington, Virginia, John
Snow, Inc. Jan. 1994. 54 p.
366. RANCK, S. and TOFT, S. Domestic violence in an urban context with
rural comparisons. Boroko, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Law Reform
Commission of PNG, 1986. (Occasional Paper No. 19) 155 p.
367. RANDALL, M. and HASKELL, L. Sexual violence in women's lives:
findings from the Women's Safety Project, a community-based survey.
Violence Against Women 1(1): 6-31. Mar. 1995.
368. RAO, V. Wife-beating in rural South India: A qualitative and
econometric analysis. Social Science and Medicine 44(8): 1169-1179.
1997.
369. RAPKIN, A.J., KAMES, L.D., DARKE, L.L., STAMPLER, F.M., and
NALIBOFF, B.D. History of physical and sexual abuse in women with
chronic pelvic pain. Obstetrics and Gynecology 76(1): 92-96. 1990.
370. RED DE MUJERES CONTRA LA VIOLENCIA (RMV). Como atender
a las mujeres que viven situationes de violencia domstica? Orientaciones
bsicas para el personal de salud. [SPA] [Care of women living with
domestic violence: Orientation for health care personnel]. Managua,
Nicaragua, RMV, 1999. 58 p.
371. REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RESEARCH UNIT (RHRU). Male
involvement project. Soweto, South Africa, RHRU, 1998.
372. RICHIE, B.E. and JOHNSEN, C. Abuse histories among newly
incarcerated women in a New York City jail. Journal of the American
Medical Women's Association 51(3): 114, 117. 1996.
373. RIND, B. and TROMOVITCH, P. A meta-analytical review of
findings from national samples on psychological correlates on child sexual
abuse. Journal of Sex Research 34(3): 237-255. 1997.
374. RITTMAYER, J. and ROUX, G. Relinquishing the need to fix it.
Medical intervention with domestic abuse. Qualitative Health Research
9(2): 166-181. 1999.
375. ROBERTS, G.L., LAWRENCE, J.M., WILLIAMS, G.M., and RAPHAEL,
B. The impact of domestic violence on women's mental health. Australian
and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 22(7): 796-801. 1998.
376. ROBERTS, G.L., WILLIAMS, G.M., LAWRENCE, J.M., and RAPHAEL,
B. How does domestic violence affect women's mental health? Women's
Health 28(1): 117-129. 1998.
377. ROBEY, B., ROSS, J., and BHUSHAN, I. Meeting unmet need: New
strategies. Population Reports, Series J, No. 43. Baltimore, Johns Hopkins
School of Public Health, Population Information Program, Sep. 1996. 35 p.
378. RODGERS, K. Wife assault: The findings of a national survey.
Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics 14(9): 1-22. 1994.
379. RODRIGUEZ, M.A., QUIROGA, S.S., and BAUER, H.M. Breaking
the silence: Battered women's perspectives on medical care. Archives of
Family Medicine 5(3): 153-158. 1996.
380. RODRIGUEZ, N., RYAN, S.W., VANDE KEMP, H., and FOY, D.W.
Posttraumatic stress disorder in adult female survi-vors of childhood
sexual abuse: A comparison study. Journal of Consulting and Clinical
Psychology 65(1): 53-59. 1997.
381. ROMANS, S.E., MARTIN, J.L., ANDERSON, J.C., HERBISON, G.P.,
and MULLEN, P.E. Sexual abuse in childhood and deliberate self-harm.
American Journal of Psychiatry 152(9): 1336-1342. 1995.
382. ROMERO, M. Violencia sexual y domestica: Informe de la fase
cuantitativa realizada en el centro de atencion a adolescentes de San
Miguel de Allende. [SPA] [Sexual and domestic violence: Report from the
qualitative phase from an adolescent center in San Miguel de Allende].
Mexico City, Population Council, 1994. 53 p.
383. ROMKENS, R. Prevalence of wife abuse in the Netherlands:
Combining quantitative and qualitative methods in survey research.
Journal of Interpersonal Violence 12: 99-125. 1997.
384. RONSMANS, C. and KHLAT, M. Adolescence and risk of violent
death during pregnancy in Matlab, Bangladesh. Lancet 354: 1448. Oct. 23,
1999.
385. ROOSA, M.W., TEIN, J.-Y., REINHOLTZ, C., and ANGELINI, P.J. The
relationship of childhood sexual abuse to teenage pregnancy. Journal of
Marriage and the Family 59: 119-130. Feb. 1997.
386. ROSALES ORTIZ, J., LOAIZA, E., PRIMANTE, D., BARBERENA, A.,
BLANDON SEQUEIRA, L., and ELLSBERG, M. Encuesta Nicaraguense
de demografia y salud, 1998 [SPA] [1998 Nicaraguan demographic and
health survey]. Managua, Nicaragua, Instituto Nacional de Estadisticas y
Censos, 1999. 319 p.
387. ROTHENBERG, K.H. and PASKEY, S.J. The risk of domestic violence
and women with HIV infection: Implications for partner notification, public
policy, and the law. American Journal of Public Health 85(11): 1569-1576.
1995.
388. ROTHENBERG, K.H., PASKEY, S.J., REULAND, M.M.,
ZIMMERMAN, S.I., and NORTH, R.L. Domestic violence and partner
notification: Implications for treatment and counseling of women with HIV.
Journal of the American Medical Women's Association 50(3-4): 87-93.
1995.
389. ROTHERAM-BORUS, M.J., MAHLER, K.A., KOOPMAN, C., and
LANGABEER, K. Sexual abuse history and associated multiple risk
POPULATION REPORTS
43
behavior in adolescent runaways. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry
66(3): 390-400. 1996.
390. ROZEE, P.D. Forbidden or forgiven? Rape in cross-cultural
perspective. Psychology of Women Quarterly 17: 499-514. 1993.
391. SAFER, A. Healthy Relationships: A Violence-Prevention Curriculum.
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Oxford Street Press, 1994. 284 p.
392. SALWAY, S. How attitudes toward family planning and discussion
between wives and husbands affect contraceptive use in Ghana.
International Family Planning Perspectives 20(2): 44-47. 1994.
393. SANDAY, P.R. The socio-cultural context of rape: A cross cultural
study. Journal of Social Issues 37(4): 5-27. 1981.
394. SANSONE, R.A., WIEDERMAN, M.W., and SANSONE, L.A. Health
care utilization and history of trauma among women in a primary care
setting. Violence and Victims 12(2): 165-172. 1997.
395. SARAH, R. Latin American men take on new roles in reproductive
health. Populi, New York. United Nations Population Fund, Dec. 1998/Jan.
1999. p. 9-11.
396. SAS, L.D. and CUNNINGHAM, A.H. Tipping the balance to tell the
secret: Public discovery of child sexual abuse. Ontario, Canada, London
Family Court Clinic, Mar. 1995. 201 p.
397. SATIN, A.J., HEMSELL, D.L., STONE, I.C., JR., THERIOT, S., and
WENDEL, G.D., Jr. Sexual assault in pregnancy. Obstetr i cs and
Gynecology 77(5): 710-714. 1991.
398. SAUCEDO, I. (Reproductive Health and Society Program, El Colegio
de Mexico) [Working group on domestic violence and health] Personal
communication, Apr. 14, 1999.
399. SAUNDERS, D.G. and KINDY JR., P. Predictors of physicians'
responses to woman abuse: The role of gender, background, and brief
training. Journal of General Internal Medicine 8(11): 606-609. 1993.
400. SCHAAF, K.K. and MCCANNE, T.R. Relationship of childhood sexual,
physical, and combined sexual and physical abuse to adult victimization
and posttraumatic stress disorder. Child Abuse and Neglect 22(11):
1119-1133. 1998.
401. SCHEI, B. Psycho-social factors in pelvic pain. A controlled study of
women living in physically abusive relationships. Acta Obstetricia et
Gynecologica Scandinavica 69(1): 67-71. 1990.
402. SCHEI, B. Physically abusive spouseCa risk factor of pelvic
inflammatory disease? Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care 9(1):
41-45. 1991.
403. SCHEI, B. and BAKKETEIG, L.S. Gynaecological impact of sexual and
physical abuse by spouse: A study of a random sample of Norwegian
women. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 96(12): 1379-1383.
1989.
404. SCHEI, B., SAMUELSEN, S.O., and BAKKETEIG, L.S. Does spousal
physical abuse affect the outcome of pregnancy? Scandinavian Journal of
Social Medicine 19(1): 26-31. 1991.
405. SCHOTENSACK, K., ELLIGER, T., GROSS, A., and NISSEN, G.
Prevalence of sexual abuse of children in Germany. Acta
Paedopsychiatrica 55(4): 211-216. 1992.
406. SCHULER, S.R., HASHEMI, S.M., and BADAL, S.H. Men's violence
against women in rural Bangladesh: Undermined or exacerbated by
microcredit programmes? Development in Practice 8(2): 148-157. May
1998.
407. SCHULER, S.R., HASHEMI, S.M., RILEY, A.P., and AKHTER, S. Credit
programs, patriarchy and men's violence against women in rural
Bangladesh. Social Science and Medicine 43(12): 1729-1742. 1996.
408. SEN, P. Networks, support groups, and domestic violence.
Development in Practice 6(4): 364-367. 1996.
409. SEN, P. Ending the presumption of consent. Non-consensual sex in
marriage: A worldwide programme. London, CHANGE, Apr. 1999.
(Working Paper) 10 p.
410. SERBANESCU, F., MORRIS, L., STRATILA, M., and BIVOL, O.
Reproductive health survey, Moldova, 1997. Atlanta, Centers for Disease
Control, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Dec. 1998. 338
p.
411. SHEDLIN, M. and HOLLERBACH, P.E. Modern and traditional
fertility regulation in a Mexican community: The process of decision
making. Studies in Family Planning 12(6/7): 278-296. 1991.
412. SHERMAN, S.G. and STECKLER, A. "What the 'caine was tellin' me
to do." Crack users' risk of HIV: An exploratory study of female inmates.
Women's Health 4(2): 117-134. 1998.
413. SHORT, L. Survivor's identification of protective factors and early
warning signs in intimate partner violence. Center for Health and Gender
Equity (CHANGE), ed. Proceedings of the Third Annual Meeting of the
International Research Network on Violence Against Women, Washington
D.C., 1998. CHANGE, p. 27-31
414. SINAL, S.H. Sexual abuse of children and adolescents. Southern
Medical Journal 87(12): 1242-1258. 1994.
415. SINGH, H.S., YIING, W.W., and NURANI, H.N. Prevalence of
childhood sexual abuse among Malaysian paramedical students. Child
416. SINGHAL, A. and ROGERS, E.M. Planned social change.
Bettinghaus, E.P. and Cody, M. eds. Persuasive Communication. New
York, Holt, Rhinehart and Winston, 1994. 38 p.
417. SISTERHOOD IS GLOBAL INSTITUTE (SIGI). SIGI field coordinators
report on workshops. SIGI News, Vol. 6 No. 2. Bethesda, Maryland. SIGI,
Fall/Winter 1999. p. 8.
418. SMITH, P.H., MORACCO, K.E., and BUTTS, J.D. Partner homicide
in context: A population-based perspective. Homicide Studies 2(4):
400-421. 1998.
419. SONG, L.Y., SINGER, M.I., and ANGLIN, T.M. Violence exposure
and emotional trauma as contributors to adolescents' violent behaviors.
Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 152(6): 531-536. 1998.
420. SPACCARELLI, S., COATSWORTH, J.D., and BOWDEN, B.S.
Exposure to serious family violence among incarcerated boys: Its
association with violent offending and potential medi-ating variables.
Violence and Victims 10(3): 163-182. 1995.
421. STATHAM, D.J., HEATH, A.C., MADDEN, P.A., BUCHOLZ, K.K.,
BIERUT, L., DINWIDDIE, S.H., SLUTSKE, W.S., DUNNE, M.P., and
MARTIN, N.G. Suicidal behaviour: An epidemiological and genetic study.
Psychological Medicine 28(4): 839-855. 1998.
422. STEELE, F., AMIN, S., and NAVED, R.T. The impact of an integrated
micro-credit program on women's empowerment and fertility behavior
in rural Bangladesh. New York, Population Council, 1998. (Policy
Research Division Working Papers No. 115) 39 p.
423. STEVENS-SIMON, C. and REICHERT, S. Sexual abuse, adolescent
pregnancy, and child abuse: A developmental approach to an
intergenerational cycle. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
148(1): 23-27. 1994.
424. STOCK, J.L., BELL, M.A., BOYER, D.K., and CONNELL, F.A.
Adolescent pregnancy and sexual risk-taking among sexually abused girls.
Family Planning Perspectives 29(5): 200-203, 227. 1997.
425. STRAIGHT TALK FOUNDATION. Communication for better health.
(Website). <http://www.swiftuganda.com/~strtalk/> 1999. Accessed Oct.
12, 1999.
426. STRATHDEE, S.A., PATRICK, D.M., ARCHIBALD, C.P., OFNER, M.,
CORNELISSE, P.G., REKART, M., SCHECHTER, M.T., and
O'SHAUGHNESSY, M.V. Social determinants predict needle-sharing
behaviour among injection drug users in Vancouver, Canada. Addiction
92(10): 1339-1347. 1997.
427. STRAUS, M. and GELLES, R. Societal change and change in family
violence from 1975 to 1985 as revealed by two national surveys. Journal
of Marriage and the Family (48): 465-479. 1986.
428. SUGG, N.K. and INUI, T. Primary care physicians' response to
domestic violence. Opening Pandora's box. Journal of the American
Medical Association 267(23): 3157-3160. 1992.
429. SUTHERLAND, C., BYBEE, D., and SULLIVAN, C. The long-term
effects of battering on women's health. Women's Health 4(1): 41-70. 1998.
430. TAGGART, L. and MATTSON, S. Delay in prenatal care as a result
of battering in pregnancy: Cross-cultural implications. Health Care for
Women International 17(1): 25-34. 1996.
431. TEMMERMAN, M., NDINYA-ACHOLA, J., AMBANI, J., and PIOT,
P. The right not to know HIV-test results. Lancet 345(8955): 969-970. 1995.
432. THOMAS, D.Q. In search of solutions: Women's police stations in
Brazil. In: Davies, M., ed. Women and Violence: Realities and Responses
Worldwide. London, Zed Books Ltd. 1994. p. 32-43.
433. THOMPSON, M.P., KASLOW, N.J., KINGREE, J.B., PUETT, R.,
THOMPSON, N.J., and MEADOWS, L. Partner abuse and posttraumatic
stress disorder as risk factors for suicide attempts in a sample of
low-income, inner-city women. Journal of Traumatic Stress 12(1): 59-72.
1999.
434. TILDEN, V., SCHMIDT, T., LIMANDRI, B., CHIODO, G.,
GARLAND, M., and LOVELESS, P. Factors that influence clinician's
assessment and management of family violence. American Journal of
Public Health 84(4): 628-633. 1994.
435. TILDEN, V.P. and SHEPHERD, P. Increasing the rate of identification
of battered women in an emergency department: Use of a nursing
protocol. Research in Nursing Health 10(4): 209-215. 1987.
436. TJADEN, P. and THOENNES, N. Prevalence, incidence and
consequences of violence against women: Findings from the national
violence against women survey. Washington, D.C., National Institute of
Justice, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nov. 1998. 16 p.
437. TOFT, S. and BONNELL, S. Marriage and domestic violence in rural
Papua New Guinea (PNG). Boroko, PNG, Law Reform Commission of
PNG, 1985. (Occasional Papers No. 18) 116 p.
438. TOLMAN, R.M. and EDLESON, J.L. Intervention for men who batter:
A review of research. In: Stith, S.R. and Strauss, M.A. Understanding
Partner Violence: Prevalence, Causes, Consequences and Solutions.
Minneapolis, Minnesota, Nation Council on Family Relations. 1995. p.
262-273.
439. TOLMAN, R.M. and WEISZ, A. Coordinated community intervention
for domestic violence: The effects of arrest and prosecution on recidivism
of women abuse perpetrators. Crime and Delinquency 41: 481-495. Oct.
1, 1995.
440. TRAVERSO, M.T. Violencia en la pareja: La cara oculta de la
relacin. [SPA] [Intimate partner violence: The hidden face of
relationships]. Washington D.C., Inter-Development Bank, 1999. 34 p.
441. ULIN, P.R., CAYEMITTES, M., and METELLUS, E. Haitian women's
role in sexual decisionmaking: The gap between AIDS knowledge and
behavior change. Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, Family Health
International, Nov. 1995. 85 p.
442. UNITED NATIONS (UN). The world's women 1995: Trends and
statistics. New York, UN, 1995. (Social Statistics and Indicators, Series K,
No. 12) 186 p.
443. UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND (UNICEF). The progress of
nations. New York, UNICEF, 1997. 68 p.
444. UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY. Declaration on the
elimination of violence against women. Proceedings of the 85th Plenary
Meeting, Geneva, Dec. 20, 1993. United Nations General Assembly.
445. UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUND (UNFPA). Vio-lence
against girls and women. New York, UNFPA, 1999. 24 p.
446. USTUN, T.B. The global burden of mental disorders. American
Journal of Public Health 89(9): 1315-1318. 1999.
447. VALDEZ-SANTIAGO, R. and SANIN-AGUIRRE, L.H. Domestic
violence during pregnancy and its relationship with birth weight. Salud
Publica Mexicana 38(5): 352-362. 1996.
448. VALLADARES, E., ELLSBERG, M., PEA, R., HGBERG, U., and
PERSSON, L.. Physical abuse during pregnancy: A risk factor for low
birth weight. 1999. 19 p. (Submitted).
449. VAN DER STRATEN, A., KING, R., GRINSTEAD, O., SERUFILIRA,
A., and ALLEN, S. Couple communication, sexual coercion and HIV risk
in Kigali, Rwanda. AIDS (9): 935-944. 1995.
450. VARGA, C.A. Links between sexual dynamics and reproductive
health beahvior among KwaZulu/Natal youth: Qualitative and quantitative
perspectives. Presented at the Fifth Reproductive Health Priorities
Conference, Drakensberg, South Africa, Aug. 17-20, 1999. 100 p.
451. VISARIA, L. Violence against women in India: Evidence from rural
Gujarat. In: Domestic Violence in India. Washington D.C., International
Center for Research on Women. Sep. 1999. p. 9-17.
452. VITANZA, S., VOGEL, L.C., and MARSHALL, L.L. Distress and
symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder in abused women. Violence
and Victims 10(1): 23-34. 1995.
453. VUNDULE, C., MAFORAH, F., JEWKES, R., and JORDAN, E. Risk
factors for teenage pregnancy among sexually active African adolescents
in Cape Town: A case-control study. Cape Town, South Africa,
unpublished, 1999. 26 p.
454. WADHWA, P.D., DUNKEL-SCHETTER, C., CHICZ-DEMET, A.,
PORTO, M., and SANDMAN, C.A. Prenatal psychosocial factors and the
neuroendocrine axis in human pregnancy. Psychosomatic Medicine 58(5):
432-446. 1996.
455. WALKER, E., GELFAND, A., KATON, W., KOSS, M., KORFF, M.V.,
BERNSTEIN, D., and RUSSO, J. Adult health status of women HMO
members with histories of childhood abuse and neglect. American Journal
of Medicine 107(4): 332-339. 1999.
456. WALKER, E.A., KATON, W.J., HANSOM, J., HARROP-GRIFFITHS,
J., HOLM, L., JONES, M.L., HICKOK, L., and JEMELKA, R.P. Medical and
psychiatric symptoms in women with childhood sexual abuse.
Psychosomatic Medicine 54: 658-664. 1992.
457. WALKER, E.A., KATON, W.J., ROY-BYRNE, P.P., JEMELKA, R.P.,
and RUSSO, J. Histories of sexual victimization in patients with irritable
bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease. American Journal of
Psychiatry 150(10): 1502-1506. 1993.
458. WALKER, E.A., KEEGAN, D., GARDNER, G., SULLIVAN, M.,
BERNSTEIN, D., and KATON, W.J. Psychosocial factors in fibromyalgia
compared with rheumatoid arthritis: II. Sexual, physical, and emotional
abuse and neglect. Psychosomatic Medicine 59(6): 572-577. 1997.
459. WALKER, E.A., UNUTZER, J., RUTTER, C., GELFAND, A.,
SAUNDERS, K., VONKORFF, M., KOSS, M.P., and KATON, W. Costs of
health care use by women HMO members with a history of childhood
abuse and neglect. Archives of General Psychiatry 56(7): 609-613. 1999.
460. WARSHAW, C. and GANLEY, A.L. Improving the health care
response to domestic violence: A resource manual for health care
providers. San Francisco, Family Violence Prevention Fund, May 1998.
134 p. (2nd ed.)
461. WASHINGTON COLLEGE OF LAW, PAN AMERICAN HEALTH
ORGANIZATION, and HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY
PROJECT. Conclusions and recommendations: Pan American consultation
of legal and health experts Washington, D.C., unpublished, 1996. 13 p.
462. WATKINS, B. and BENTOVIM, A. The sexual abuse of male children
and adolescents: A review of current research. Journal of Child Psychology
and Psychiatry 33: 197-248. 1992.
463. WATKINS, S.C., RUTENBERG, N., and WILKINSON, D. Orderly
theories, disorderly women. In: Jones, G.W., Doublas, R.M., Caldwell, J.C.,
and D'Souza, R.M. The Continuing Demographic Transition. New York,
Oxford University Press. 1997.
464. WATTS, C. (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine)
[Unpublished data on violence] Personal communication, Dec. 2, 1999.
465. WATTS, C. and NDLOVU, M. Addressing violence in Zimbabwe:
Strengthening the health sector response. In: Violence Against Women in
Zimbabwe: Strategies for Action. Harare, Zimbabwe, Musasa Project.
1997. p. 31-35.
466. WEISS, E. and GUPTA, G.R. Bridging the gap: Addressing gender and
sexuality in HIV Prevention. Washington D.C., International Center for
Research on Women, 1998. 31 p.
467. WEISSMAN, M.M., BLAND, R., JOYCE, P.R., NEWMAN, S., WELLS,
J.E., and WITTCHEN, H.U. Sex differences in rates of depression:
Cross-national perspectives. Journal of Affective Disorders 29(2-3): 77-84.
1993.
468. WELBOURN, A. Incorporating gender issues into the community
AIDS prevention programs: The stepping stones methodology. Proceedings
of the Changing Communication Strategies for Reproductive Health and
Rights meeting, Washington D.C., Dec. 10-11, 1997. The Health and
Development Policy Project and Population Council. p. 34-37.
469. WHIFFEN, V.E. and CLARK, S.E. Does victimization account for sex
differences in depressive symptoms? British Journal of Clinical Psychology
36(Pt. 2): 185-193. 1997.
470. WIEDERMAN, M.W., SANSONE, R.A., and SANSONE, L.A. History
of trauma and attempted suicide among women in a primary care setting.
Violence and Victims 13(1): 3-9. 1998.
471. WILSNACK, S.C., VOGELTANZ, N.D., KLASSEN, A.D., and HARRIS,
T.R. Childhood sexual abuse and women's substance abuse: National
survey findings. Journal of Studies in Alcohol 58(3): 264-271. 1997.
472. WINGOOD, G.M. and DICLEMENTE, R.J. The effects of an abusive
primary partner on the condom use and sexual negotiation practices of
African-American women. American Journal of Public Health 87(6):
1016-1018. 1997.
473. WISNER, C.L., GILMER, T.P., SALTZMAN, L.E., and ZINK, T.M.
Intimate partner violence against women: Do victims cost health plans
more? Journal of Family Practice 48(6): 439-43.
474. WOMEN'S RIGHTS INTERNATIONAL (WRI). Violence against
women in war: A manual for training certified midwives in Liberia.
Laramie, Wyoming, WRI, Dec. 1998. 72 p.
475. WOOD, K. and JEWKES, R. Violence, rape, and sexual coercion:
Everyday love in South Africa. Gender and Development 5(2): 23-30.
1997.
476. WOODTLI, M.A. and BRESLIN, E. Violence-related content in the
POPULATION REPORTS
44
nursing curriculum: A national study. Journal of Nursing Education 35(8):
367-374. 1996.
477. WORLD BANK. World development report 1993: Investing in
Health. New York, Oxford University Press, 1993. 329 p.
478. WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY (WHA). Prevention of violence: A
public health priority (handbook of resolution). WHA, May 25, 1996. (Sixth
plenary meeting, Committee B, fourth report. 3rd ed.)
479. WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO). Violence against
women: A priority health issue. WHO/FRH/WHD/97.8, Geneva, WHO,
Jul. 1997. Fact sheets.
480. WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO). Violence against
women: Legislation. Geneva, WHO, 5 p. (Forthcoming in the World's
Women 2000.)
481. WORTH, D. Sexual decisionmaking and AIDS: Why condom
promotion among vulnerable women is likely to fail. Studies in Family
Planning 20(6): 297-307. 1989.
482. WORTH, D. Sexual violence against women and substance abuse.
New York, Domestic Violence Task Force, 1991.
483. WYATT, G., TUCKER, M.B., ELDERMIRE, D., BAIN, B., FRANC, E.L.,
and SIMEON, D. Female low income workers and AIDS. Los Angeles and
Kingston, Jamaica, University of California at Los Angeles and University
of the West Indies, 1993.
484. YATES, G., MACKENZIE, R., PENNBRIDGE, J., and COHEN, E. A
risk profile comparison of homeless youth involved in prostitution and
homeless youth not involved. Journal of Adolescent Health 12: 545-548.
1991.
485. YOSHIHAMA, M. and SORENSON, S.B. Physical, sexual, and
emotional abuse by male intimates: Experiences of women in Japan.
Violence and Victims 9(1): 63-77. 1994
486. ZEGARRA-TARGUI, M. Redes locales frente a la violencia familiar.
[SPA] [Local networks confronting family violence]. Lima, Peru,
Organizacion Panamericana de la Salud, Jun. 1999. (Violencia
intrafamiliar y salud publica: Documento de analysis No. 2) 24 p.
487. ZIERLER, S. FEINGOLD, L., LUFER, D., VELENTGAS, P.,
KANTROWITZ-GORDON, I., and MAYER, K. Adult survivors of
childhood sexual abuse and subsequent risk of HIV infection. American
Journal of Public Health 81(5): 572-575. 1991.
488. ZIMMERMAN, K. Plates in a basket will rattle: Domestic violence in
Cambodia: A summary. Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Project Against
Domestic Violence, 1995. 263 p.
<CENTER>ADDENDA</CENTER>
489. AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (AMA). Diagnostic and
treatment guidelines on domestic violence. Chicago, AMA, 1992. 19 p.
490. AUSTRALIAN STATISTICS BUREAU (ASB). Women's safety:
Australia. Belconnen, Australia, ASB, 1996. 90 p.
491. COOK, R. and MAINE, D. Spousal veto over family planning
services. American Journal of Public Health 77(3): 339-344. 1987.
492. DE VOS, E., NEWBERGER, E., and COHEN, S. Family violence and
the health care system: Lessons from five communities. Newton,
Massachusetts, Education Development Center, Apr. 14, 1993. 27 p.
493. DONOVAN, R., PATERSON, D., and FRANCAS, M. Targeting male
perpetrators of intimate partner violence: Western Australia's "Freedom
from Fear" campaign. Social Marketing Quarterly 5(3): 128-144. 1999.
494. HANDWERKER, W.P. Why violence? A test of hypotheses
representing three discourses on the roots of domestic violence. Human
Organization 57: 200-208. 1998.
495. HEISE, L. Topical microbicides: New hope for HIV/STI prevention.
Takoma Park, Maryland, Center for Health and Gender Equity, 1999. 27
p.
496. INDIASAFE STEERING COMMITTEE. IndiaSAFE final report.
Washington, D.C., International Center for Research on Women, Dec.
1999.
497. KRUGMAN, S., MATA, L., and KRUGMAN, R. Sexual abuse and
corporal punishment during childhood: A pilot retrospective survey of
university students in Costa Rica. Pediatrics 90(1 Pt. 2): 157-161. 1992.
498. MACMILLAN, H.L., FLEMING, J.E., TROCME, N., BOYLE, M.H.,
WONG, M., RACINE, Y.A., BEARDSLEE, W.R., and OFFORD, D.R.
Prevalence of child physical and sexual abuse in the community. Results
from the Ontario Health Supplement. Journal of the American Medical
Association 278(2): 131-135. 1997.
499. MILLER, K., MILLER, R., ASKEW, I., HORN, M.C., and NDHLOVU,
L., eds. Clinic-based family planning and reproductive health services in
Africa: Findings from situation analysis studies. New York, Population
Council, 1998. 255 p.
500. TAYLOR, J. and STEWART, S. Sexual and domestic violence: Help,
recovery, and action in Zimbabwe. Harare, Zimbabwe, A. von Glehn and
J. Taylor, 1991. 312 p.
501. TSCHUMPER, A., NARRING, F., MEIER, C., and MICHAUD, P.A.
Sexual victimization in adolescent girls (age 15-20 years) enrolled in
post-mandatory schools or professional training programmes in
Switzerland. Acta Paediatrica 87(2): 212-217. 1998.
502. UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR WOMEN
(UNIFEM). A world free from violence against women. UNIFEM
(Website). <http://www.unifem.undp.org/speaks/vawstat.html> Nov. 25,
1999. Accessed Dec. 14, 1999.
503. UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR WOMEN
(UNIFEM). The trust fund in support of actions to eliminate violence against
women. UNIFEM (Website). <http://www.unifem.undp.org/ trust.htm>
1999. Accessed Dec. 14, 1999.
ISSN 0887-0241
When I Call for Help
A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence Against
Women
A Statement of the U.S. Catholic
Bishops
In the beginning, I was younghe was handsome. He said I
was beautiful, smart, worthy of love made me feel that way.
And so we were married, walking joyfully together down a
church aisle, our union blessed by God.
Then came the angry words the verbal tearing apart Now I
was made to feel ugly, unintelligent, unworthy of any love, Gods
or mans.
An Overview of Domestic Violence
Domest i c Vi ol enc e is any kind of behavior that
a person uses to control an intimate partner
through fear and intimidation.
It includes physical, sexual, psychological, verbal
and economic abuse.
Examples include battering, name calling and
insults, threats to kill or harm ones partner or
children, marital rape, or forced abortion.
Next came the beatings unrelenting violence..
unceasing pain. I shouldn t stay, but this is my
husbandpromised forever. He says I deserve it maybe
I do if I could just be good. I feel so alone doesn t God
hear me ?
An Overview of Domestic Violence
(Contd)
WHY MEN BATTER
Men who abuse
generally share some
common
characteristics. They
tend to be jealous,
possessive and easily
angered.
Hold a view of women
as inferior
Alcohol and Drugs
WHY WOMEN STAY
Fear : for
themselves, for their
children, fear that they
cannot support
themselves
Religion: Resource or Roadblock ?
As a resource, religion encourages women
to resist mistreatment
As a roadblock, its misinterpretations can
contribute to the victims self blame and
suffering to the abusers rationalizations.
Religion: Resource or Roadblock ?
A correct reading of Scripture leads to an understanding of
the equal dignity of men and women and to relationships
based on mutuality and love.
Husbands should love their wives as they love their
own body, as Christ loves the Church.
Forgiveness does not mean forgetting the abuse or
pretending it did not happen. Forgiveness is not
permission to repeat the abuse.
An abused womens suffering is not punishment
from God. This image of a harsh, cruel God runs
contrary to the biblical image of a kind, merciful,
loving God.
No person is expected to stay in an abusive
marriage. We encourage abused persons who
have divorced to investigate the possibility of
seeking an annulment
First Responders: Priests, Deacons and
Lay Ministers
Intervention by Church ministers has three
goals:
1. Safety for the victim and children
2. Accountability for the abuser
3. Restoration of the relationship ( if
possible) or mourning over loss
First Responders: Priests, Deacons
and Lay Ministers
First responders:
Listen to and believe the victims story
Help assess the danger to oneself and children
Refer to counseling and other specialized services
It is important to note that when dealing with
people who abuse, church ministers need to hold
them accountable for their behavior. Couple
counseling is not appropriate, and can endanger
the victims safety.
What You Can Do to Help
For Abused Women
You are not alone, and help is
available for you.
Talk in confidence to someone you
trust.
Set up a plan of action to ensure
your safety.
Find out about resources in your
area, such as your diocesan
Catholic Charities office or family
life office.
National Domestic Violence
Hotline: 800-799-SAFE, provides
crisis intervention and references
to local services.
For Men Who Abuse
Admit that abuse is your problem,
and begin to believe that you can
change your behavior if you
choose to do so.
Be willing to reach out for help.
The Church is available to help
you.
Find alternative ways to act when
you become frustrated or angry.
When I Cal l For Hel p: A Pr ayer
One sour c e of heal i ng t hat we have i n our l i ves as Chr i st i ans
i s pr ayer.
Li st en, God t o my pr ayer ;
Do not hi de f r om my pl eadi ng
Hear me and gi ve answer.
I f an enemy had r evi l ed me,
That I c oul d bear ;
I f my f oe had vi ewed me w i t h c ont empt ,
Fr om t hat I c oul d hi de.
But i t was you, my ot her sel f,
My c omr ade and f r i end,
You, w hose c ompany I enj oyed,
At w hose si de I wal ked
I n pr oc essi on i n t he house of God.
But I w i l l c al l upon God,
And t he Lor d w i l l save me.
At dusk , daw n and noon
I w i l l gr i eve and c ompl ai n
And my pr ayer w i l l be hear d.
What You Can Do To Help.. For Pastors
and Pastoral Staff
Include information about
domestic violence and local
resources in parish bulletins,
newsletters and websites
Place copies of this brochure and
other information about domestic
violence in womens restroom
Keep an updated list of resources
Find a staff person or volunteer to
receive in depth training
Provide training to all church
ministers on domestic violence
Participate in Domestic Violence
Awareness Month (October)
Use liturgies to draw attention to
violence and abuse
Describe what abuse is so that
women recognize what's
happening to them
Identify violence against women as
a sin in parish reconciliation
services
Ask direct questions if you suspect
abuse
Have an action plan in place incase
an abused women calls on you for
help
Discuss domestic violence in
marriage prep. sessions
Conclusion
Finally came the release, the
realization. Its not me, its him...
I am worthy of love, Gods and
mans
- A battered wife
Homily on Domestic Violence
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Speaking in Gods name, the prophet Malachi levels a stinging criticism against the priests of
Israel. They have not been faithful messengers of the truth. Rather than instruct the people in
knowledge they have caused many to stumble. For this reason, God says I have caused you to
be despised and humiliated. How strong is this!!
In a similar fashion, Jesus lambasts the Scribes and Pharisees: For they preach but they do not
practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people's shoulders, but they
will not lift a finger to move them.
We priests (clergy) must take these criticisms to heart. Jesus reserved his sharpest criticism for
pharisaical religion and uncommitted religious leaders. We must reflect on whether we are
preaching the whole truth without regard for own person or prestige. For this reason, today I
want to address a topic that is seldom discussed in the pulpit domestic violence.
Domestic violence is an enormous problem in our community. The statistics prove it is of
epidemic proportions.
-Every 15 seconds a woman is beaten in the United States.
- 1 in 3 or 4 women (30%) is battered once in her life time. Imagine 1 out of every 3 or 4
women has been beaten.
- While 58,000 US soldiers died in Vietnam, 54,000 women were killed by their partners
in the US
These statistics would indicate that there are women among us today in this assembly who have
been or still are victims of domestic violence. Our heart goes out to you. We hope you will find
freedom from the violence, and if you are already liberated, may you find healing for you
wounds.
We might think that domestic violence happens in other communities but not in ours. This is not
true. According to sociological studies, domestic violence occurs equally in every community,
no matter whether it is black, brown or white or rich or poor. Domestic violence is destroying
families and inflicting suffering on women and their children in every community.
Of course, men are also victims, but only a minority of victims are men. For this reason, I am
speaking primarily about women today.
Many women victims of domestic violence are unaware they are victims. They may think their
husbands just get angry or are strong-willed; they may excuse a violent outburst because their
husbands later apologize and ask for forgiveness.

Perhaps they are unaware they are victims because their definition of domestic violence only
includes physical violence. In fact, domestic violence is much broader; it includes physical,
emotional or verbal, economic and sexual abuse.
The definition of domestic violence is a pattern of behavior based on the use of power and
control of one person over another. Abusers use different ways to exercise their power and
control; it may take the form of physical, verbal or emotional, economical and sexual abuse.
Physical abuse, of course, is relatively easy to recognize. It includes punching, slapping,
kicking, pulling hair, and even threatening with an instrument or weapon.
Emotional abuse is a lot harder to detect but many victims say it hurts them more than physical
violence. Emotional abuse includes insults, belittling, fowl words, excessive jealousy and
control.
Domestic violence often takes the form of economic control, especially in cases where the
woman works at home. She has no income and has to ask, if not plead, for every penny she
needs for the food and the children. The abuser exercises control by giving her almost no money
and then belittling her as financially irresponsible.
Sexual abuse is even more common now with such easy access to pornography on the internet.
Abusers might demand their wives watch pornography, or engage in activities or wear clothes
the women find offensive. Some even force their wives to have sex, which is actually rape.
STORY - The preacher should add a story from his experience. Here is a sample:
A woman came to see me last week. She asked me to talk to her husband because he was
drinking a lot. I asked her how he was treating her. Not well, she said. Does he use bad
language on you? Yes, she replied. What words does he use? He calls me stupid and
even worse names, which I am too embarrassed to say. Does he hit you? No, not recently.
How long ago did he hit you? Three months ago. How did he hit you? With his fist, but
he apologized the next day and hasnt hit me since. Does your family know about this? No, I
am ashamed to tell them. Do you have anyone to talk to or support you? No she said.
Well, I said, You dont deserve to be treated this way, and I want to support you. Ill bet you
dont feel very good about yourself, do you? No, she said. Well, I want you to talk to a
counselor to build up your self-esteem and make you strong enough so you can confront your
husbands abusive behavior and figure out whether how you are going to free yourself from this
terrible abuse. If your husband wants to talk to me, I would be happy to.
As you can see, this woman is abused both physically and emotionally. I should have asked her
about the possibility of economic and sexual abuse as well.
Domestic violence is learned behavior, meaning it is not inherited; it is not genetic. Since it is
learned, it can be unlearned or changed. But male abusers do not easily abandon their violent
ways. They need to be challenged and held accountable for their actions.

Some abusers will excuse themselves by blaming alcohol or drugs, or perhaps they claim its the
stress that makes them violent or the abuse they suffered as children. All these factors may very
well aggravate their violence but they are not the cause.
Some men even blame their victims, claiming that if their partners were better wives or
housekeepers, better mothers or more responsible, they themselves wouldnt get so mad.
Basically they blame the victim, when the real reason for their abuse is their desire to exercise
power and control over their partner.
After severe episodes of violence, whether beatings, yelling or threats, abusers generally become
remorseful. They apologize and ask for forgiveness while at the same time blaming the victims
for having caused the violence they themselves perpetrated. This is called the honeymoon stage
and it is highly unlikely to continue. The change of mood, however, confuses the victim, as she
begins to think he might change. In fact, abusers rarely change. Soon the tension will begin to
build again as he pursues his goal of maintaining power and control. Abusers will not change
until they are held accountable for their violence.
Most women victims of domestic violence struggle to liberate themselves from their abuser.
But its difficult to accomplish. Often we dont understand why they just dont pick up and leave
their abusers. But it is not easy. Lets review some reasons why women victims do not leave.
1. First of all, there is economic dependence. Many women victims do not believe they can
earn enough to support themselves and their children. They believe they have put up
with the violence in order to survive economically.

2. Many women are embarrassed by their abuse. They dont want anyone to know, so it is
better to stay with the abuser than leave.

3. Perhaps the women have internalized the abuse to such an extent that they believe all the
insults their abusers level at them. She begins believing she is incompetent, useless,
unable to earn or manage money, and even ugly and unpleasing to anyone. Her self
confidence and self esteem are destroyed; she feels worthless.

4. Some women do not leave their partners because of fear. They are terrified of threats that
their partner will kill them or their children or maybe even themselves. And the women
dont want the responsibility for that.

5. Because some women dont leave because they see that their children love their fathers.
They dont want to separate their children from their father, and so they stay for the
childrens sake. A father may even cultivate the childrens affection as a way to insure
that their mother will not leave him.
But, raising children in a violent home is one of the worst things a parent can do for her
children. The small boys learn from their fathers how to abuse women, and the girls
learn how to be submissive and accept abuse.
6. Some women stay with their abusive spouses because they love them and are committed
to reforming them. They constantly forgive them and give them another chance. They
want to save them, so they dont leave.

7. Finally, some women stay because they believe that because they were married in the
church, they cannot separate themselves from their abusive husbands. They dont want to
offend God. But can we really imagine that Jesus would want them to stay in a violent
relationship. Can you imagine Jesus coming across a woman with a black eye and her arm in
a sling and saying to her that she had to return to her husband? Of course not. He would
defend her and probably go looking for her abusive husband. Christ came to free us from
sin and violence.

Unfortunately, our church has in some ways been complicit in this epidemic of domestic
violence, especially we priests. We have not spoken out against it very well. I am sure very few
of you have ever heard a sermon about domestic violence. (Those who have can raise their
hands.) I myself have not spoken out against as I should have.
We priests have preached plenty about the permanency of marriage but hardly at all against
domestic violence. A few years ago the U.S. Catholic bishops wrote a pastoral letter on
domestic violence, When I Call for Help. There they say we should state as clearly and
strongly as we can that violence against women, inside or outside the home, is never justified.
And they draw an important conclusion: We emphasize that no person is expected to stay in an
abusive marriage. The position of our church could not be clearer.
Today we must set the record straight. The church rejects all forms of domestic violence and
urges women to protect themselves and their children, even if that means a separation and
divorce from their abusers. Our church must help protect them and assist them in freeing
themselves from the violence.
As a community of faith we want to reach out to every victim of domestic violence. We
encourage you to come out of the shadows and seek help. We want to support you in your
struggle for peace. We want you to be safe and free, filled with love, joy and hope for the future.
Many of you know someone who is experiencing domestic violence. You need to assure them
they do not deserve such abuse. Tell them you are concerned about their safety and their
childrens and they have a right to be safe. We need to listen to them and respect their decisions,
but assure them that we will support them whenever they decide to leave their abuser.
As other parishes in our archdiocese, we should consider forming a ministry to victims of
domestic violence so that our community of faith reflect the compassion of Jesus. Everyone in
our area should see that our parish is a safe haven for those who suffer domestic violence. As
Jesus expressed his compassion for the poor and oppressed, including the women of his time,
may we be seen as compassionate people ready to help victims of domestic violence free
themselves from their pain and suffering.

1 20 2012
12 Steps to Forming a Domestic Violence Ministry

1. Check out the Chicago Archdiocese Domestic Violence Manual online at
http://www.archchicago.org

2. Read Developing a Parish Ministry for Victims of Domestic Violence: Background Reading
and then begin to discuss what you want to accomplish.

3. Form a committee. Choose a leader.

4. Meet regularly - at least twice a month to start.

5. Consider these tasks: finding and connecting with resources such as shelters, counselors, and
police; educational and awareness outreach; assistance to victims; training of staff and
committee members. How do these tasks get completed?

6. Determine who will develop and maintain a contact list as well as call people who miss
meetings in order to keep them involved.

7. Talk with parishes that have established a domestic violence ministry.

8. Create a mission statement that tells what you want to accomplish.

9. Decide how you are going to educate your parish community on domestic violence and how
you are going to support victims of domestic violence.

10. Establish a budget.

11. Develop a timeline.

12. Make your pastor a partner and keep him informed every step of the way.
1 20 2012
1
Developing a Parish Ministry for Victims of Domestic Violence
- Background Reading -

Definition: Domestic violence is a behavioral pattern based on the use of power and control of
one person who perceives him or herself as a stronger than another.

Domestic violence exists in different forms: physical, verbal (emotional or psychological),
economical, and sexual.
o Physical: punching, slapping, pushing, kicking, pulling hair, pinching, threatening with a
weapon, etc.
o Verbal (emotional or psychological): belittling, insults, offensive language, name-calling,
excessive jealousy, silence, destroying clothing, harming pets, etc.
o Economic: denial of resources, especially money, schooling, driving, refusal to allow to
work
o Sexual: obliging partner to watch pornography and require her to participate in offensive
acts or wear offensive clothing, forced sex.

MYTHS& FACTS

Domestic violence is not a serious problem. Domestic violence in the U.S. is epidemic!
o Every 15 seconds a woman is beaten; one in 3-4 (25-33%) women are battered. In
Sunday Mass, at least of women have experienced physical violence and other forms of
domestic violence.
o During Vietnam 57,000 US soldiers died, and at the same time 54,000 women were
murdered by partners.
o In 2008, 9.5% of murders in Chicago were attributed to domestic violence.
o About 8% of men are victims.

Drugs, alcohol, stress, and unemployment cause domestic violence.
o They aggravate but do not cause it. Many alcoholics never abuse their partners.

Domestic violence mostly occurs in lower class and minority communities.
o Domestic violence occurs equally in all ethnic groups and social classes.

Batterers lose control; they cant help but behave violently.
o It is not congenital but learned behavior and it can be unlearned or changed.

Battered women provoke their partners to use violence:
o This is a form of blaming the victim.

Battered women dont want to seek help.
o Battered women may be afraid to leave or ask for help out shame or fear of the abuser.
o Battered womens lives are most at risk when they attempt to move out of an abusive
relationship.

Womens silence and/or cautious actions can control the behavior of their abusers.
o Womens silence and/or actions do not control their abusers behavior.
1 20 2012
2
o Silence will more likely protect abusers than women. Womens silence keeps them
isolated.

When abusers apologize, ask for pardon, and promise to change, victims should forgive them.
o Often this is a honeymoon phase batterers use to control and manipulate their victims.

SIGNS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Symptoms of depression
Constant tiredness or insomnia.
Loss of appetite or overeating.
Inattention to appearance, grooming or clothing.
Loss of energy and interest in doing ordinary tasks.
Passivity
Withdrawal and isolation
Physical health problems, stomach and/or headaches
Body marks
Fear to talk about situation or to take action
Denial of seriousness of situation
Excuses for partner

REASONS WOMEN STAY

Battered women lack accurate information about DV and help available. They are unable to
identify their experience as abusive, especially if abuse is not physical.
Economic dependence: Who will support her and the children?
No place to go Abuser has cut her off from family and friends; shelters are full.
Identity Women are socialized to feel they need a partner to be complete, even though abusive.
Responsibility Women are culturally conditioned to believe they are responsible for the
relationship.
Denial Victims often think, It really isnt so bad. Other women have it worse.
Threats Victims believe abusers threats.
Children Believe they need a partner to raise children; children may oppose separation.
Learned helplessness Experience has taught them they are unable to change anything.
Internalization of abusers words, believe his belittling; I deserve this treatment.
Shame, guilt and humiliation May think: I dont want anyone to know.
Fear that partner will harm her, the children or commit suicide.
Want to help partner I can help him get better.
Love Loves partner and believes her love must be unconditional.
Duty Marriage vow: Until death do us part. Extended family urges her to try harder.
Religious beliefs Wives be subject to your husbands. Its Gods will. Its punishment.
o Abuse is cross she must bear and a way for her to imitate Jesus; must pray harder.
Women know that leaving the relationship does not ensure an end to the violence.
o Battered womens lives are most in danger at time they attempt to end the relationship.

1 20 2012
3
DYNAMICS OF ABUSERS

Have low self-esteem.
Have low opinion of women and rigid role expectations.
May be good providers and may be loving and kind at times.
Treat their partners as a possession.
Are overly suspicious and accusatory (jealous).
Blame victims.
Minimize their abuse.
Have quick, explosive tempers.
If abused or witnessed abuse as children many times more likely to abuse.
Are remorseful after violence.
Feel entitled to have their own way.

MYTHS ABOUT MEN WHO BATTER

They abuse substances and once they stop, the violence will end.
Batter because they were battered as children.
Are out of control, and cannot control their anger.
Have diagnosable psychiatric conditions.
Come primarily from ethnic minorities.
Are generally unemployed.
When they stop abusing alcohol, they stop being violent.
Are generally violent criminal types.
Do not love their partners.

PASTORAL GUIDELINE OF MINISTERING TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Have a healthy suspicion that every woman seeking assistance or wanting to speak to a priest or
minister may be a victim of domestic violence.
Respond with compassion for whatever problem she might bring, e.g., lack of faith, depression,
anxiety, confusion, anorexia, family problems, etc.
When you suspect abuse, speak with the victim alone.
Affirm the persons courage in coming for assistance. Build up her self-esteem.
Listen carefully and patiently. She needs to talk and be heard. She may want you to hear all
about the abuse but likely she will dissimulate, minimizing it.
If she is hesitant to be specific, ask questions to get more information.
o Has he hit you? How did he hit you? When was the last time?
o Does he use bad words with you? What does he say?
o Is he jealous? Does he try to control you? How?
o Are you afraid? What makes you afraid?
o Do you have anyone to talk to, anyone to support you?
Believe the victim. She is not exaggerating.
Reassure her repeatedly, You do not deserve to be treated this way. It is not your fault.
Dont ever think or say that she might have caused the violence.
Dont make maintaining the family together a goal.
Dont encourage her to return to the abuser. Its her choice. Dont take over for her.
1 20 2012
4
Dont encourage her to leave the abuser either but rather seek help in making a decision.
Dont pressure her to make a decision but urge her to take steps to be safe and get help.
Assure yourself she will be safe if she returns; make a safety plan with her.
o Prepare steps to take when abuse occurs again, call 911.
o Make a list of people to call in emergency and have it with you.
o Know where knives and guns are in the house.
o Keep important documents in a safe place, including cash, birth certificates, insurance
cards, important phone numbers.
o Pack and hide a suitcase with clothing and personal items.
Dont assume that if she is more assertive, he will change; he may become more violent.
Ask about drug and alcohol abuse, but remember they do not cause the violence; they only
aggravate it.
Ask about his treatment of the children. Remember you are a mandated reporter of child abuse,
though if there is abuse, the best option is for her to report it with you supporting.
Do not meet or talk with the abuser unless she arranges it. Her safety comes first.
If she comes with her abuser, ask her permission and opinion about the consequences.
Abusers always minimize their violence and offer excuses.
Do not advise marriage counseling. First she needs DV counseling, and he needs counseling for
his violent behavior.
Do not belittle the abuser but denounce his violent behavior as not justified.
Do not get involved with the abusers legal defense.
Do not try to assess his degree of conversion or remorse. He needs DV counseling and not
simply anger management or religious conversion.
Be careful about recommending prayer for the abusers conversion. It may distract her from
seeking help, and, in the end, she may blame God or her lack of faith if he doesnt change.
Do not talk about forgiveness until she is free of DV and has received counseling.
Ask her if she feels weak or strong; remind her she is facing a major challenge and for that she
needs to gain strength; for that reason she needs counseling and a support group.
Do not try to be the counselor yourself, unless professionally qualified.
Provide her with resources: phone numbers for emergencies; offer to make calls to counseling
services or a shelter with her.
Victims usually need at least a few individual counseling sessions and then a support group in
which to share their experiences and receive affirmation, guidance and support.
If she wants an order of protection, accompany her to the police station.
Promise your continued support; give her your phone number.
Pray with her.
Keep everything confidential or ask her permission to share her information.
Do not meet with her or him at their home, rather in your office or a neutral, safe place.
Motivate her to take steps toward a solution by asking and or noting:
o How is this affecting your children?
o While they love their father, the boys are learning how to be abusive and the girls how to
be victims.
o This mistreatment will probably get worse.
o Im concerned for your safety.
o You do not deserve to be abused.
o If you ever decide to leave, I am here to support you.
o Assure her that God and the Church do not want anyone to stay in a violent relationship.
He has broken the marriage covenant.
1 20 2012
5
Resources
Brenda Branson and Paula J. Silva, Violence Among Us: Ministry to Families in Crisis. Valley
Forge: Judson Press, 2007.
Bishops Ricardo Ramirez, Speaking the Unspeakable: A Pastoral Letter on Domestic Violence,
5050-523-7577, www.dioceseoflascruces.org
Charles W. Dahm, O.P., Chicago Archdiocesan Director of Domestic Violence Outreach, St. Pius
V Parish, 1919 S. Ashland, Chicago, IL 60608 Office 312-2226-6161, extension 24;
cdahm@sbcglobal.net
USCCB, When I Call for Help: A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence Against Women.
USCCB: Washington DC, revised 2007.

Videos/DVDs
Broken Vows: Religious Perspectives on Domestic Violence, Center for the Prevention of Sexual
and domestic Violence: 206-634-1903, cpsdv@cpsdv.org
Broken Promises; Fireproof; Sleeping with the Enemy; Cicatrices, Burning Bed
Faith Trust Institute www.faithtrustinstitute.org
2400 N 45th Street Suite 101; Seattle, WA 98103, telephone: 206-634-1903: 206-634-0115 fax

1 20 2012
6
WAYS TO IMPROVE PARISH SENSITIVITY TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Preach about domestic violence
o One sermon per year
o Use explicit examples of DV victims in other sermons, e.g., for faith, courage, etc.
o Correct distortions of scripture
o Explain that DV includes physical, emotional, sexual and economic violence
o State DV is a crime and a sin and never justified

Form a parish ministry to DV victims
o Preach at all Masses; invite those interested in helping to sign up after Mass.
o Meet with those who sign up and ask about the source of their interest, many will be
survivors.
o Form a support group with those who want it (best to find a facilitator in advance).
o Form an advocacy group with the others, but include the victims who want to participate.
o Hire a staff pastoral counselor with experience in domestic violence counseling.
o Develop relationships with local police and other related agencies.

Use testimonies in the pulpit on special occasions to sensitize the congregation
o On Mother and Fathers Day have victims and/or reformed abusers testify.
o International Day of Women March 10
o October: Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Use pastoral interviews and programs to discover victims
o Marriage preparation
o Baptismal registration
o Confession, e.g., anger with partner
o Family problems of all kinds
o Educate teen group about domestic and teen dating violence
o Have mens group be active on speaking out against domestic violence

Prepare/train staff and ministers, especially catechists to identify DV in childrens families
o Send staff to 40 hours DV training.
o Invite Chicago Metropolitan Battered Womens Coalition to do faith-based training.
o Have a directory or resource manual available for receptionist and staff.

Become a safe place for victims
o Print periodic short articles or announcements about domestic violence in bulletin.
o Help recruit volunteers for local shelter and domestic violence programs.
o Install signage in parish that speaks against violence.
o Put up posters with emergency numbers in office and church lobby.
o Place cards with emergency phone or contact numbers in womens washrooms.

Participate in local domestic violence organizations and events

Involve DV survivors in ministries and as volunteers; they want to give back.
SettingUpaDomestic
ViolenceMinistry
AnExample
ArchdioceseofChicagoDomesticViolence
Outreach
1
St.RaymonddePenafort
MinistryDevelopment
May2009:AWC ValerieYokie
October:ParishCouncilAgreement
January2010:Fr.Chuck
2
Step1
Preparation&Study
3
Rev.Dr.MarieFortune
FAITHTRUSTINSTITUTE
WWW.FAITHTRUSTINSTITUTE.ORG
4
DosandDontswitha
BatteredWoman
Dontpursuecouplescounselingwithherand
hispartnerifyouareawarethatthereis
violenceintherelationship.
5
Issue#1
Donoharm!
6
InterviewwithFr.ChuckDahmatSt.PiusV
Thursday,February25,2010
DomesticViolenceMinistryatSt.PiusV
7
Women(1996):Currently,fourgroupsof
womenareactiveweekly.
8
Women(1996):Currently,fourgroupsof
womenareactiveweekly.
Children(2000): Individualandgroup
sessions.DCFSwillprovidecounselingifa
childispersonallyabused.
9
Women(1996):Currently,fourgroupsofwomen
areactiveweekly.
Children(2000): Individualandgroupsessions.
DCFSwillprovidecounselingifachildis
personallyabused.
Men(2002): Twentythreeweekcurriculumfor
about3035menataweeklysession.Musthave
stoppedbeingviolent.
10
Women(1996):Currently,fourgroupsofwomenare
activeweekly.
Children(2000): Individualandgroupsessions.DCFS
willprovidecounselingifachildispersonallyabused.
Men(2002): Twentythreeweekcurriculumforabout
3035menataweeklysession.Musthavestopped
beingviolent.
Couples(2007): Programparticipantsworktogether
toimprovetheirmarriagesoncetheissuesofviolence
havebeenresolved.
11
WhenICallforHelp
A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence Against Women
AStatementoftheU.S.Catholic
Bishops
12
Religion:ResourceorRoadblock ?
AcorrectreadingofScriptureleadstoanunderstandingoftheequal
dignityofmenandwomenandtorelationshipsbasedonmutualityand
love.
13
love.
Husbandsshouldlovetheirwivesastheylovetheirownbody,
asChristlovestheChurch.
14
love.
Forgivenessdoesnotmeanforgettingtheabuseorpretending
itdidnothappen.Forgivenessisnotpermissiontorepeatthe
abuse.
15
love.
abuse.
AnabusedwomenssufferingisnotpunishmentfromGod.
Thisimageofaharsh,cruelGodrunscontrarytothebiblical
imageofakind,merciful,lovingGod.
16
love.
abuse.
AnabusedwomenssufferingisnotpunishmentfromGod.
Thisimageofaharsh,cruelGodrunscontrarytothebiblical
imageofakind,merciful,lovingGod.
Nopersonisexpectedtostayinanabusivemarriage.We
encourageabusedpersonswhohavedivorcedtoinvestigate
thepossibilityofseekinganannulment
17
18
Here?Noway!
RuthHillExecutiveMinister,Women
MinistriesfortheEvangelicalCovenantChurch
800memberchurchesintheU.S.andCanada
AdvocacyforVictimsAbuse(AVA)
19
Issue#2
Notinourcommunity!
20
MISSIONOPTIONS
1. AwakenParishCommunitytoDomestic
Violence.
21
MISSIONOPTIONS
Violence.
2. Awareness+ReferralSupport
22
MISSIONOPTIONS
Violence.
2. Awareness+ReferralSupport
3. Awareness+SupportattheParish
23
MISSION
St.Raymondsmissionistooffertangible
support bothspiritualandemotional to
victimsofdomesticviolencebyeducatingour
communityandprovidingindividualand
groupcounseling.
24
MISSION
Further,itisenvisionedthattomakesystemic
changetothistypeofviolence,thatSt.
Raymondmayonedayoffercounselingand
educationalopportunitiestochildren,men
andcouples.
25
MISSION
St.Raymondsmissionistooffertangiblesupport
bothspiritualandemotional tovictimsof
domesticviolencebyeducatingourcommunity
andprovidingindividualandgroupcounseling.
Further,itisenvisionedthattomakesystemic
changetothistypeofviolence,thatSt.Raymond
mayonedayoffercounselingandeducational
opportunitiestochildren,menandcouples.
26
RATIONALE
Jesusdirectionandexample
istoloveandserve.
27
RATIONALE
Asachurch,weareina
uniquepositiontoreach
victims,witnesses,and
perpetratorsofdomestic
violence.
28
RATIONALE
Churchcommunitiescan
provideloveandsupportina
specialway.
29
RATIONALE
Jesusdirectionandexampleistolove
andserve.
Asachurch,weareinaunique
positiontoreachvictims,witnesses,
andperpetratorsofdomestic
violence.
Churchcommunitiescanprovidelove
andsupportinaspecialway.
30
POLICIES&PROCEDURES
Scope:St.Raymondparishionersalthoughnooneshall
beturnedaway.Nofees.
Clients:professionaldatagathered.
SecurityAudit:MountProspectPoliceDepartment
Safety:doorsshouldbesecured.
31
INFRASTRUCTURE
Security:Yourwifeisnothere.
Officespaceforcounselor
Meetingspaceforgroupcounseling
Bulletinspace
32
COUNSELINGPROFESSIONAL
Qualifications:clinicallylicensed,DV(40hours)trained,
experiencedcounselor ideallywithSt.Raymond
roots.
Paystructure:contractbased.$perhourwith
preparationtimeremunerated.
Supervisionandliabilityinsurance:paidbycounselor.
Hours:minimalatbeginningwithanaverageof10
hoursperweekthereafter.
33
BUDGET YEAR1
Expense
Counselor:( 26weeksx10hoursperweekx$)
Education:(Trainingforparishstaffand
committee)
Revenue:Alms
34
BUDGET YEAR3
Expense
Counselor:(50weeksx40hoursperweekx$)
Education:$1,500
Revenue
Alms,fundraisingactivitiesandgrants
35
EDUCATION
DVCommittee:trainingJuly17,2010
ParishStaff:trainingJuly28,2010
DVManual
36
Step2
GoLive
37
October,2010
DomesticViolenceAwarenessMonth
38
October,2010
Fr.ChuckDahm
39
October,2010
Fr.ChuckDahm
LetterFromOurPastor:Bulletin
40
October,2010
Fr.ChuckDahm
BulletinArticles:Ongoing
41
October,2010
Fr.ChuckDahm
PointofContact:restrooms(womensonly)
42
October,2010
Fr.ChuckDahm
PointofContact:restrooms(womensonly)
OutreachtoSt.RaymondMinistries
43
Step3
Evaluation
44
NextStep
SharedServices LocalAreaParishes
ThePitch
AFaithCommunitycanputtheirarmsaroundvictims
ReflectGodslove
Canreachvictims,witnessandperpetrators
Services
HelpDevelopMinistries
ShareCounselor
ShareExpenses
45
12StepstoForminga
DVMinistry
1. CheckouttheChicagoArchdioceseDomestic
ViolenceManualonlineat
http://www.archchicago.org,Domestic
ViolenceBasics
2. ReadDevelopingaParishMinistryfor
VictimsofDomesticViolence:Background
Reading andthenbegintodiscusswhatyou
wanttoaccomplish.
3. Formacommittee.Choosealeader.
46
12StepstoForminga
DVMinistry
4. Meetregularly atleasttwiceamonthtostart.
5. Considerthesetasks:findingandconnectingwith
resourcessuchasshelters,counselors,andpolice;
educationalandawarenessoutreach;assistanceto
victims;trainingofstaffandcommitteemembers.
Howdothesetasksgetcompleted?
6. Determinewhowilldevelopandmaintainacontact
listaswellascallpeoplewhomissmeetingsinorder
tokeeptheminvolved.
47
12StepstoForminga
DVMinistry
7. Talkwithparishesthathaveestablisheda
domesticviolenceministry.
8. Createamissionstatementthattellswhatyou
wanttoaccomplish.
9. Decidehowyouaregoingtoeducateyour
parishcommunityondomesticviolenceand
howyouaregoingtosupportvictimsof
domesticviolence.
48
12StepstoForminga
DVMinistry
10. Establishabudget.
11. Developatimeline.
12. Makeyourpastorapartnerandkeephim
informedeverystepoftheway.
49
12 15 2011

Incoming Calls

Situations

If the caller is being physically abused or physical abuse is being threatened at this moment,
with the caller s per mission and after getting the caller s location, call 911.

If the caller wants to speak with someone immediately regarding domestic violence, the
caller may contact the National Domestic Violence 24-Hour Hotline at 800-799-7233.
If the caller wants to speak to or schedule an appointment with a domestic violence
counselor, transfer the caller to Extension

If the caller wants to speak to a staff member about domestic violence issues, transfer the
caller to the appropriate staff member.

National Hot Lines and Help and Websites for Victims

For victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or dating violence, refer the caller to
the following telephone numbers or websites:
National Domestic Violence 24-Hour Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) 1-800-787-3224
TTY
1
http://www.ndvh.org/

Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Networ k (RAINN) To be connected to the nearest rape
crisis center 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
http://www.rainn.org/

National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline 1-866-331-9474 1-866-331-8453 TTY You can
also chat live on-line with a trained Peer Advocate from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. (CST) daily.
http://www.loveisrespect.org/
National Center for Victims of Cr ime, Stalking Resour ce Center 1-800-394-2255 1-800-
211-7996 TTY
http://www.ncvc.org

1
TTY Text and telephone device. Call in line for the hard of hearing.

Version 12 15 2011 Please do not ask for the caller's name.
Date and Time Call Received Action Taken*
*1: Transferred to counselor. 2: Transferred to staff 3: Provided 24-hour DV Hotline number or other crisis number.
4: Provided website information. 5: Called 911 6: Caller hung-up. No action taken.
Domestice Violence Outreach Telephone Call Log
Comments
A DATING VIOLENCE AND ABUSE PREVENTION CURRICULUM
COLLEGE EDITION
SINCE 1991 LIZ CLAIBORNE INC.
FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS DATING ABUSE ?
THE PATTERN OF ABUSE IN DATING VIOLENCE & ABUSE
TECHNOLOGY AND DATING ABUSE
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

01 - 03
04 - 20
21 - 35
36 - 57
58 - 61

TABLE OF CONTENTS
his curriculum was created by Liz Claiborne Inc. in conjunction with
Education Development Center, Inc., an international, non-prot organization
that focuses on education and health; Break the Cycle, a non-prot organization that works
to prevent domestic and dating violence; WiredSafety.org, the worlds largest and oldest
non-prot cyber safety organization; and the National Network to End Domestic Violence
(NNEDV), the leading voice for domestic violence victims and their advocates.
Additional copies of this curriculum can be ordered online from our website,
along with handbooks and videos for adults, teenagers, and caregivers on domestic
violence and dating abuse, by visiting, loveisnotabuse.com.
T
This curriculum was adapted for the college audience with the help and
guidance of Liz Claiborne Inc.s College Coalition, which is comprised of
educators and administrators from Columbia University, George Mason
University, The University of Kansas, Virginia Community Colleges and Virginia
Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech).
Each section of this curriculum can be addressed on its own, depending on the
time frame available to you, or the curriculum can be addressed in one session
by selecting different pieces of information from each of the three sections.
You are free to facilitate the curriculums material in a manner that best fits
your college or university.
Dating violence and abuse can be a very difficult subject to discuss, let alone
discuss with a group of students. However, it is an important topic that should
be addressed. The more it is discussed, the more we can ensure students
have the potentially life-saving information they need to be aware of the
warning signs and know where to get help. As part of your preparation to teach
the Love Is Not Abuse curriculum, please ask yourself the following questions:

Who is the most appropriate person to address students or
discuss this sensitive information? Ideally, the presenter and/or
co-facilitator should be knowledgeable about dating violence and have
experience in dealing with abusive relationships.

Have I been trained to teach about dating violence and abuse? If
not, how can I be trained to educate students about this important
topic? Liz Claiborne Inc. and the Centers for Disease Controls Dating
Matters: Understanding Teen Dating Violence is a free online training
designed to help educators, youth-serving organizations and others working
with students understand the risk factors and warning signs associated
with dating violence. To learn more about Dating Matters or to take the
training, visit cdc.gov/violenceprevention/datingmatters.html. Once
the training is completed, users become officially certified to teach on this
topic. You may also want to reach out to local experts who can take you
through the lessons and help you navigate this topic with confidence.
FORWARD
Do I have a support system in place? A support system can include
an on-campus counseling center or the campus health office. If you are
planning on addressing this material but do not have a support system
in place, you can reach out to a local non-profit or domestic violence
organization and request their assistance. This is a critical element to
have in place prior to addressing this material. The lessons may trigger a
response from students in relation to their own experiences with violence
and abuse.

Am l kncwIedgeebIe ebcut cn end cff cempus student rescurces?
We strongly encourage you to prepare a handout in advance for students
who may want to seek outside help after the session. The handout should
list locations on campus that can provide assistance, help lines and local
resources for immediate attention as well as any trained counselors who can
be contacted directly if a student expresses the need or desire to do so.
It is recommended that presenters give their classes, workshops, etc. advance
notice that dating violence and abuse is a topic which will be discussed the
next time they meet. It is important to give audience members control over
the decision to attend a presentation on this topic. This information will help
students make an informed decision regarding their attendance and level of
participation.
INTRODUCTION:
THE LOVE
IS NOT ABUSE
CURRICULUM
COLLEGE EDITION
1
DATING ABUSE
It is during their college years that young adults begin to form serious romantic
relationships and/or continue to grow the romantic relationships they may have started in
their teenage years. Yet with a limited understanding of healthy and unhealthy behaviors
in dating relationships, college students are susceptible to becoming targets of dating
abuse. Consider this:
Nearly 1 in 3 (32%) college students report dating violence by a previous partner,
and 21% report violence by a current partner.
1

More than half (60%) of acquaintance rapes on college campuses occur in casual
or steady dating relationships.
2

Ninety percent of college women who are victims of rape or attempted rape know
their assailant.
3
The attacker is usually a classmate, friend, boyfriend, ex-boyfriend or other
acquaintance (in that order).
4
Dened as a pattern of physically, sexually, verbally, and/or emotionally
abusive behavior or privacy intrusions in a dating relationship, dating abuse
tekes meny fcrms. It ranges from punching, slapping, pushing, and grabbing to rape
and murder; from threats of violence, verbal attacks, and other forms of intimidation to
extreme jealousy, possessiveness, and controlling behavior. Dating abuse is designed to
be isolating and controlling, taking different forms at different times and limited only by
the energy, imagination and desperation of the abuser.
In the online environment, it can be anonymous, with the abusers hiding behind fake,
stolen, or impersonated accounts and screen names. It can involve spying and digital
tracking of communications and online activities. It can mean using technology (cell
phones, social networking sites, etc.) to stay in constant contact.
No matter what form abuse takes, the effect on victims is that no place feels private. No
place feels safe.

Dating and domestic abuse are typically not one-time incidents, but a pattern of abusive
behaviors over time that cause fear and/or harm. As the pattern continues, the abuser
uses emotional manipulation and/or physical domination to gain control and power over
his or her partner.
Dating abuse does not discriminate. It affects people of all races, religions, ages, sexual
orientations, genders, and cultures. It affects people regardless of how much money
they have or what neighborhood they live in. While the vast majority of abusers are male
and most targets (also known as victims or survivors) are female, females can also be
abusers and males can be targets of dating abuse.
1 C. Sellers and M. Bromley, Violent Behavior in College Student Dating Relationships, Journal of Contemporary Justice, (1996).
2 I. Johnson and R. Sigler, Forced Sexual Intercourse on Campus, Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, (1996).
3 Fisher, B., F. Cullen and M. Turner (2000). The Sexual Victimization of College Women. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice,
National Institute of Justice and Bureau of Justice Statistics.
2
Abuse in relationships can be a difcult topic for anyone to talk about, especially young
men. Because dating abuse has traditionally been considered a womans issue, many
young men feel as if they have no positive, proactive way to help stop it let alone ask
for the help they might need as either the target or the abuser.
The bottom line is this: Everyone must get involved in preventing dating abuse and have a
better understanding of the resources available to those who are involved in such abuse
in order to help and support them.
OVERVIEW OF THE LOVE IS NOT
ABUSE CURRICULUM
This curriculum focuses on four critical goals:
1. Increasing students understanding of dating abuse
2. Enabling students to reach out to provide support and help to a friend or
family member who may be involved in an abusive relationship
3. Increasing help-seeking behavior among students involved in abusive dating
relationships
4. Promoting healthier approaches to dating relationships and conicts
COLLABORATING TO TEACH
LOVE IS NOT ABUSE
We encourage students, faculty and staff at the college or university to collaborate to teach
the curriculum. This curriculum could be used in collaboration with a variety of groups
such as residence life staff, Deans of Students and their staffs, Counseling Center staff,
student health services, Health Education staff, Womens Center staff, law enforcement,
athletics staff, faculty members, student leaders and local community based sexual assault
and domestic violence agencies. These issues span a number of disciplines and teaching
the curriculum as a team can be an effective way to approaching these topics in a holistic
manner.
Many schools draw on staff from community-based domestic violence programs to facilitate
lessons on dating abuse. These and other experts (law enforcement, attorneys, cyber
safety experts, etc.) can participate in implementing Love Is Not Abuse in two ways: as the
lead facilitator of the curriculum or as a guest speaker sharing information and community
resources.
It is important for facilitators of the material to be prepared for some students to disclose
experiences of dating abuse after learning about and discussing this issue. Before
implementing Love Is Not Abuse, facilitators should also inform their institutions psychological
services and advocacy ofces. Additionally, those requesting programming should think
about whom on their campus might be a stakeholder or identify a staff/ofce member that
might need to respond to concerns students raise after being taught this information (e.g. if
a lesson aimed at student athletes is happening, coaches might need to know, or if such a
program is happening in a certain dorm, then housing staff and RAs should be informed).
3
CREATING AN INSTITUTIONAL DATING ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM
As part of a comprehensive approach to health and safety, Love Is Not Abuse can be
a springboard to starting dating abuse prevention programs. The following are possible
additional steps toward developing a campus-wide initiative:
Fev|ew and rev|se co||ege and un|vers|ty po||c|es re|ated to dat|ng abuse, focus|ng
on keep|ng students safe. College/university policies should address the safety and well-
being of targets of dating abuse, consequences for abusers, procedures in the event of a
restraining order, procedures for students to ask for help and to report abuse they witness
or know about, and ways for students to connect to community dating/partner abuse
resources. Consider instituting a policy addressing inappropriate use of technology (e.g.
cell phones, e-mail, text-messaging, social networking web sites) to control, intimidate or
bully other people. For information about creating a dating/partner abuse response policy
for your college or university, contact Break the Cycle by visiting breakthecycle.org.
Fa|se awareness about dat|ng abuse at your co||ege or un|vers|ty. Educate students,
faculty, staff and other campus stakeholders, including administrators, about the issue and
how to respond to students seeking help. Encourage faculty and facilitators to address
dating abuse in appropriate classes. Conduct a presentation during a parent orientation.
Organize a student art exhibit or an essay or poetry contest on dating abuse. Include articles
in newsletters and on the campus website. Point stakeholders to the loveisnotabuse.com
website and other resources for ideas and information.
Nake |t c|ear that your campus |s a safe p|ace and students are a||owed - and
encouraged - to ta|k about dat|ng abuse. Put up posters and yers around campus
to educate students about the issue and publicize local resources. Invite staff from a
local domestic violence organization to speak to students, staff, and other stakeholders.
Facilitate students production of peer-to-peer awareness materials, sharing the message
and promoting awareness.
Start a peer educat|on group. Students experiencing dating abuse are more likely to tell
their friends than anyone else. Peer educators can be trained to teach other students about
the issue and/or to co-facilitate groups that focus on healthy relationships. Peer education
groups can be a great source of support, while also being a positive, powerful inuence.
However, it is not the peer educators role to counsel and rescue targets from
abuse. Instead, they can encourage targets to talk to experts who can provide help and
guidance.
Nake students aware of the anonymous, secure, and eas||y-access|b|e Mat|ona|
Oomest|c V|o|ence Mot||ne. Fesources and serv|ces are ava||ab|e 24/7 on||ne at
thehot||ne.org or by ca|||ng 1-BCC-7DD-72BB and 1-BCC-7B7-B224 {TTY).
Most A NOST c|ub on your campus. Men Can Stop Rape trains male facilitators to
host Men Of Strength Clubs that encourage young men to learn about healthy masculinity
and re-dening male strength. As most abusers are male, reaching out to the men in your
school is a great violence prevention tool. Visit mencanstoprape.org for more info.
WHAT IS
DATING
ABUSE?
4
STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After completing this lesson, students will be able to do the following
dene vccabU|ary re|ated tc dat|ng abUse and app|y |t tc t|e|r cvn exper|ences
|dent|fy t|e fcrns cf dat|ng abUse
Understand t|e rc|es cf abUser, target, and bystander |n dat|ng abUse
descr|be steps t|at a bystander can take tc |e|p scnecne v|c |s a target cf dat|ng abUse
MATERIALS
Read "Fac|||tator Eackground Informat|on: Teen Oat|ng Abuse" (appears later in
this lesson) before teaching this lesson
Photocopy "I Thought Th|ngs Wou|d Change" excerpt for all students
Photocopy "What Is Teen Oat|ng Abuse?" for all students
Prepare a transparency of "Fo|es |n Oat|ng Abuse: Abuser, Target, and Eystander"
Photocopy "Me|p|ng a Fr|end or Fam||y Nember Who Is Ee|ng Abused" for all
students
Photocopy "Poss|b|e Warn|ng S|gns |n Oat|ng Fe|at|onsh|ps" as needed
Photocopy "Oecreas|ng Your Safety |n an Abus|ve Oat|ng Fe|at|onsh|p" as needed
PURPOSE: To understand what dating
abuse is and how college students are
affected by it.
5
TEACHING TIPS
(A) Because this curriculum deals with sensitive issues related to dating abuse,
it is critical to create a safe environment in the room. If you have not already
established guidelines for discussion, please do so before beginning this lesson.
Here are some examples of recommended guidelines:
Everycne |s a||cved tc express ||s cr |er cp|n|cn v|t|cUt |nterrUpt|cn.
Fespect eac| pc|nt cf v|ev, even |f |t |s d|fferent frcn ycUrs.
Mc qUest|cn cr qUest|cner |s stUp|d cr vrcng; nc pUt-dcvns are a||cved.
Treat other people in the class/group respectfully.
W|at stUdents say s|cU|d be kept ccndent|a| and nct d|scUssed cr s|ared
with others.
(B) It is likely that there are one or more students in every college classroom or group
who are perpetrators of dating abuse (i.e., abusers) or targets. This curriculum may
be especially challenging for them, as well as for students who have experienced
child sexual abuse or rape, or who are bystanders to physical or sexual violence in
their homes. See Facilitator Background Information: Dating Abuse at the end of
this lesson for responding when students reach out for help.
(C) Many students who are not abusers or targets of dating abuse are bystanders
to it. Bystanders play a critical role in preventing and reducing dating
abuse. Friends may be used by an abuser to further harm or gain access to
a target, often without the friends full knowledge of the situation.
(D) Mention to the group/class that this curriculum will provide everyone with
helpful information and skills to reduce dating abuse now or in the future.
Emphasize that dating abuse is an issue for us all, and that working together,
we can make an impact.
(E) This curriculum uses the term target to refer to individuals who experience
abuse or violence at the hand of someone they are dating. We chose this term
instead of victim, which can have a connotation of passive suffering.
(F) Depending on the school and community in which you work, you may (or may
not) choose to explain to students that dating abuse occurs in both opposite-
sex and same-sex relationships. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gendered
students are just as much at risk for abuse in their relationships as anyone else.
6
ACTIVITIES
STEP ONE {15 m|nutes)
O|scuss dat|ng abuse and the many forms |t takes.
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf t|e " T|cUg|t T||ngs WcU|d C|ange excerpt.
Mave stUdent vc|Unteers take tUrns read|ng t|e excerpt a|cUd.
Ask stUdents v|at t|ey t||nk t|e excerpt |s abcUt.
Ask stUdents v|at t|ey t||nk cf v|en t|ey |ear t|e p|rase "dat|ng abUse. As stUdents
brainstorm, record each response on the board.
Cffer a den|t|cn cf dat|ng abUse t|at |nc|Udes stUdents' respcnses, fcr exanp|e, "Oat|ng
abuse is a pattern of physically, sexually, verbally and/or emotionally abusive or controlling
behavior in a dating relationship.
Ask stUdents fcr exanp|es cf dat|ng abUse be|av|crs. Prcnpt t|en tc ccns|der t|e
different ways this abuse can occur (face-to-face, through technology like cell phones,
instant messages or web sites, using another person to convey messages or carry out
actions, intimidation, pressure to engage in sexual activities they may not be ready for/want
to participate in).
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf "W|at s Oat|ng AbUse? Fev|ev t|e |andcUt.
Exp|a|n t|at v|||e nany ncre fena|es t|an na|es are p|ys|ca||y abUsed by scnecne t|ey
are dating, males do experience dating abuse (especially via technology). Men and women
may also be involved in relationships that are abusive or unhealthy for both partners.
Mention that dating abuse affects people of all races, religions, cultures, genders and sexual
orientations regardless of how much money they have or the neighborhood they live in.
Exp|cre v|t| stUdents |cv dat|ng abUse fee|s by ask|ng:
W|at fcrns cf dat|ng abUse d|d Ada||z exper|ence?
Mcv d|d Ada||z fee| v|en F|c|ard vas be|ng abUs|ve tc |er? Mcv dces F|c|ard's
abUse affect Ada||z's day-tc-day ||fe? W|at ev|dence cf t||s can ycU nd |n t|e text?
Enp|as|ze t|at dat|ng abUse |s never t|e faU|t cf t|e perscn v|c |s be|ng abUsed.
Nothing this person says, does, believes or wears caused the abuse or gives anyone the
right to hurt her or him.
f stUdents qUest|cn v|y abUsers |Urt t|e|r targets, exp|a|n t|at abUsers Use p|ys|ca|,
sexual, verbal/emotional, and digital abuse to control the target. Violence is a learned
behavior that is shaped by observation, experience, culture, family and community. There
is never an excuse for violent behavior. Abusers may believe that abusive behavior is
normal. They may lack positive role models for their relationships.
7
Ask stUdents v|at t|ey t||nk are scne cf t|e effects cf dat|ng abUse cn t|e perscn v|c
experiences the violence or abuse. Then describe some of the effects that students do not
mention, such as:
Feeling ashamed
Feeling anxious
Becoming depressed
Having thoughts of suicide
Doing poorly in school
Losing interest in friends or favorite activities
Dressing differently, changing hairstyles
Engaging in self-harm, such as eating disorders or cutting
Isolation
Discarding or changing friends
STEP TWO {B m|nutes)
Oehne the ro|es of abuser, target and bystander.
Pc|nt cUt t|at |n abUs|ve dat|ng re|at|cns||ps, pecp|e nay fa|| |ntc cne cf t|ree rc|es:
abuser, target or bystander. Pass out a photocopy of the Roles in Dating Abuse: Abuser,
Target and Bystander handout. Explain that bystanders dont have to be present when
the abuser is hurting the target; they simply have to know about the abuse. Many young
adults report that abusive behavior goes both ways and men and women can be both
victims and abusers. Thats why it is important for everyone to learn how to have safe
and healthy relationships and how to identify abusive and controlling behavior.

Fev|ev t|e den|t|cns cn t|e transparency cr |andcUt. Nent|cn t|at a|t|cUg| bystanders
cannot rescue the target from the abuse, they can encourage him or her to talk to
people who can provide help and guidance and offer support. Bystanders may also be
able to talk to friends who are behaving abusively and express their disapproval or ask
them to stop if it is safe for the bystander to do so.

Ask stUdents v|c t|ey t||nk t|e abUser |s |n t|e " T|cUg|t T||ngs WcU|d C|ange
excerpt. W|c dc t|ey t||nk |s t|e target? W|c dc t|ey t||nk |s a bystander? {Pcss|b|e
answers: Richards friends who watched Adaliz and reported to Richard if they saw her
talking to anyone. Anyone else in Adalizs and Richards life who was aware or strongly
suspected that he was abusing her.)
8
STEP THREE {25 m|nutes)
Exp|ore how bystanders can he|p.
Ask stUdents v|c t|ey t||nk ccU|d be a bystander tc dat|ng abUse. {Pcss|b|e ansvers:
friends of the abuser or the target, family members, classmates, neighbors, professors,
faculty, etc.)
Ask stUdents v|at t|ey ccU|d dc tc |e|p a fr|end cr fan||y nenber v|c vas be|ng
abused by someone he or she was dating.
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf "Me|p|ng a Fr|end cr Fan||y Nenber W|c s Ee|ng
Abused.
Fev|ev t|e tcp cf t|e |andcUt, v||c| sUnnar|zes v|at a bystander tc dat|ng abUse
can do.
Fead t|e d|rect|cns at t|e bcttcn cf t|e |andcUt. Exp|a|n t|at stUdents v||| vcrk v|t|
a partner to write a letter to Adaliz.
After 16 n|nUtes, ask fcr tvc cr t|ree pa|rs cf stUdent vc|Unteers tc read a|cUd t|e
letters they wrote. Have the rest of the class comment on what the letter-writers did
well in adhering to the suggestions in Helping a Friend or Family Member Who Is Being
Abused.
STEP FOUR {25 m|nutes)
Ident|fy strateg|es for reach|ng out to a fr|end or fam||y member who |s abus|ng a
partner.
Nent|cn t|at stUdents nay nct cn|y kncv scnecne v|c |s be|ng abUsed, bUt a|sc
someone who is being abusive to a partner.
Exp|a|n t|at abUsers cften Use excUses tc exp|a|n avay-cr rat|cna||ze-t|e|r abUs|ve
behavior. Ask students for examples of excuses that abusers might use to convince
themselves and others that the abuse is not happening or is not a problem. Sample
answers may include:
Its not really abuse.
I didnt mean to hurt him (or her).
It was a uke. Itll never happen again.
She (or he) got me so angry, I had to do it.
She (or he) likes it.
I cant control myself when I get mad.
I only did it because I was stressed out/drunk/high.
STEP Five {5 m|nutes)
Conc|us|on
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf "ncreas|ng YcUr Safety |n an AbUs|ve Oat|ng
Relationship. Review the handout. Emphasize that even when someone is planning to
end-cr |as a|ready ended-an abUs|ve re|at|cns||p, |e cr s|e s|cU|d ccnt|nUe Use cf
these precautions in case the abuser attempts to commit additional violence. Consider
stressing that the most dangerous time for the target is when he or she has left the
relationship.
O|str|bUte cne Mat|cna| Ocnest|c V|c|ence Mct||ne va||et card tc eac| stUdent.
Explain that the card is sized to t in a wallet and that it contains a toll-free phone
number and web site for assistance with dating abuse issues.
ASSIGNMENT (OPTIONAL):
To Understand What Dating Abuse Is And How People
Are Affected By It. Write the following question on the
board:

WHY IS IT HARD FOR ADALIZ TO END
HER RELATIONSHIP WITH RICHARD?
Tell students to take a few moments to write a response
and ask if anyone wants to share.
10
Facilitator BACKGROUND INFORMATION
NOTE: This Information Is Not Intended For Distribution To Students
WARNING SIGNS
There are some warning signs that an intimate relationship may become abusive. Not
all of the signs appear in all abusive or potentially abusive relationships, and sometimes
there are no signs that an intimate relationship may become abusive. The existence
of one or several of these behaviors does not necessarily mean that a relationship is
abusive, but it may signal that the relationship is not completely healthy.
Abusive behaviors can occur in all spheres of a persons life: class, work, home,
and online. Although older adults tend to think of online behavior and email as a
separate sphere of their lives, for college students, these spheres are all very much
interconnected and intertwined. For college students, learning and school activities
may also be taking place outside of the classroom, and particularly online and via
email.
COMMON WARNING SIGNS INCLUDE:

Extrene jea|cUsy
Ccnstant pUt-dcvns, |n perscn cr cn||ne
Nak|ng fUn cf t|e ct|er perscn |n frcnt cf fr|ends cr cn||ne
Te|||ng t|e ct|er perscn v|at tc dc
Exp|cs|ve tenper
Verba| t|reats |n perscn cr v|a ena|| cr text nessage
Pcssess|veness
Prevent|ng t|e ct|er perscn frcn dc|ng v|at |e cr s|e vants tc dc
Severe nccd sv|ngs
Nak|ng fa|se accUsat|cns abcUt t|e ct|er perscn, |nc|Ud|ng ct|ers v|cn t|e perscn
spends time with in real life and online
M|stcry cf v|c|ence
sc|at|ng t|e ct|er perscn frcn fan||y and fr|ends, bct| |n rea| ||fe and cn||ne
EnccUrag|ng t|e target tc "b|cck fr|ends and fan||y frcn "bUddy and "fr|ends ||sts
online
Seek|ng nanc|a| ccntrc| cver t|e ct|er perscn
Ca|||ng/ena|||ng/text|ng t|e ct|er perscn every fev n|nUtes cr at Unreascnab|e |cUrs
to check up on the targets whereabouts, and becoming angry if the target does not
immediately respond
C|eck|ng t|e target's ce|| p|cne/ccnpUter tc see v|c t|e target |as been
communicating with (missed calls, emails, voicemail, and text messages)
Oe|et|ng nessages and "fr|ends cn scc|a| netvcrks
A|ter|ng t|e target's cn||ne prc|es v|t|cUt ccnsent
Os|ng t|e target's passvcrds v|t|cUt pern|ss|cn
Masty statUs c|anges and de|et|cn cf |es cr p|ctUres t|e abUser dcesn't apprcve cf
11
COLLEGE STUDENTS SEEKING HELP
It is critical that everyone is able to recognize the warning signs of dating abuse, understand
the dynamics of an abusive relationship, and know how to respond to a person who is
experiencing dating abuse.
Though similar to adult domestic violence, college students face unique obstacles in
recognizing and escaping abusive relationships. They often must overcome issues, such
as distrust of adults, lack of knowledge about available resources, mixed messages from
the media about healthy relationships and constant pressure from peers to be in an intimate
relationship.
Students who do not have nancial resources or transportation may face practical barriers
to seeking help from community agencies. Confusion about their legal rights adds another
layer of difculty for young people in need. Students, especially those under 18, may also
have fears about lack of condentiality, mandated child abuse reporting and parental
consent laws.
It is tempting to assume that the easy solution to an abusive relationship is simply to end
|t. Mcvever, end|ng abUs|ve re|at|cns||ps can be extrene|y d|fcU|t-even dangercUs. t |s
important to be sensitive to why individuals may have trouble breaking free from abusive
relationships or even reaching out for help.
WMEM STUOEMTS FEACM OUT FOF MELP

Being on a college or university campus gives students a variety of options when seeking
help. Depending on their comfort level, students can get assistance from and report
dating abuse to their Resident Assistant or Hall Director, as well as their academic adviser
or counselor. Students can also visit Health Services or their on-campus Womens Center
for more information or for immediate help.
Some students may respond to this curriculum by asking for more information about dating
abuse and/or disclosing that they are involved in an abusive relationship. It is important to
acknowledge to the student the courage that it takes to reach out for help. Be certain to
tell the student that he/she is not alone and the abuse is not his or her fault.
Facilitators should tell students about the National Domestic Violence Hotline, which
provides free resources to victims of dating abuse, as well as to others interested in
learning more. All communication is condential and anonymous.
12
OATIMG AEUSE - MOW PFEVALEMT IS OATIMG AEUSE?
Mear|y 1 |n S {S2%) cc||ege stUdents repcrt dat|ng abUse by a prev|cUs partner, and 21%
report violence by a current partner.
1

Ncre t|an |a|f {60%) cf acqUa|ntance rapes cn cc||ege canpUses cccUr |n casUa| cr
steady dating relationships.
2

n cne year, ncre t|an 1S% cf cc||ege vcnen |nd|cated t|ey |ad been sta|ked, 42% by
a boyfriend or ex-boyfriend.
3
A|ncst 1 |n 4 {22%) cf a|| rape v|ct|ns are betveen t|e UsUa| cc||ege ages cf 1S-24
4
Wcnen ages 16 tc 24 exper|ence t|e ||g|est per cap|ta rates cf |nt|nate v|c|ence - 16
per 1,000 women. The average rate of intimate violence against women as a whole is only
6 per 1,000 women.
6
Depending on the school and community in which you work, you may (or may not)
choose to explain to students that dating abuse occurs in both opposite-sex and same-
sex relationships. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gendered students are just as much
at risk for abuse in their relationships as anyone else.
PFOTECTIMG TME SAFETY OF COLLEGE STUOEMTS IM
AEUSIVE OATIMG FELATIOMSMIPS
People in abusive relationships have options for increasing their safety. They may
decide to stay with the abuser, exploring ways to keep themselves safe while still in the
relationship. They may decide to end the relationship.
NAKIMG A OATIMG SAFETY PLAM
A dating safety plan helps people who are experiencing dating abuse to think in advance
about how to protect themselves from harm instead of trying to gure it out when they are
in danger. The plan should be practical and specic. People who are experiencing dating
abuse and/or are in the process of ending or have already ended an abusive relationship
should create and use a dating safety plan. This allows them to think in advance about
how to protect themselves from harm rather than trying to gure it out when they
are in immediate danger. The plan should be practical and specic. NOTE: We do not
recommend sharing many details about what a safety plan might look like with all students
because this might enable abusers to notice signs that the person he or she is abusing is
planning to leave the relationship, which could potentially put the target in danger.
Anyone who remains in an abusive relationship should consider the following strategies:
Keep |npcrtant p|cne nUnbers {e.g., pc||ce, dat|ng abUse |e|p||ne, dcnest|c v|c|ence
shelter, family, friends) nearby at all times. Always have a cell phone or change for a
phone call. If you usually store these numbers in your phone, keep them on paper, too, in
case your battery goes dead or you cant access your phone.
Keep a reccrd cf a|| |nc|dents cf t|e abUse and v|c|ence. Save any t|reaten|ng cr
harassing letters and email, text, or voicemail messages that the abuser sends.
Exp|a|n tc trUstvcrt|y fr|ends and fan||y t|at |f t|ey t||nk ycU nay be |n danger fcr any
reason, they should call 911.
P|an escape rcUtes frcn p|aces ||ke ycUr dcrn, apartnent, |cUse, |ectUre |a||s cr t|e
3 B. Fisher and F. Cullen, Extent and Nature of the Sexual Victimization of College Women, (Washington: NIJ, 2000).
4 Kilpatrick, DJ, Edmunds, CN, Seymour, A. 1992. Rape in America: A Report to the Nation, Arlington VA: National Victim Center.
6 EUreaU cf JUst|ce Stat|st|cs. Spec|a| Fepcrt nt|nate Partner V|c|ence and Age cf V|ct|n, 199S-1999. Was||ngtcn, OC: O.S. Gcvernnent
Printing Ofce (2001).
13
ACCESSIMG SMELTEF, COUMSELIMG, AMO/OF OTMEF OONESTIC
VIOLENCE SERVICES
Many communities have resources for individuals experiencing domestic and dating
abuse, such as condential emergency shelters, counseling services, and support groups.
Some domestic violence organizations will serve teenagers as well as adults. To nd help
in your area, contact National Domestic Violence Hotline, thehotline.org or call 1-800-799-
7233 or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY).
ACCESSIMG TME LEGAL SYSTEN
Students who experience dating abuse can seek help from the legal system, typically via
civil law, criminal law, or both. Students may also be able to seek help from their campus
judicial systems. These options are very different. All states provide some protection from
dcnest|c v|c|ence |n bct| t|e cr|n|na| and c|v|| |av, bUt t|e deta||s cf t|e 66 prctect|cns
available vary greatly from state to state. For help understanding your states civil and
criminal laws, contact Break the Cycle at breakthecycle.org. For more information
specically about cyberlaw, contact WiredSafety (WiredSafety.org) or the technology
safety project at the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV.org). You can
also nd helpful information from Womens Law at womenslaw.org.
TME CFINIMAL LAW: CALLIMG TME POLICE
Many acts of dating abuse are crimes for which the abuser can be arrested and sent to
jail. In order to use the criminal justice system with regard to abuse, either the person who
experienced the abuse or someone who witnessed it or heard about it must report what
happened to the police. Sometimes social networks or websites/services will discover
abusive behavior or digital images and report it themselves.
If the prosecutor decides to press charges, a judge or a jury will hear the evidence and
the prosecutors case against the defendant. If the defendant is a minor, he or she is
typically tried in juvenile court. If the defendant is found guilty, a judge determines the
sentence (e.g., prison or jail time, probation, community service, counseling, ne).
abusers home.
Keep p|cne card/ncney fcr a p|cne card v|t| ycU at a|| t|nes.
Keep sUbvay/bUs/tax| fare v|t| ycU at a|| t|nes.
Ee avare cf t|e c|csest energency rccn. An energency rccn can act as a br|ef safe
haven, enabling you to sit in the waiting area to consider your next steps.
Try nct tc be a|cne |n |sc|ated areas |n pUb||c. Try tc get a r|de tc c|ass, cr ask scnecne
to walk or ride the bus with you.
Jc|n a sUppcrt grcUp fcr |nd|v|dUa|s v|c |ave exper|enced dat|ng abUse.
PUt t|e cr|g|na| and ccp|es cf |npcrtant dccUnents {e.g., |dent|cat|cn, |ea|t| |nsUrance,
immigration papers) in a location that cannot be easily found by the abuser.
Create a nev ena|| acccUnt and Use a passvcrd t|at t|e abUser v||| nct be ab|e tc
guess so that the abuser will not be able to read your incoming and outgoing mail.
In addition to the suggestions above, an individual who decides to leave a relationship with
an abuser should consider the following:

Gc tc ccUrt tc get a restra|n|ng crder. Keep at |east cne ccpy and g|ve ccp|es tc t|e
police, school administrators, people at work, etc.
Te|| c|cse fan||y and fr|ends t|at ycU are nc |cnger |n t|e re|at|cns||p.
C|ange ycUr c|ass sc|edU|e tc avc|d be|ng |n c|ass v|t| cr rUnn|ng |ntc t|e abUser; avc|d
arriving at and leaving class at the same time as the abuser.
Screen ca||s and texts and/cr c|ange cne's p|cne nUnber.
Avc|d gc|ng tc |ccat|cns v|ere t|e abUser n|g|t |cck fcr ycU.
14
In most states, when a defendant is convicted of a crime related to domestic violence,
the judge may also issue a criminal protective order requiring the abuser to stay away
from the person he or she has harmed and not contact him or her in any way. Criminal
protective orders are an important option for adolescents who live in a state that does not
allow young people, people who are dating, or same sex-couples to obtain civil domestic
violence restraining orders. Protective orders can also include restrictions on digital
communications and activities.
TME CIVIL LAW: OETAIMIMG A FESTFAIMIMG OFOEF
People who experience abuse can also use civil law for protection from the abuser. In this
case, the person who was abused asks to be protected from the abuser by a restraining
order. A restraining (also called protective) order is a court order that makes it illegal for
the abuser to harm, come near, or contact the target in any way. Often restraining orders
can also help protect a persons children or other people who live in his or her home. With
a restraining order, the person who has experienced abuse can call the police as soon as
the abuser comes too close or contacts him or her in any way. In most states, violation of
a restraining order is a crime.
In order to qualify for a domestic violence restraining order, an individual must have
a domestic relationship with the abuser. Many state laws do not include the kind of
relationships college students typically have (such as people who are dating but not living
together) in their denition of domestic relationships and, thus, may not be eligible for
protective orders. Contact Break the Cycle (help@breakthecycle.org) to learn more about
the laws in your state or to identify local resources for legal assistance.
15
I THOUGHT THINGS WOULD CHANGE*
Excerpt By Adaliz Rodriguez
Adaliz describes her relationship with Richard.
EXCEFPT:
What hurt me the most were his mean words. I wasnt used to the kind of names he
called me. My parents never allowed that kind of language. I cried a lot. I walked looking
down. Id ditch [skip] class a lot, and, although I made sure I passed, I was falling behind.
I was miserable. Id tell him he was hurting me verbally. Id try to break up with him,
then hed cry and say, Im sorry, dont leave me. Ill stop hitting you. Id believe him,
because I didnt want to leave him; I wanted him to change.
He had to make sure I wasnt doing anything. Hed nd out from his friends if I was
talking to someone, and wed get in a big argument. Hed call me disgusting names, and
make me cry. Hed hit me, push me, sock me in the stomach and in the head. He was
smart. He knew not to leave me with bruises that showed.
He told me about the problems his parents had. He used to jump on his father to stop
him from hitting his mother. He said hed never hit me like his father did. Then when he
hit me, hed say he didnt mean to, and turn it around so that it was my fault: If you just
didnt do those things, I wouldnt hit you. In other words, I shouldnt get him so mad, or
provoke him to hit me.
*Copyright 1997 from In Love & In Danger, Edited by Barrie Levy. Performed by permission of Seal Press.
16
WHAT IS DATING ABUSE?
Dating abuse is a pattern of physically, sexually, verbally, and/or emotionally abusive or
controlling behavior in a dating relationship. It can involve digital communications and
technologies or real world communications and physical interactions.
PMYSICAL AEUSE
Any unwanted contact with the other persons body. Physical abuse does not have to
leave a mark or a bruise.
Examples:
Scratc||ng PUnc||ng E|t|ng K|ck|ng
P|nc||ng EUrn|ng PU|||ng |a|r C|ck|ng
Strang||ng PUs||ng Os|ng a veapcn S|app|ng
S|cv|ng P|ys|ca| restra|nt Sp|tt|ng
SEXUAL ABUSE
Any sexual behavior that is unwanted or interferes with the other persons right to say
no to sexual advances.
Examples:
Onvanted k|ss|ng cr tcUc||ng
Oate rape
Fcrc|ng scnecne tc gc fUrt|er sexUa||y t|an |e cr s|e vants tc
Onvanted rcUg| cr v|c|ent sexUa| act|v|ty
Mct |ett|ng scnecne Use b|rt| ccntrc| cr prctect|cn aga|nst sexUa||y transn|tted
infections
Fcrc|ng scnecne tc pcse fcr st||| cr v|dec |nages v|||e part|a||y cr fU||y nUde cr v|||e
performing sexual acts
Fcrc|ng scnecne tc vatc| ct|ers engag|ng |n sexUa| acts |n rea| ||fe cr |n st||| cr v|dec
images
Ccerc|ng scnecne tc take nUde cr sexUa| |nages cf ||n/|erse|f and s|are t|en
Fcrc|ng scnecne tc expcse ||n/|erse|f sexUa||y tc ct|ers cr |n pUb||c
Fcrc|ng scnecne tc vear cr nct vear |tens cf c|ct||ng {sUc| as Undervear)
V|dectap|ng cr reccrd|ng a sexUa| act cr nUde |nage cf scnecne v|t|cUt t|e|r
knowledge or consent
Send|ng scnecne Unsc||c|ted and Unve|ccned sexUa| |nages
A|ter|ng an |nage cf a perscn tc nake |t appear t|at t|ey vere pcs|ng |n t|e nUde cr
engaging in sexual activities
17
VEFEAL / ENOTIOMAL AEUSE
Saying or doing something to the other person that causes the person to be afraid and/
or have lower self-esteem. Trying to manipulate or control the persons feelings or
behaviors. This can include online posts or digital communications designed to threaten,
harass, or embarrass someone.
These can take place in real life or through the use of digital technologies, such as social
networks, online games, email, text-messages, videos, photo-sharing and video-sharing
sites, webcams, digital gaming devices, and instant messaging.
Examples:
Mane-ca|||ng and pUt-dcvns
nsU|t|ng t|e perscn cr ||s/|er fan||y cr fr|ends
Ye|||ng and screan|ng
Marn|ng {cr t|reaten|ng tc |arn) t|e perscn cr ||s/|er fan||y, fr|ends, pets cr prcperty
Nak|ng rac|a|, et|n|c cr re||g|cUs s|Urs abcUt t|e perscn cr t|cse |e/s|e cares fcr
Nak|ng Unvanted ccnnents/send|ng Unvanted nessages cf a sexUa| natUre tc t|e
person
S|gn|ng t|e perscn Up fcr Unvanted vebs|tes cr serv|ces
Send|ng t|e perscn pcrncgrap||c v|decs, |nages cr ned|a
Enbarrass|ng t|e perscn |n frcnt cf ct|ers
nt|n|dat|ng t|e perscn
Spread|ng negat|ve rUncrs abcUt t|e perscn
Prevent|ng t|e perscn frcn see|ng cr ta|k|ng tc fr|ends and fan||y
Te|||ng t|e perscn v|at tc dc
Nak|ng t|e perscn fee| respcns|b|e fcr t|e v|c|ence/abUse
Sta|k|ng
Nak|ng t|e perscn fee| gU||ty abcUt vant|ng tc |eave t|e re|at|cns||p by ta|k|ng abcUt
the abusers hard life and how alone and abandoned the abuser will feel if left
T|reaten|ng tc ccnn|t sU|c|de
T|reaten|ng tc k||| t|e target cr a fr|end/fan||y nenber cf t|e target
T|reaten|ng tc expcse perscna| |nfcrnat|cn abcUt t|e perscn {e.g., sexUa| cr|entat|cn,
immigration status, embarrassing secrets)
T|reaten|ng tc take avay t|e perscn's c|||d cr c|||dren
S|ar|ng sexUa| cr nUde p|ctUres cf t|e perscn t|at vere g|ven |n ccndence
Excess|ve cr Unvanted text-nessag|ng, |nstant nessag|ng, p|cne ca||s cr ena||s tc
check up on someone
Pcst|ng fake cr a|tered |nages cf scnecne cr "p|ctcs|cpp|ng a perscn's |nages tc
add or remove others from pictures
Creat|ng an abUs|ve grcUp cr prc|e abcUt scnecne, sUc| as t|e "Katy |s a s|Ut grcUp
or setting the person up for attacks by others online
Pcst|ng nasty, fa|se cr abUs|ve ccnnents cn t|e perscn's prc|e cr ct|er acccUnts cr
in their guestbook
Access|ng scnecne's acccUnts and c|ang|ng t|e passvcrds sc |e cr s|e nc |cnger
has access to them and/or posing as the person and altering his or her accounts and
proles
Adapted frcn Ereak t|e Cyc|e, nc. 2006. breakt|ecyc|e.crg and prcv|ded by Parry Aftab, Esq. fcr W|redSafety and Teenange|s, 2009,
WiredSafety.org or Teenangels.org.
18
ROLES IN DATING ABUSE:
ABUSER, TARGET, AND BYSTANDER.
ABUSER: A person who physically, sexually,
verbally, or emotionally hurts or attempts to
control an intimate partner.
TARGET: A person who is subjected to
controlling behavior or hurt physically,
sexually, verbally, or emotionally by an
intimate partner.
BYSTANDER: A person who is aware or
suspects that someone is being abused
in a dating relationship. The bystander
may become aware of the abuse through
the abusers or the targets actions or
words.
HELPING A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER
WHO IS BEING ABUSED
Te|| t|e perscn v|c |s be|ng abUsed t|at ycU kncv abcUt t|e abUse and are
concerned for his or her safety. Tell your friend or relative that he or she does not
deserve to be abused.
Ackncv|edge t|at t|e abUse |s nct t||s perscn's faU|t. Fen|nd t|e fr|end cr re|at|ve
that the abuser is responsible for the abuse. Tell the person that he or she is not alone.
Ee sUppcrt|ve and pat|ent. t nay be d|fcU|t fcr t|e perscn tc ta|k abcUt t|e abUse.
Let your friend or relative know that you are available to listen or help any time.
Avc|d jUdg|ng ycUr fr|end cr fan||y nenber. T|e perscn nay break Up v|t| and gc
back to the abuser many times before nally leaving the relationship. Do not criticize
your friend or relative for doing this, even if you disagree with the choices he or she
makes.
EnccUrage t|e perscn tc ta|k tc ct|ers v|c can prcv|de |e|p and gU|dance. Cffer
to help the person talk to family, friends, a teacher, faculty member or staff person on
campus, or a member of the clergy; or to help them nd a counselor or support group.
If your friend or relative decides to go to the police, to court, or to see a lawyer, offer
to come along, but make sure you dont do the talking when you get there.
Me|p t|e perscn tc deve|cp a pract|ca| and spec|c safety p|an t|at fccUses cn
preventing future harm or abuse. Visit National Coalition Against Domestic Violence or
the American Bar Association Domestic Violence Safety Plan for safety planning tips
and guides.
Oc nct ccnfrcnt t|e abUser dUr|ng an act cf v|c|ence; |t ccU|d be dangercUs fcr ycU
and your friend or relative. It is best to call the police or get help from an adult in this
situation. However, if it feels safe to do so, you can let a friend know if you think his or
her words or behavior is hurtful or controlling and encourage that person to get help.
Fenenber t|at ycU cannct "rescUe t|e perscn v|c |s t|e target cf abUse. t |s
difcult to see someone you care about get hurt. Your friend or relative must be the
one to decide what to do. Your job is to be supportive.
DIRECTIONS: Imagine that you are a friend or relative of
AdeIiz end thet ycu knew thet Hicherd wes ebusing her. Wcrk with e
partner to write a letter to Adaliz in which you reach out to help her.
As ycu write, keep in mind the suggesticns thet ere Iisted ebcve.
19
20
INCREASING YOUR SAFETY IN AN
ABUSIVE DATING RELATIONSHIP
If you are in an abusive relationship, whether you decide to stay in the relationship or
leave, you need to think about steps to take to increase your safety.
Talk with a trustworthy person (e.g., parent, resident assistant or hall director, adviser,
professor, counselor, clergy member) about what you are experiencing. Doing so can
help you to feel less isolated.
Create a dating safety plan. A dating safety plan helps people who are experiencing
dating abuse to think ahead about steps to take that may help keep them safer during
a dangerous incident. Visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline, thehotline.org, for
information about dating abuse.
Call the police. If someone is hurting you or you are in immediate danger, it may be
best to call the police. Many acts of physical and sexual violence are crimes; the
abuser can be arrested and go to jail for them.
Get a restraining order or a protective order. A restraining order (also called a
protective order) is a court order that makes it illegal for the abuser to harm you, come
near you, or contact you in any way. When you have an order, you can call the police
as soon as the abuser comes near you or contacts you. To nd out about the laws in
your state, visit thesafespace.org.
If your home is not a safe place and/or you live with the abuser, consider going to a
domestic violence shelter.
A shelter is a safe place. Its usually a house or apartment in a secret location, where
people experiencing dating or domestic violence and their children can live for a limited
time. Staff at the shelter can help you nd a more permanent place to live.
20
Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline, a national 24-hour resource that
can be accessed by calling 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY) or
visiting thehotline.org.
POSSIBLE WARNING SIGNS
IN DATING RELATIONSHIPS
If you are in an intimate relationship with someone, is it the healthy situation that
ycU deserve? PUt a c|eck next tc any cf t|e respcnses be|cv t|at app|y tc t||s
relationship.
Note: It is important to remember that sometimes there are no signs that an intimate
partner may become abusive.
Does the person I am with
___ Get extrene|y jea|cUs cr pcssess|ve?
___ AccUse ne cf |rt|ng cr c|eat|ng?
___ Ccnstant|y c|eck Up cn ne v|a ca||s cr texts cr nake ne c|eck |n?
___ Te|| ne |cv tc dress cr |cv nUc| nakeUp tc vear?
___ Try tc ccntrc| v|at dc and v|cn see?
___ Try tc keep ne frcn see|ng cr ta|k|ng tc ny fan||y and fr|ends?
___ Mave b|g nccd sv|ngs-gett|ng angry and ye|||ng at ne cne n|nUte, and be|ng
sveet and apc|cget|c t|e next?
___ Nake ne fee| nervcUs, cr ||ke 'n va|k|ng cn eggs|e||s?
___ PUt ne dcvn cr cr|t|c|ze ne cr pcst t||ngs cn||ne tc enbarrass cr |Un|||ate ne?
___ Fcrce ne tc send nUde cr ct|erv|se "|napprcpr|ate p|ctcs cf nyse|f?
___ Nake ne fee| t|at can't dc anyt||ng r|g|t?
___ Nake ne fee| t|at nc cne e|se vcU|d vant ne?
___ T|reaten tc |Urt ne?
___ T|reaten tc |Urt ny fr|ends cr fan||y?
___ T|reaten tc ccnn|t sU|c|de?
___ T|reaten tc |Urt ||n - cr |erse|f - becaUse cf ne?
___ T|reaten tc |Urt ny pet{s)?
___ T|reaten tc destrcy ny t||ngs?
___ MUrt ne p|ys|ca||y? {|nc|Udes ye|||ng, grabb|ng, pUs||ng, s|cv|ng, s|ak|ng,
punching, slapping, holding me down, etc.)
___ Ereak cr t|rcv t||ngs v|en ve argUe?
___ PressUre cr fcrce ne |ntc |av|ng sex cr gc|ng fUrt|er sexUa||y t|an vant tc?
lf ycu checked eny cf these respcnses, ycu mey be in en ebusive
relationship. There are resources out there. The National Domestic
VicIence MctIine end reek the CycIe cen heIp. Fcr mcre infcrmeticn,
visit thehotline.org or thesafespace.org.
21
THE PATTERN
OF ABUSE
IN DATING
VIOLENCE
& ABUSE
22
PURPOSE: To identify the pattern of
abusive dating relationships, as well
as obstacles, that make it difcult for
someone who is targeted by dating
abuse to seek help.
After completing this lesson, students will be able to
dene t|e typ|ca| stages cf t|e pattern cf abUse |n dat|ng abUse
|dent|fy ve cbstac|es t|at ycUng adU|ts cften face v|en seek|ng |e|p |n dat|ng abUse
situations
MATERIALS
Read "Fac|||tator Eackground Informat|on" before teaching this lesson
Photocopy the "Ereath|ng Underwater" excerpt for all students
Photocopy "Patterns of Oat|ng Abuse" for all students
Photocopy "Look|ng at M|ck and Ca|t||n's S|tuat|on" for all students
Photocopy "The Cyc|e of Ny L|fe" for all students
Photocopy the "Poss|b|e Warn|ng S|gns |n Oat|ng Fe|at|onsh|ps" as needed
Photocopy "Increas|ng Your Safety |n an Abus|ve Fe|at|onsh|p" as needed
23
ACTIVITIES
O|scuss the repeat|ng phases that typ|ca||y {but do not a|ways) occur |n abus|ve dat|ng
re|at|onsh|ps.
Exp|a|n tc stUdents t|at |n nany abUs|ve dat|ng re|at|cns||ps, t|e p|ys|ca|, enct|cna|
and/or sexual abuse is not a one-time thing. It usually happens again and again, and the
abuse may become more severe and more frequent over time. Point out that even one
incident of dating abuse is too many.
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf "Patterns cf Oat|ng AbUse. Fev|ev t|e |andcUt. Nake
sure students understand that every relationship is different and that the phases may
occur infrequently, briey, or over long stretches of time. Some targets, for example, never
experience a honeymoon phase.
Exp|a|n t|at abUsers are cften extrene|y jea|cUs cf t|e target's fr|ends and fan||y,
claiming to love their partner so much that they dont want anyone else around. This kind of
excessive possessiveness and jealousy is not a sign of love, but an example of the extreme
control that abusers seek to have over their partners. Abusers often work actively to create
an us vs. them situation between the target and his/her family, thereby making it much
harder for the target to reach out to his or her family for help when he or she may need it.
Nent|cn t|at targets cf dat|ng abUse cften be||eve t|at t|e rst |nc|dent cf abUse |s
an isolated one that will not occur again. After the abuse, the abusers apologies and
promises that it will not happen again may convince the target to stay in the relationship.
Unfortunately, we know that once an individual has demonstrated abusive behavior toward
a dating partner, he or she is likely to abuse the partner again. As the violence and abuse
become more severe and occur more frequently, the target is likely to become more
isolated and fearful, afraid to reach out for help.
STEP TWO {BC m|nutes)
Ana|yze a text that |||ustrates an examp|e of phases |n dat|ng abuse.
Te|| stUdents t|at t|e c|ass |s gc|ng tc read a|cUd an excerpt frcn a ncve| t|at |||Ustrates
the phases that make up a typical pattern of dating abuse.
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf t|e "Ereat||ng Ondervater excerpt.
Fead a|cUd t|e rst paragrap|. T|en |ave stUdent vc|Unteers eac| read cne cr tvc
paragraphs aloud.
Exp|a|n tc stUdents t|at t|ey are gc|ng tc vcrk |n grcUps cf t|ree tc |dent|fy |cv t|e
three phases of tension-building, explosion, and honeymoon play out in the excerpt from
Breathing Underwater.
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf "Lcck|ng at M|ck and Ca|t||n's S|tUat|cn. Te|| stUdents t|at as
they work in their small groups to answer the questions, they must refer to the Breathing
Underwater excerpt and provide specic examples from the text that support their answers,
rather than trying to remember the text and responding in a general fashion.
After 10-12 n|nUtes, rev|ev t|e qUest|cns cn t|e |andcUt, se|ect|ng cne cr tvc sna||
groups per question to share their answers with the class.
24
STEP THREE {B m|nutes)
O|scuss the obstac|es that young adu|ts/co||ege students face |n seek|ng he|p for dat|ng
abuse.

Ask stUdents |f t|ey can t||nk cf any add|t|cna| cbstac|es t|at Ca|t||n-cr any cc||ege
stUdent -ccU|d face |n seek|ng |e|p as t|e target cf dat|ng abUse. Wr|te stUdents' |deas cn
the board. Sample answers may include
Bond with/love for the abuser
Not sure what constitutes healthy and unhealthy behaviors in a relationship
Being isolated and feeling they have no one to talk to/no one who cares
Fear that friends or family members wont believe them
Fear that friends will side with the abuser
Fear of being hurt/killed
Fear of friend/family member being hurt/killed
Fear of losing children
Being turned away by friends or family members who dont believe them or tell them
its no big deal
Not wanting to tell someone the details of their private life
Pressure from peers and/or family members to be in a relationship
Not wanting to lose the social status that might come with the relationship
Fear of the abuse escalating if the abuser discovers they have sought help
Specic threats from the abuser about what will happen if they seek help
Denying, minimizing, or rationalizing the abuse
Feeling vulnerable because of pregnancy, parenthood, sexual orientation, a disability,
and/or immigration status
Feeling ashamed of being in an abusive relationship
Cultural and/or religious issues
Idealization of relationship
Substance abuse
Feeling hopeless
Low self-esteem, including feeling powerless to make changes in ones life
Lack of knowledge of resources
Not wanting the abuser to suffer negative consequences
Not knowing their legal rights related to abuse
Fear that information about their situation will not be kept condential
Lack of local social and legal services targeted in violent dating relationships
Lack of access to services
Belief that the abuse will stop or that they can change the abuser
Financial dependence on the abuser
Feeling they cant escape the abuser because he or she lives in the same religious,
ethnic, racial, or cultural community or attends the same school
25
STEP FOUR {1 m|nute)
Conc|us|on.
Exp|a|n t|at nany |nd|v|dUa|s v|c |ave exper|enced dat|ng abUse ccnrn t|at t|e abUse
often occurs in a pattern. And, while there are obstacles facing college students who seek
|e|p v|en t|ey exper|ence dat|ng abUse, nany stUdents-||ke Ada||z-dc reac| cUt and
nd the support they need to keep themselves safe.
STEP FIVE {5 m|nutes)
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf "ncreas|ng YcUr Safety |n an AbUs|ve Oat|ng Fe|at|cns||p.
Fev|ev t|e |andcUt. Enp|as|ze t|at even v|en scnecne |s p|ann|ng tc end-cr |as
a|ready ended-an abUs|ve re|at|cns||p, |e cr s|e s|cU|d ccnt|nUe tc Use t|ese precaUt|cns
in case the abuser attempts to commit additional violence. Consider stressing that the most
dangerous time for the target is when he or she has left the relationship.
O|str|bUte cne Mat|cna| Ocnest|c V|c|ence Mct||ne va||et card tc eac| stUdent. Exp|a|n t|at
the card is sized to t in a wallet and that it contains a toll-free phone number and website
for assistance with dating abuse issues.
PFOTECTIMG TME SAFETY OF COLLEGE STUOEMTS
IM AEUSIVE OATIMG FELATIOMSMIPS
People in abusive relationships have options for increasing their safety. They may decide to
stay with the abuser, exploring ways to keep themselves safe while still in the relationship.
They may decide to end the relationship.
in danger. The plan should be practical and specic. People who experiencing dating abuse
and/or are in the process of ending or have already ended an abusive relationship should
create and use a dating safety plan. This allows them to think in advance about how to
protect themselves from harm rather than trying to gure it out when they are in immediate
danger. The plan should be practical and specic. NOTE: We do not recommend sharing
many details about what a safety plan might look like with all students because this might
enable abusers to notice signs that the person he or she is abusing is planning to leave the
relationship, which could potentially put the target in danger.
shelter, family, friends) nearby at all times. Always have a cell phone or change for a phone
call. If you usually store these numbers in your phone, keep them on paper, too, in case
your battery goes dead or you cant access your phone.
abusers home.
Try nct tc be a|cne |n |sc|ated areas |n pUb||c. Try tc get a r|de tc c|ass, cr ask scnecne tc
walk or ride the bus with you.
Create a nev ena|| acccUnt and Use a passvcrd t|at t|e abUser v||| nct be ab|e tc gUess
so that the abuser will not be able to read your incoming and outgoing mail.
FACILITATOR BACKGROUND INFORMATION

ACCESSIMG SMELTEF, COUMSELIMG, AMO/OF
OTMEF OONESTIC VIOLEMCE SEFVICES
Many communities have resources for individuals experiencing domestic and dating abuse,
such as condential emergency shelters, counseling services, and support groups. Some
domestic violence organizations will serve teenagers as well as adults. To nd help in your
area, contact National Domestic Violence Hotline, thehotline.org or call 1-800-799-7233 or
1-800-787-3224 (TTY).
Students who experience dating abuse can seek help from the legal system, typically by
using civil law, criminal law, or both. Students may also be able to seek help from their
campus judicial systems. These options are very different. All states provide some
prctect|cn frcn dcnest|c v|c|ence |n bct| t|e cr|n|na| and c|v|| |av, bUt t|e deta||s cf t|e 66
protections available vary greatly from state to state. For help understanding your states
civil and criminal laws, contact Break the Cycle at breakthecycle.org. For more information
specically about cyberlaw, contact WiredSafety (WiredSafety.org) or the technology safety
project at the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV.org). You can also nd
helpful information from Womens Law at womenslaw.org.
happened to the police. Sometimes social networks or websites/services will discover abu-
sive behavior or digital images and report it themselves.
If the prosecutor decides to press charges, a judge or a jury will hear the evidence and the
prosecutors case against the defendant. If the defendant is a minor, he or she is typically
tried in juvenile court. If the defendant is found guilty, a judge determines the sentence (e.g.,
prison or jail time, probation, community service, counseling, ne).
In most states, when a defendant is convicted of a crime related to domestic violence, the
judge may also issue a criminal protective order requiring the abuser to stay away from the
person he or she has harmed and not contact him or her in any way. Criminal protective
orders are an important option for adolescents who live in a state that does not allow young
people, people who are dating, or same sex-couples to obtain civil domestic violence re-
straining orders. Protective orders can also include restrictions on digital communications
and activities.
order. A restraining (also called protective) order is a court order that makes it illegal for the
abuser to harm, come near, or contact the target in any way. Restraining orders often can
also serve to protect a persons children or other people who live in his or her home. With
the abuser comes too close or contacts him or her in any way. In most states, violation of a
restraining order is a crime.
In order to qualify for a domestic violence restraining order, an individual must have a do-
mestic relationship with the abuser. Many state laws do not include the kind of relationships
college students typically have (such as people who are dating but not living together) in
their denition of domestic relationships and, thus, may not be eligible for protective orders.
Contact Break the Cycle (help@breakthecycle.org) to learn more about the laws in your
state or to identify local resources for legal assistance.
29
PATTERNS OF DATING ABUSE
Every relationship is unique, however, many people who are the target of dating abuse nd
the abuse occurs in a distinct pattern with three phases: tension building, explosion, and
honeymoon. Each phase can be as short as a few seconds or as long as several years.
PHASE 1:
Tension Building: Things start to get tense between the two people. In this phase

T|e tvc pecp|e argUe a |ct.
T|e abUser ye||s at t|e target fcr nc reascn.
T|e abUser nakes fa|se accUsat|cns abcUt t|e target.
T|e target fee|s t|at s|e cr |e can't dc anyt||ng r|g|t.
T|e atncsp|ere |s tense, as |f t||ngs ccU|d b|cv Up at any ncnent.
PHASE 2:
Explosion: The tension is released in a burst of physical, sexual and/or verbal/
emotional abuse. The abuser may

Screan and ye|| |n a vay t|at |s fr|g|ten|ng and/cr |Un|||at|ng.
M|t, grab, s|cve, k|ck, s|an t|e ct|er perscn aga|nst t|e va||, etc.
T|rcv cbjects.
T|reaten tc |Urt t|e ct|er perscn cr scnecne |e cr s|e cares abcUt.
Fape t|e ct|er perscn cr fcrce ||n cr |er tc gc fUrt|er sexUa||y t|an |e cr s|e vants tc.
PHASE 3:
Honeymoon: The abuser tries to make the target stay in the relationship by
apologizing and/or shifting the blame for the abuse onto someone or something else.
The abuser may

Apc|cg|ze and prcn|se t|at t|e abUse v||| never |appen aga|n.
Say " |cve ycU.
EUy t|e ct|er perscn cvers cr g|fts.
AccUse t|e ct|er perscn cf dc|ng scnet||ng tc caUse t|e abUse.
E|ane t|e abUse cn ct|er t||ngs sUc| as a|cc|c|, drUgs cr stress.
After the honeymoon phase, the tension starts to build again, leading to another
explosion. Over time, the honeymoon phase may get shorter or even disappear, and
the explosions may become more violent and dangerous. Some targets of dating
abUse never exper|ence t|e |cneynccn p|ase-jUst t|e tens|cn bU||d|ng and exp|cs|cn
phases. These phases do not happen in every abusive relationship. Someone may be
experiencing dating abuse even if this pattern is not present.
Adapted frcn Ereak t|e Cyc|e, nc. 2006.
30
BREATHING UNDERWATER* EXCERPT
In the novel Ereath|ng Underwater," Nick, the sixteen-year-old narrator, recounts
his relationship with Caitlin (also called Cat), whom he abused physically, verbally, and
emotionally for most of their relationship. In this scene, Caitlin and Nick, who have been
dating for a few months, are in Nicks car, driving over a long two-lane bridge. Caitlin has
just told Nick that she feels they need to talk about the way he treats her. Nick fears that
she is going to tell him that she wants to end the relationship.
EXCERPT:
I heard you. Im deciding how to respond. She could not leave me. As I hit the word
respond, I pulled to the left, veering into the southbound lane. Then I oored it past three
cars. A southbound Volvo station wagon slammed its brakes within yards of us. The
driver was honking, yelling. I pulled back into the northbound lane and ipped him off. I
looked at Caitlin. Her mouth hung in mid-scream. I laughed.
"Oc ycU trUst ne, Cat? S|e vas s||ent. |eaned c|cser. "O|d ever te|| ycU abcUt ny
nct|er? Ca|t||n reccvered encUg| tc s|ake |er |ead nc, and sa|d, " vas fcUr, ve, 'd
lie awake nights, listening to her and my dad ghting, him hitting her. I looked at Caitlin.
"YcU vant tc |ear t||s?
She nodded.
I thought wed pack up and leave someday, her and I. I lived for that day. On the wheel,
my knuckles were white. Then, one morning, I wake up, and shes gone, never came
back. She ran from the monster and left me there with him.
Caitlin removed her sunglasses. Im sorry, Nick.
So you talk about trust, its pretty important. I mean, when the one person you trust just
picks up and leaves
Caitlins hand slipped across my shoulder. I tried to shrug her off, swerving left into
trafc, then back. Terror lled Caitlins eyes. Her nails ripped my esh.
"TrUst ne, Cat? S|e ccU|d nct |eave ne. sverved aga|n. "'CaUse |f ycU |aven't gUred
it out, life doesnt mean much to me. Without you, its worthless.
A ock of seagulls headed across my windshield. She could not leave me. I swerved
again, this time counting three before I veered back. She could not leave me. Caitlin
screamed at me to stop.
"W|at's t|e natter? W|en s|e d|dn't ansver, sverved aga|n. "C|-t||s. Naybe ycU're r|g|t.
I straightened the wheel, looking beyond her to the orange and green water east of the
bridge. Silence. I didnt swerve. Nothing. We were halfway across. Caitlin relaxed.
SUdden|y, sa|d, "T||nk ccU|d nake a r|g|t |ere? F|g|t vas |ntc vater. nade ||ke
Id do it, crash through the guardrail, then down. Caitlin screamed. She grabbed for
the wheel. I shoved her away so her ngers clawed the air. She tried again, gripping
both my hands. The car swerved left into the path of a Bronco towing a boat. I pulled
it back. My mind knew what she was doing, but my eyes didnt. I couldnt see her. She
was shrieking. God, shut up! Her voice deafened me, and it was all around, in my ears,
31
making me lose all control. She tried to grab the wheel. Blind and deaf, I drove, sun hot
on my face. I had to get her off me. God, I just had to get her off me. Get her off me! Get off
me! Get off!
Next thing I knew, I was driving on land. I couldnt tell you whether it was minutes or
hours later. Caitlin hung across the seat, head cradled in her ngers. My hand throbbed,
and I knew Id hit her. Id hit her. I was tired. Shed worn me out, but the anger inside
me dissolved, replaced by that regret. But Id had to stop her. Shed been irrational,
overwrought, shouldnt have touched the wheel. She could have killed us. I looked at
her. The seat was the length of a football eld. Caitlin faced the window. She was so
beautiful. Ahead was a red pickup with a Jesus sh. It was going at a good clip, but when
we reached the next passing zone, I overtook it and a few other cars. Cat stiffened. I
merged back into trafc and reached to stroke her hair.
She lifted her head, cautious as a runner stealing home, and stared.
"Are ycU a|| r|g|t, Ca|t||n? asked.
When she didnt answer, I repeated the question.
She shook her head. You hit me.
I told her no. I hadnt. I mean, she was grabbing the wheel. Wed almost creamed the
Bronco. I had to get her off me before we got killed.
Because you were driving off the bridge, she said.
I laughed and said she knew me better. . . Id never do it for real. Besides, wed have
crashed the guardrail, and Id have gotten killed for wrecking the car.
But you hit me, Nick. She leaned out the window toward the sideview mirror to see if
her cheek was getting red.
And |t vas. d|dn't expect |t tc be red, bUt |t vas-a ||tt|e. |adn't ||t |er |ard, jUst
enough to get her off me. I said, Dont you know you shouldnt grab the wheel when
scnecne's dr|v|ng?
"EUt t|cUg|t-
S|e vas pretty s|aken. Nad naybe? pU||ed |er c|cse. "Scrry freaked ycU cUt, K|ttycat.
I forget you arent used to guys. You dont know we play rough sometimes. She kept
prctest|ng, and sa|d, "YcU kncv v|at vas t||nk|ng? vanted tc bUy ycU a r|ng. YcU
kncv, ||ke a synbc|, s|nce ve're gc|ng tcget|er. W|at's ycUr b|rt|stcne?
Still, she stared like her life was ashing before her eyes. You hit me, Nick.
k|ssed |er. S|e drev avay, and pU||ed |er back. "YcUr b|rt|day's |n FebrUary, r|g|t?
Ill ask the jeweler what the stone is.
I held her close until she stopped struggling. The sun was down, but it wasnt dark
enough for a moon, and we crossed bridges connecting the islands, Big Pine Key,
Plantation Key, Key Largo. Then we drove through mainland Miami a while. When we
reached home, the sky above Rickenbacker Causeway was black, and Caitlin slept on
my shoulder.
*From Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn. Copyright 2001 by Alexandra Flinn. Used by permission of
HaperCollins Publishers.
32
LOOKING AT NICK AND CAITLINS
SITUATION (Sample Answers Filled In)
DIRECTIONS: In your small group, respond to the following questions:
1. Cite at least two specic examples from the Breathing Underwater excerpt that
indicate that the tension is building between Nick and Caitlin (before the physical
violence occurs).
n t|e rst paragrap|, M|ck |ntent|cna||y steers t|e car |ntc t|e pat| cf cnccn|ng trafc.
n t|e sane paragrap|, Ca|t||n's ncUt| "|Ung |n n|d-screan.
n t|e fcUrt| paragrap|, M|ck's knUck|es are v||te cn t|e steer|ng v|ee|.
M|ck keeps repeat|ng tc ||nse|f, "S|e ccU|d nct |eave ne.
2. W|en M|ck dces exp|cde, v|at types cf abUs|ve be|av|crs dces |e dencnstrate?
(Refer to the Patterns of Dating Abuse handout.)
M|ck ||ts Ca|t||n.
Me Uses t|e t|reat cf v|c|ence by repeated|y sverv|ng |ntc cnccn|ng trafc.

3. In the honeymoon phase after the abuse, what does Nick tell himself to try to shift
t|e b|ane fcr t|e abUse cntc Ca|t||n?
" jUst |ad tc get |er cff ne.
" vas t|red.
"S|e'd vcrn ne cUt. . .
"'d |ad tc stcp |er. S|e'd been |rrat|cna|, cvervrcUg|t, s|cU|dn't |ave tcUc|ed t|e
wheel. She could have killed us.
" |adn't ||t |er |ard, jUst encUg| tc get |er cff ne.
4. W|at dces |e say tc Ca|t||n tc try tc s||ft t|e b|ane cntc |er?
Me te||s |er t|at |e d|dn't ||t |er.
Me te||s |er |e |ad tc get |er cff ||n "befcre ve gct k|||ed.
Me te||s |er |e vcU|d "never dc |t fcr rea|.
Me says, "Ocn't ycU kncv ycU s|cU|dn't grab t|e v|ee| v|en scnecne |s dr|v|ng?
Me says, " fcrget ycU aren't Used tc gUys. YcU dcn't kncv ve p|ay rcUg| scnet|nes.
5. After Nick is abusive to Caitlin, what does he do to try to convince her to stay
v|t| ||n?
Me strckes |er |a|r.
Me asks |er, "Are ycU a|| r|g|t?
Me te||s |er |e vants tc bUy |er a r|ng "s|nce ve're gc|ng tcget|er.
Me k|sses |er.
Me |c|ds |er c|cse Unt|| s|e stcps strUgg||ng.
FACILITATORS COPY
33
LOOKING AT
NICK AND CAITLINS SITUATION
violence occurs).
5. After M|ck |s abUs|ve tc Ca|t||n, v|at dces |e dc tc try tc ccnv|nce |er tc stay v|t| ||n?
34
THE CYCLE OF MY LIFE*
by Pamela
It all starts out wonderful until he strikes
Constantly hearing Im sorry
Until it doesnt matter anymore
Forgiving every time, forgetting never
Calling out for him to stop
Never stopping until it is almost too late
Never thinking about the consequences of his actions
Just making me think out every possible consequence of mine
Hearing Im sorry all over again
Meeting him with open eyes
Awaiting the gifts I know will pour forward
Ont|| |t a|| stcps-
And the cycle begins all over again
Directions: List below signs that Pamela is experiencing phases two and three of the
typical pattern of abuse in dating violence. Refer to Patterns of Dating Abuse for
examples of behaviors that occur in these phases.
PHASE 2: SIGNS OF EXPLOSION:
PHASE 3: SIGNS OF HONEYMOON:
*From www.teenrelationships.org/teenssay/teensay.htm.
35
If you are in an intimate relationship with someone, is it the healthy situation that you de-
serve? PUt a c|eck next tc any cf t|e respcnses be|cv t|at app|y tc t||s re|at|cns||p.

lf ycu checked eny cf these respcnses, ycu mey be in en ebusive reIeticnship.
There are resources out there. The National Domestic Violence Hotline
end reek the CycIe cen heIp. Fcr mcre infcrmeticn, visit thehctIine.crg cr
thesafespace.org.
35
36
dating abuse to think about safety strategies. Safety plans enable individuals to think
ahead about steps to take that may help keep them safer during a dangerous incident.
Visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline, thehotline.org, for information about dating
abuse.

Call the police. If someone is hurting you or you are in immediate danger, it may be best
to call the police. Many acts of physical and sexual violence are crimes; the abuser can
be arrested and go to jail for them.
Get a restraining order or a protective order. A restraining order (also called a protective
order) is a court order that makes it illegal for the abuser to harm you, come near you,
or contact you in any way. When you have an order, you can call the police as soon as
the abuser comes near you or contacts you. To nd out about the laws in your state,
visit thesafespace.org.
domestic violence shelter. A shelter is a safe place. Its usually a house or apartment
in a secret location, where people experiencing dating or domestic violence and their
children can live for a limited time. Staff at the shelter can help you nd a more permanent
place to live.
Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline, a national 24-hour resource
that can be accessed by calling 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY)
or visiting thehotline.org.
36

TECHNOLOGY
AND
DATING
ABUSE
37
reccgn|ze t|e rc|e d|g|ta| tec|nc|cg|es nay p|ay |n dat|ng v|c|ence
dene vccabU|ary re|ated tc d|g|ta| dat|ng abUse and app|y |t tc t|e text and tc t|e|r cvn
experiences
Understand v|at tc dc |f t|ey v|tness d|g|ta| dat|ng abUse
Understand t|e r|sks and |ega| ccnseqUences cf d|g|ta| abUse and sext|ng
MATERIALS
Read "Fac|||tator Eackground Informat|on: O|g|ta| Oat|ng Abuse"
(appears later in this lesson) before teaching this lesson
Read "Look|ng at Shannon and Greg's S|tuat|on" Facilitator copy
Photocopy "Shannon's Story" for all students
Photocopy "Look|ng at Shannon and Greg's S|tuat|on" for all students
Photocopy "The 2C Quest|ons" for all students
Photocopy "Feport|ng O|g|ta| Abuse" for all students
Photocopy "Increas|ng Your Safety |n an Abus|ve Oat|ng Fe|at|onsh|p" as needed
Additionally, as you teach this you may nd that your students reaction warrants an
extension from one class period to two.
PURPOSE: To understand the role of
digital technologies in dating abuse.
38
ACTIVITIES
Create a framework for the tech abuse d|scuss|ons.
Dene dating abuse for the students. Dating abuse is dened as a pattern of physically,
sexually, verbally and/or emotionally abusive or controlling behavior in a dating relationship.
Based on that denition, ask the class to dene tech abuse and share ways an abusive
partner may use technology against the target. Tech abuse is when someone uses digital
technology as a weapon to hurt someone else in a dating situation. Using technology to spy
on, harass or embarrass a partner in social communities can be a powerful abuse tactic in
any relationship.
Ansvers v||| vary, and nay |nc|Ude
Calling/emailing/texting the target to check up on him or her.
Checking the targets missed calls, emails, voicemail and text messages to see who
he or she has been communicating with.
Deleting friends on social networks.
Accessing the targets Facebook/MySpace page and posing as or altering his or her
online prole.
Calling or sending unwanted emails or texts that are threatening in tone.
Sending unwanted emails or texts that are sexual in nature (sexual harassment).
Stealing or breaking digital devices (laptops, phones, etc.) with the intent to harass
or intimidate.
Directing threatening calls, emails, or texts to any friends or family members of the target.
Ganging up on the target by having friends send threatening calls, emails, or texts to
the target.
Using camera phones to take unwanted pictures of the target and then using those
photos as a form of blackmail/intimidation, sharing these photos on social networking
sites, etc.
As t|e ccnversat|cn ccnt|nUes, d|scUss t||ngs t|e abUser can dc spec|ca||y cn t|e |n-
ternet. Do they have other accounts online where they interact with friends, like gaming or
p|ctc-s|ar|ng s|tes? CcU|d an abUser |arass a target t|rcUg| a v|dec gane systen {W||,
P|aystat|cn, etc.) t|at |s ccnnected tc t|e |nternet? Oces anycne Use Skype cr Vcnage?
Mcv ccU|d t|at be n|sUsed?
f t|ne a||cvs, sUnnar|ze t||s d|scUss|cn cf tec|nc|cg|es by ask|ng t|e stUdents tc |e|p
categorize the examples they listed above as one of the following:
O|rect Attacks by the abuser against the target (where he or she is called names,
harassed, or has his or her property destroyed, or has friends and family threatened).
Pub||c Attacks by the abuser about the target (posts or communications broadcast to
others designed to embarrass or damage the reputation of the target).
Cyberbu||y|ng-by-Proxy where the abuser manipulates others to commit direct
attacks,
39
public attacks, privacy invasions, or posed attacks designed to hurt the target.
Pr|vacy Invas|ons by the abuser spying on the target without permission, and
monitoring the targets communications or activities.
Posed Attacks by the abuser using the anonymity offered by digital technologies to
steal someones ID, hide his or her real identity, or pose as someone else (even the
target, in some situations).
Some examples students give will t into more than one category. For example, a post on
the targets Facebook page can be both a direct attack and a public attack.
Ana|yze a text that |||ustrates how d|g|ta| techno|og|es can be |nvo|ved |n the three
phases of dat|ng abuse.
Te|| stUdents t|at t|e c|ass |s gc|ng tc read a|cUd a s|crt stcry t|at |||Ustrates |cv d|g|ta|
technologies are used in dating abuse and how the three phases of dating abuse play out online.
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf t|e "S|anncn's Stcry |andcUt.
Fead t|e stcry a|cUd cr ass|gn cne stUdent tc read t|e ent|re stcry a|cUd cr ask stUdents tc read |t
to themselves, silently.
Exp|a|n tc stUdents t|at t|ey are gc|ng tc vcrk |n sna|| grcUps tc |dent|fy |cv d|g|ta| tec|nc|cg|es
can be used in dating abuse and that they will be asked to identify how the three phases of tension
building, explosion and honeymoon play out in Shannons Story.
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf "Lcck|ng at S|anncn & Greg's S|tUat|cn. Te|| stUdents t|at as t|ey
work in their small groups to answer the questions, they should refer to Shannons Story and
provide specic examples from the text that support their answers, rather than trying to remember
the text and responding in a general fashion.
After 10 n|nUtes, rev|ev t|e qUest|cns cn t|e |andcUt, se|ect|ng cne grcUp per qUest|cn tc s|are
their answers with the class. (10 minutes of discussion.)
Exp|ore the trends of password-shar|ng and sext|ng as ways students use to
show |nt|macy and trust |n a re|at|onsh|p.
PASSWORD-SHARING
Ask the students if sharing passwords is common in dating relationships and friendships,
and ask how many of them have voluntarily shared their passwords with a boyfriend or
girlfriend or close friend. Ask students to brainstorm ways to handle situations where a
friend or signicant other asks for your password. If theres time, consider having them
role-play an effective discussion.
Ask stUdents |cv scnecne nay be ab|e tc access ycUr acccUnt, even |f t|ey dcn't kncv
the password. Students will likely say hacking or jacking. Ask them to expand upon
that. Some possible answers include:
Clicking the forgot password button, guessing the answer to your secret question.
Asking a mutual friend or sibling that knows your password.
Using a computer or phone that youve asked to remember your password.
INPOFTAMT: Fem|nd students that even |f they have shared the|r password w|th
someone, they are MOT to b|ame for the abuse, espec|a||y cons|der|ng the add|t|ona|
40
ways an abuser cou|d have accessed the|r account.
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf "The 2C Quest|ons" handout. Point out that most teens
and adults tend to choose an easily guessed password. Ask them to review this list of
the 20 most-commonly used password sources. Ask them how many of their passwords
could be guessed by anyone who knew enough about them to answer these questions
accurately. Suggest that they change their passwords to something that is both easy to
remember and hard to guess.
Additional activities for cyber safety:
PUt tcget|er a ||st cf 20 qUest|cns t|at ycU t||nk are Used ncst cften by ct|er stUdents fcr
their passwords.
Oc a sUrvey cf |cv nany stUdents kncv t|e ansvers tc t|ese 20 qUest|cns fcr t|e|r best fr|ends.
Ask ycUr parents |f ycU ccU|d |ave gUessed t|e|r passvcrds by Us|ng t|ese 20 qUest|cns
as a guide.
SEXTING
Sexting is sending nude, seminude or provocative pictures or video of yourself or others
via cell phone. Ask the students about sexting in relationships. We know that some teens
do send sexy photos. At what point in a relationship do these teens share these intimate
p|ctcs? W|y dc t|ey send t|en? {Fcr a brcader d|scUss|cn cn "sext|ng, v|s|t at||n||ne.crg
and wiredsafety.org.)
f needed, prcnpt stUdents by ask|ng
Eefcre? {tc try tc attract scnecne)
OUr|ng a re|at|cns||p? {tc s|cv |cv nUc| t|ey |cve and trUst eac| ct|er, as an a|ternat|ve
to sexual contact, or as a way to try to keep a boyfriend or girlfriend)
After? {tc rU|n scnecne's repUtat|cn cr jUst get revenge fcr be|ng dUnped)
Ask t|e stUdents: Mcv dces sext|ng re|ate tc d|g|ta| dat|ng abUse?
Possible answers include
An abuser may send them to embarrass the target.
An abuser may use sexting pictures as blackmail, threatening to share them with the
whole school or post them online unless the target does exactly what the abuser wants him/her to.
An abuser may threaten the target to coerce him/her into posing for sexy photos.
STEP FOUR {B NIMUTES) Conc|us|on.
Fev|ev t|e steps tc take tc |e|p a fr|end dea||ng v|t| d|g|ta| dat|ng abUse.
STEP FIVE {B NIMUTES)
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf "ncreas|ng YcUr Safety |n an AbUs|ve Oat|ng Fe|at|cns||p. Fev|ev
t|e |andcUt. Enp|as|ze t|at even v|en scnecne |s p|ann|ng tc end-cr |as a|ready ended-an
abusive relationship, he or she should continue use of these precautions in case the abuser
attempts to commit additional violence. Consider stressing that the most dangerous time for the
target is when he or she has left the relationship.
the card is sized to t in a wallet and that it contains a toll-free phone number and website for
assistance with dating abuse issues.
41
TECH ABUSE OVERVIEW
When dating abuse impacts young adults and college students, it impacts all parts of their
lives. It affects them in school, at home, in their dorm or apartment, among their peers, at
work, and in their social lives. With digital technology playing such an important role in their
lives, it shouldnt be a surprise that dating abuse has gone digital. A 2009 MTV and Associated
Press d|g|ta| abUse sUrvey fcUnd t|at 62% cf pecp|e age 1S-24 |ave exper|enced d|g|ta||y
abusive behavior.
The same tactics of power and control that are generally the hallmark of abusive relationships
extend to these new technologies. One partner may try to coerce the other to take and share
a sexual or nude image. Unsolicited nude or sexual images may be sent to dating partners to
remind them of what they are missing at that moment (or sent during the irtation or pre-
dating phase that is common especially in dating, to give a sample of what they can look
forward to). There is also a growing expectation that partners will always be available and
respond immediately to any digital communication, from instant messages and wall posts to
cell phone calls and text messages. Many partners expect a response 24/7.
This ever-on reality makes it easier for partners to textually-harass with repeated text
messages and cell phone calls, expecting an immediate reply. They demand to know what
their partner is doing, how much they are loved, and require updates every few minutes.
Texts may be used for middle of the night booty texts or calls, expecting their target to wake
up and accommodate their needs.
Cell phones and social networks are the two most commonly abused digital technologies
when college students are involved. And new cell phone applications that connect the two
are the way digital abuse images make their way to a broad audience of the couples peers
to do the greatest damage in the shortest amount of time.
Spying, hacking, and monitoring, with or without a partners knowledge, are frequent tech
abuse tactics. Activating GPS devices, reviewing call logs and keystroke loggers that use
spyware technology to report every word and activity to the abuser are the newest tools
to join video surveillance and phone tapping technology in attempts to control a partner.
Jealous and suspicious partners are not limited to parking around the corner any longer. Their
technology can do their spying for them. And to complicate matters further, it changes each
and every day with the digital abuses limited only by the bandwidth, creativity, and energy of
the abuser.
WHAT IS DIGITAL DATING ABUSE?
Digital dating abuse is when someone uses digital technology as a weapon to hurt someone
else in a dating situation. Using technology to spy on, harass, or embarrass a partner in social
communities can be a powerful abuse tactic in any relationship.
Abusers can start online and move ofine or vice versa. They can be anonymous, use stolen
identities, or pretend to be the target. Tactics include spying, hacking and invasions of privacy,
sexting-related harassment, extortion, posing, and set-ups. Any digital device can be used to
hurt someone if the abuser is creative enough.
42
Typically, there are ve approaches to tech abuse that are used as weapons in dating
relationships:
1. Direct Attacks by the abuser against the target (where they are called names, harassed, or
have their property destroyed or their friends and family threatened). You are stupid! If you
refuse to listen to me you will be sorry!
2. Public Attacks by the abuser about the target (posts or communications broadcast to
others designed to embarrass or damage the reputation of the target). Sarah is such a slut!
Jeff is a wimp!
3. Cyberbullying-by-Proxy where the abuser manipulates others to commit direct attacks,
public attacks, privacy invasions, or posed attacks designed to hurt the target. Jenny said
such mean things about you. I cant believe youd stand for it! Jamie is cheating on you! or
malicious messages sent to the targets friends from another account pretending to be the
target.
4. Privacy Invasions by the abuser spying on the target or monitoring their communications
or activities with or without permission.
6. Pcsed Attacks by t|e abUser Us|ng t|e ancnyn|ty cffered by d|g|ta| tec|nc|cg|es tc stea|
someones ID or pose as someone else (even the target, in some situations).
Tech abuse can be conducted using any digital device from cell phones to computers to
webcams. In cases of sexting, the targets image can be taken without his or her knowledge
or consent and sent selectively to those with whom it can do the most damage (such as
parents, schools, police or bosses). Or it can involve a privately-entrusted nude or sexually
provocative image that is released to the entire community upon break-up or after a ght.
Xbox 360, PSP, Playstation and even DSi can be used to threaten, harass or target someone
for harassment by others using typed chat, voice-over-IP (internet voice communications),
ID theft and posing, as well as stolen accounts and points. Social networks (like Facebook),
video-sharing networks (like YouTube), and photo-sharing networks (like Flickr) are all fertile
ground for tech abuse with devastating results to the target.
Hacking software, monitoring and GPS tools, video surveillance cameras, Trojan Horses
(a technology that gives others access to your computer by remote control), and other
malware can be easily installed in person or sent online to the computer, car, or home of
the target to report back to the abuser, destroy devices, data and content, or set the target
up to be investigated for or charged with crimes. Text messages, instant messages, cache
and history les, cell phone logs, and telephone calls can be tapped, checked, and recorded.
Passwords can be guessed, saved on devices controlled by the abuser, or used without
authorization. Text messages, instant messages and cell phone calls can arrive day and night
by the hundreds and even thousands.
Abusive messages can be conveyed using popular social networks, such as Twitter, Facebook,
MySpace and myYearbook. And the abuser can ask friends and classmates to vote for the
target as the ugliest, fattest, sluttiest, [ll in the blank] person and pass it on. Rude and hateful
comments can be added to network walls, videos, and pictures, and targets can be reported
falsely for violating terms of service at their favorite sites.
43
The list goes on and on, with every new digital technology adding a new tactic and opportunity
for the abuser. Teaching students to recognize tech abuse when they encounter it and what
to do to stop it is crucial, as is helping them understand tech self-defense strategies.
SEXTING
Sexting is sending nude, seminude, or provocative pictures or video of yourself or others
via cell phone. A 2009 digital abuse survey conducted by MTV and the Associated Press
found that 33% of young adults age 18-24 report having been involved in some type of naked
sexting. The truth is that no one knows how often it happens. What we do know, based upon
the research and work of WiredSafety, is that
T|ese |nages are cften taken v|en Under t|e |nUence cf peer pressUre, cr |n respcnse tc
threats or coercion by a partner.
Cnce pecp|e are sexUa||y |nt|nate, |t |s ccnncn t|at t|e cne partner |s asked tc s|are at
least one nude or sexual image or video with their partner.
Scne pecp|e v||| s|are a nUde |nage v|t| t|e perscn t|ey are see|ng |nstead cf be|ng
sexually intimate or to delay intimacy.
Even |f t|e |nage |s never vc|Untar||y s|ared v|t| anycne e|se, fr|ends and rccnnates nay
stumble across it when using or searching you or your partners devices.
Scne pecp|e |ave Used kncv|edge cf t|e|r partner |av|ng pcsed fcr a sext|ng cr sex|ng
image to extort them into taking more sexual pictures or engage in sex acts with them,
TME FOLE OF EYSTAMOEFS IM TECM AEUSE
In typical dating abuse situations, the bystanders generally know the target and/or the abuser.
They may be mere witnesses to the abuse, or knowingly or unknowingly help facilitate it.
These same types of bystanders exist in a digital environment but might also be joined by
strangers who witness the abuse and know neither the target nor the abuser.
Abusers typically try to avoid witnesses to their abuse (especially when the abuser is seeking
to hide the abusive activity or blame it on the target). Even when the abuse is designed to
ruin the reputation of someone, it is staged so as not to appear as abuse. As a result, ofine
abuse is often a secret to everyone except perhaps the targets closest friends and family.
EecaUse cf t|e natUre cf cn||ne scc|a| ccnnUn|t|es v|t| S60 n||||cn+ Users, |t |s ||g||y ||ke|y
that strangers will witness tech abuse that is posted online or sent in viral messages. For
example, sexting-related harassment can result in tens of thousands of strangers viewing
the nude photo. As a young student explained to Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America in
April 2009, In the beginning its a shocking picture of someone you know. You have a stake
in protecting her or sharing it with others because of who she is. But as it continues to move
outside of your school and community, it eventually just becomes a picture of some naked
girl.
44
STFAMGEFS WMO WITMESS AEUSE
Strangers who receive or view a picture of some naked girl are bystanders witnessing tech
abuse. They can report it, ignore and delete it, or pass it on. And their choice can make a
signicant difference in the duration and scope of the tech abuse. And, to the target trying
to contain the abuse, it can make all the difference in the world. Empowering bystanders
to report what they see is crucial. To do that, we have to address the issues that cause
bystanders to ignore or forward the image in the rst place:
Avareness prcgrans |ave tc teac| t|en v|at s|cU|d be repcrted.
Eystanders nUst Understand t|at a gccd fa|t| repcrt, even |f |t tUrns cUt tc be vrcng, v|||
not come back and haunt them.
T|e netvcrks need tc nake repcrt|ng abUse easy and ren|nd t|e|r Users t|at abUse repcrts
are condential.
And bystanders nUst be ccnv|nced t|at nak|ng t|e repcrt nakes a b|g d|fference. f t|ey
think their abuse report will be futile, they wont bother reporting what they see.
How bystanders take a stand can make all the difference in the world:

T|ey can reac| cUt tc t|e abUser and d|scUss t|e abUse ca|n|y.
T|ey can reac| cUt tc ct|ers and |ave t|en agree nct tc pass any cf t|e abUse cntc
others.
T|ey can repcrt |t tc t|e s|tes/netvcrks and canpUs aUt|cr|t|es.
T|ey can refUse tc vcte, fcrvard nessages, cr v|s|t t|e prc|es cr s|tes v|ere t|e abUse |s
happening.
T|ey can s|are v|at t|ey |ave |earned |n t|ese |esscns abcUt gett|ng |e|p, d|g|ta| |yg|ene,
and self-defense.
T|ey can seek |e|p cn||ne frcn s|tes ||ke breakt|ecyc|e.crg and
wiredsafety.org.
T|ey can ca|| scnecne cUt v|en t|ey see t|en dc|ng t||ngs t|at t|ey s|cU|dn't be dc|ng,
like reprogramming their partners cell phone or warning targets not to leave cell phones
unattended.
Reporting abuse is one of the easiest ways for a bystander to do something. Yet, many people
are uncomfortable reporting abuse. Sometimes they dont know if the report is warranted.
They may worry that they have misread the situation and might get blamed for making a
report that turns out to be groundless. They also often believe that the person or account
being reported is given their name or contact information. Some dont know where or how
to report something or believe that the network or site doesnt do anything when abuses are
reported. Few understand what the network or site will take action on, never having read the
terms of service when joining.
This is why it is crucial for their reports to be effective. Knowing where and how to report
different kinds of abuse can sometimes mean the difference between someone taking action
based on a report, or the report just sitting in limbo. The handout Reporting Tech Abuse
details how to make a tech abuse report online and should be reviewed by you beforehand.
45
Remind students that most of the time the identity of the person reporting the abuse is not
given to the person being reported. The sites and networks record those who make reports
in order to track false reports that are intended to target someone else, but if bystanders
report something in good faith that they believe is tech abuse, they wont get into trouble.
And suggest that students act quickly when they see tech abuse. The faster they act, the
more effective their actions are. (You can learn more about this in the Reporting Tech Abuse
handout.)
PFOTECTIMG TME SAFETY OF COLLEGE STUOEMTS IM AEUSIVE OATIMG
FELATIOMSMIPS
should create and use a dating safety plan. This allows them to think in advance about how
to protect themselves from harm rather than trying to gure it out when they are in immediate
call. If you usually store these numbers in your phone, keep them on paper, too, in case your
battery goes dead or you cant access your phone.
Keep a reccrd cf a|| |nc|dents cf t|e abUse and v|c|ence. Save any t|reaten|ng cr |arass|ng
letters and email, text, or voicemail messages that the abuser sends.
abusers home.

46
In addition to the suggestions above, an individual who decides to leave a relationship with an
abuser should consider the following:

Gc tc ccUrt tc get a restra|n|ng crder. Keep at |east cne ccpy and g|ve ccp|es tc t|e pc||ce,
school administrators, people at work, etc.
1-800-787-3224 (TTY).
using civil law, criminal law, or both. Students may also be able to seek help from their campus
available vary greatly from state to state. For help understanding your states civil and criminal
laws, contact Break the Cycle at breakthecycle.org. For more information specically about
cyberlaw, contact WiredSafety (WiredSafety.org) or the technology safety project at the
National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV.org). You can also nd helpful information
from Womens Law at womenslaw.org.
47
happened to the police. Sometimes social networks or websites/services will discover abusive
behavior or digital images and report it themselves.
people, people who are dating, or same sex-couples to obtain civil domestic violence
restraining orders. Protective orders can also include restrictions on digital communications
and activities.
In order to qualify for a domestic violence restraining order, an individual must have a domestic
relationship with the abuser. Many state laws do not include the kind of relationships college
students typically have (such as people who are dating but not living together) in their denition
of domestic relationships and, thus, may not be eligible for protective orders. Contact Break
the Cycle (help@breakthecycle.org) to learn more about the laws in your state or to identify
local resources for legal assistance.
48
LOOKING AT SHANNON AND GREGS
SITUATION (SAMPLE ANSWERS FILLED IN)
DIRECTIONS: In your small group, respond to the following questions or to only the one
qUest|cn ass|gned tc ycUr sna|| grcUp, as ve|| as tc qUest|cn nc. 6.
1. Cite at least three specic examples of Gregs misuse of power in Shannons story
make sure that at least two examples are of tech abuse.
OFFLINE
Greg ca||ed S|anncn "stUp|d, say|ng t|at t|ese ct|er gUys cn|y vanted cne t||ng
Greg a|vays cr|t|c|zed S|anncn's fr|ends and tr|ed tc |sc|ate |er frcn t|en
Greg accUsed S|anncn cf c|eat|ng
Greg t|reatened tc break Up v|t| |er v|enever t|ey |ad an argUnent
Greg ye||ed at S|anncn freqUent|y
Greg t|rev t||ngs and brcke t||ngs v|en |e vas Upset
Greg vas sUsp|c|cUs cf everyt||ng S|anncn d|d
Greg's jea|cUsy gct |n t|e vay cf S|anncn's vcrk fcr t|e canpUs nevpaper
Greg sa|d |e d|dn't vant tc be v|t| a g|r| v|c ct|ers t|cUg|t vas easy, and |e sa|d gUys
thought she was easy
DIGITAL
Greg n|sUsed S|anncn's passvcrds, |cgg|ng |ntc |er acccUnts, ccnnUn|cat|ng v|t|
her friends, reading her IMs and text messages, and deleting pictures
Greg c|anged S|anncn's scc|a| netvcrk statUs v|en |e vas nad at |er tc say
Shannon is stupid
Greg ca||ed |er nanes |n N and by text nessage
Greg vcU|d b|cck certa|n senders, c|ange S|anncn's bUddy ||sts and de|ete Ns befcre
she could even see them
Greg vcU|d ncn|tcr |er fr|ends and bUddy ||sts tc de|ete a|| gUys
Greg "defr|ended and b|ccked nessages frcn S|anncn cn ||s Facebcck page
Greg vcU|d send |er ccnstant text nessages, denand|ng t|at s|e respcnd |nned|ate|y
and made her sleep with her cell phone
2. When Greg does explode, what types of abusive behaviors, online and ofine, does he
engage |n?
OFFLINE ACTIONS
Greg b|aned |er fcr |ead|ng gUys cn
Me ye||ed at |er and ca||ed |er nanes
Greg refUsed tc ansver S|anncn's p|cne ca||s
Me vent ba|||st|c v|en s|e tcck an |nnccent p|ctUre cf t|e fcctba|| tean
DIGITAL ACTIONS
Greg defr|ended S|anncn and b|ccked |er frcn ||s acccUnts
Greg deact|vated S|anncn's Facebcck acccUnt
Me vcU|d |arass |er by text nessag|ng
Me destrcyed |er F||ckr ccntent
Me c|anged |er Facebcck acccUnt tc "deact|vate |t
FacilitatorS COPY
49
3. After the abuse, what does Greg tell Shannon to justify his abusive behavior and shift the
b|ane fcr t|e abUse tc |er? W|y dc ycU t||nk t||s |s an effect|ve tact|c cn Greg's part? Mcv dces
|t |e|p ||n ccntrc| S|anncn's act|cns? dent|fy |cv Greg strateg|ca||y Used tec| abUse tc attack
Shannons self-esteem.
Greg ccnv|nces S|anncn t|at |er act|cns are n|sUnderstccd by gUys.
Greg Uses t|e cne year d|fference |n t|e|r ages, and ||s greater tec|nc|cgy sk|||s tc
convince her that he knows more than she does.
Greg ca||s |er stUp|d, repeated|y, cn||ne and cf|ne and S|anncn starts tc be||eve
him.
Greg ccnv|nces S|anncn t|at s|e |as g|ven ||n nc c|c|ce bUt tc teac| |er a |esscn
for talking with and befriending guys.
4. Bystanders play an important role in either stopping or perpetuating abuse online
and ofine. How did Greg use technologically abusive tactics to isolate Shannon from
|er fr|ends and pctent|a||y |e|pfU| bystanders?
Ey Us|ng |er O tc send nasty ccnnents and refUse fr|end reqUests, Greg a||cved
others to think Shannon was the one sending mean messages to them. Those people
could reject her friendship.
W|en Greg b|ccked fr|ends cn S|anncn's bUddy ||st and e|t|er de|eted nessages
from her friends or replied, pretending to be Shannon, they all thought she was turning
against her friends.
S|anncn pU||ed avay frcn a|| gUy fr|ends tc avc|d nak|ng Greg angry. T|ese gUy
friends were not there to provide support for her when she needed it.
S|anncn's fr|ends v|c d|d nct kncv abcUt t|e abUs|ve re|at|cns||p n|g|t |ave pU||ed
away when they saw bizarre posts, status changes, and messages on her Facebook
account.
S|anncn's fr|ends nay |ave resented t|at t|e|r pr|vate nessages vere be|ng rev|eved
by Greg without their knowledge or consent.
Cou|d bystanders have he|ped?
Eystanders can a|vays |e|p.
Eystanders nay |ave been ab|e tc s|cv |er |cv ccntrc|||ng Greg vas and |e|ped |er
regain self-esteem.
Eystanders ccU|d |ave |e|ped |er exp|a|n t|at |UrtfU| nessages vere rea||y be|ng sent
by Greg, and advised her to change her password.
Eystanders ccU|d |ave g|ven |er sUppcrt and scnecne tc ta|k v|t| v|en s|e fe|t
isolated.
5. In Shannons story how did Greg use a combination of tech abuse tactics and
trad|t|cna| dat|ng abUse tact|cs tc s||ft pcver and ccntrc| |n ||s favcr? Oc ycU t||nk
that most tech abuse takes place without at least some ofine dating abuse tactics as
ve||?
T||s qUest|cn |as nc r|g|t ansver. t exp|cres t|e stUdents' |npress|cns and exper|ences
with tech abuse and dating abuse generally. It is an opportunity to learn from the students.
Getting a response from all of the small groups will help dene the rest of the lesson and
identify areas where additional resources and materials can be helpful.
FacilitatorS COPY
50
SHANNONS STORY
We began dating during our rst semester at college. He spent a whole weekend help-
ing me recover les when my laptop died. Then, he helped me upload everything to
Flickr and Facebook before the hard drive died entirely, so that I would have a back-up
and a spare copy of all my pics and les.
Those rst two months were incredible. We exchanged passwords. He said that people
who loved each other didnt have secrets. I thought this was taking our relationship to
a new level. But once school started everything changed. Greg didnt like my girlfriends
from school. He said they were a bad inuence on me. He made me stop seeing them.
He wouldnt let me have guy friends either. Hed call me stupid, saying that these other
guys only wanted one thing. He would check my cell phone and my texts, yelling at me
if they were from guys. He yelled a lot. Sometimes he would throw things or break them.
He was always asking me about other guys. I never gave him any reason to be jealous.
I did what I could to keep him happy.
But he was always suspicious - logging into my accounts, reading my private messages.
He would deny friend requests from anyone he didnt like. He would edit my page, re-
moving pictures he thought were too sexy. He would change my status when he was
mad at me to say Shannon is stupid. And he would block certain senders, change my
buddy lists, and delete IMs before I could even see them. He would send me text mes-
sages all day long, asking where I was and who I was talking to. If I didnt answer right
away, he would get really mad and yell at me. And he called my friends names, some-
times even to their face.
Greg always apologized afterwards. He explained that he loved me too much to share
me. He said that he was doing this for my own good. Slutty friends could reect badly
on me, he explained. Better to cut them off. I listened because I loved him and didnt
want to make him mad. But it was getting worse. He would accuse me of cheating
if I accepted any friend requests from guys, and hed make me unfriend them. I also
couldnt have any guys on my buddy list. Basically, I had no one other than Greg. He said
that he should be enough for me. The texts would arrive day and night What are you
dc|ng? Ocn't even t||nk abcUt c|eat|ng! YcU're n|ne!
Hed threaten to break up with me if I didnt reply that instant. I had to sleep with my cell
phone to make sure I didnt miss any texts. Once, I didnt hear a text come in, so he un-
friended and blocked me on his Facebook page for a week. He said I was stupid about
lots of things. I started to believe him. After all, he only did this because he wanted to
protect me.
51
One day I posted a group pic of the football team. I took it for campus newspaper. He
went ballistic. He said all the guys would think I was coming on to them and didnt want
to be going with a girl that other guys believed was easy. I begged him to forgive me.
I promised to remove the pic as soon as I got home.
I went home and checked my email, and realized I had received a message from Face-
book saying my account had been deactivated. I gured it was a tech thing and went
to Flickr next. I couldnt believe it. All of my pictures were gone not just the football
teams pic but everything! Family pictures, birthday parties, mom and dads wedding
anniversary, the pictures of my cat, Woodyeverything was gone. I couldnt understand
what had happened. My one backup and a spare copy of these photos were on my
Facebook prole, so I tried to log-on to my Facebook and reactivate my account, only
to nd that my username and password had been changed.
I called Greg and left a voicemail. I explained about the problems with Facebook and
F||ckr. M|s text rep|y vas "t's a|| gcne. A|| gcne! Mcv d|d |e kncv? T|en |t s|cv|y began
to sink in. My one copy and one backup wasnt enough to protect me from an angry
Greg. I called Gregs cell phone again and left a message. I told him I could understand
him deleting all the material about the dance but not everything else. I told him it wasnt
fair. He texted me back a few minutes later. Ill come and get you at 8. Well talk then.
I was so relieved.
He showed up and told me he was sorry. He explained that deactivated wasnt the
same as deleted. You could restore it completely whenever you wanted. He told me
that he loved me, but needed to teach me a lesson for my own good. I started crying.
He reached over and held me, kissing me. I was still in shock. I wasnt sure what to think
or feel, all I could do was cry.
Greg reached into the back seat for a bouquet of owers. He promised never to leave
me and hoped I had learned how much he cared about me. He surprised me with a slide
show on his laptop with our favorite songs and pictures of us at camp and kissing at the
dance. I cried again. I didnt know what to do.
52
LOOKING AT SHANNON AND
GREGS SITUATION
Directions: In your small group, respond to the following questions or only to the one
qUest|cn ass|gned tc ycUr sna|| grcUp, as ve|| as tc qUest|cn 6.
1. Cite at least three specic examples of Gregs misuse of power in Shannons Story
make sure that at least two are examples of tech abuse.
a.
b.
c.
2. When Greg does explode, what types of abusive behaviors online and ofine does
|e engage |n?
3. After the abuse, what does Greg tell Shannon to justify the abusive behavior and
s||ft t|e b|ane fcr t|e abUse tc |er? W|y dc ycU t||nk t||s |s an effect|ve tact|c cn Greg's
part? Mcv dces |t |e|p ||n ccntrc| S|anncn's act|cns? dent|fy |cv Greg strateg|ca||y
used tech abuse to attack Shannons self-esteem.
4. Bystanders play an important role in helping the target. How did Greg use
technologically abusive tactics to isolate her from her friends and potentially helpful
bystanders? {Mcv ccU|d bystanders |ave |e|ped?)
5. In Shannons Story how did Greg use a combination of tech abuse tactics and
trad|t|cna| dat|ng abUse tact|cs tc s||ft pcver and ccntrc| |n ||s favcr? Oc ycU t||nk t|at
most digital abuse takes place without at least some ofine dating abuse tactics as
ve||?
53
Passwords, when misused, can be a serious threat to students who quickly nd their
accounts hacked, taken over, or have messages sent to their friends in their name.
While 70% of polled students told WiredSafety that they share their passwords with
their friends, others have passwords or secret questions that can be easily guessed.
We nd that most passwords are created from this list. Is your password formed from
t|ese 20 qUest|cns? Mcv nany cf ycUr fr|ends kncv t|e ansver tc t|ese? Mcv |ard
v||| |t be fcr t|en tc gUess ycUr passvcrd? Tcc easy!
1. favorite sports team
2. where you go to school
3. pets name
4. favorite color
5. lucky number
6. date of birth
7. middle name
8. favorite animal
9. favorite movie
10. favorite band/singer
11. what college you want to go to
12. the year you graduate high school
13. best friends name
14. favorite sports player
15. favorite season
16. shoe size
17. favorite clothing store
18. favorite book
19. dream car
20. dream job
THE 20 QUESTIONS
54
REPORTING TECH ABUSE
Report it or support it. Thats your choice. Whether you are the target of tech abuse or
merely encounter it with someone you know, or even a stranger online, the faster it is
reported the faster the abuse will stop.
First, some quick pointers: If you are being physically threatened, you have to take it
seriously. Tell your resident assistant or hall director or adviser and then call your local
police! Make sure that any report to the online service provider includes a request that
they retain the data so police can review it during an investigation. Otherwise, when
the post or prole is deleted, the evidence is often lost.
Save a copy of everything, not just in printed form, but by clicking save on your browser
and saving the email and text message live. If you are being cyberbullied on a social
network you should report it to that social network. Most social networks will have a
Report Abuse button or some other report mechanism on their site. Become familiar with
how the report abuse approach works on the social networks you use. And remember
to Stop, Block, and Tell!
Stop dont reply. Dont forward it. Dont threaten the abuser. Dont act out in any
way.
Block the sender, message or account so they cant continue to abuse you.
And Tell a trusted person (resident assistant or hall director, professor, adviser, or
health professional) and the site used in the tech abuse or provider where the tech
abuse came from.
Some console game systems also have built-in mechanisms for their users to report
abuse. A good example is Microsofts X-Box 360. To learn more about how you can
report abuse on Xbox Live, visit their code of conduct for US users: www.xbox.com/en-
US/legal/codeofconduct.htm.
If you receive an abusive, threatening, or gross email or IM, the only recourse you may
have is to report the person responsible to his or her email service provider, IM provider
or Internet Service Provider (ISP). If the actions violate the terms of the provider, he or
she may lose the account or have it suspended temporarily. You start by visiting their
ISP, IM or email service providers terms of service or terms of use section. There, read
the policy carefully. Make notes about which sections you believe were violated and
how. Copy and paste the section that applies to the communication you are reporting.
In the majority of cases, the websites also have an email address posted to send violation
reports to. If they dont, you can usually use abuse@[name_of_ISP_goes_here] or tos@
[ISP name] to make the report. Copy yourself on the email so you have a permanent
record of what you sent, where you sent it, and when.
55
Many IM providers and social networks also have a report abuse button you can click.
Try and save a copy of whatever you send. Dont expect too much, though. It has been
WiredSafetys experience that most networks are reluctant to act on a rst contact,
if at all. And they have good reasons for this. Sometimes the cyberbully poses as the
victim, in an attempt to get the network to unknowingly assist in the harassment. It is
also typical that some of the evidence being provided has been fabricated, or has
been enhanced to be more serious than it actually is. There are also privacy and legal
considerations that they must consider. And they receive hundreds of thousands of
Terms of Service (TOS) reports and have to prioritize them. Marking any abuse report
with the kind of abuse you are reporting cyber bullying, sexual predator, suicide
threat, etc., will help them recognize the more important reports and act on them more
quickly.
Mow Can I Improve Ny Chances of Gett|ng a Fesponse or Mav|ng the Metwork or
Serv|ce Prov|der Take Act|on?
The likelihood of getting a response and their taking any disciplinary action depends on
how well you make your case and the policy of the site. Many dont respond, other than
an auto-responder telling you that your abuse report was received. So, dont hold your
breath waiting for a formal report on your complaint.
But you have a good chance of having them take action if you take a few minutes to get
your ducks in a row. All reports should follow the rules that the ISP, social network, game
or email provider sets out in their report Terms of Service (TOS) information. Check and
double check to make sure you have all the information they ask for and have clearly
identied whatever you have. Most ISPs require the following information to be provided,
at minimum:
1. Date and time that the violations of their TOS took place (keep each violation separate
in the report and make sure you include your time zone).
2. Copies of emails (Your help instructions with your email application may walk you
through it, step-by-step.), IMs or the full and correct URLs of the prole, website, forum,
newsgroup, or bulletin board postings (copy the exact address in your browser when
you read it, and paste it as is into the report).
3. Screen shots of offending IMs and proles (save these also to your computer, as the
prole/posting may change and you will need proof of what used to be there).
4. A time-line of how the situation developed, including copies of all communications.
(Using a monitoring application can be very helpful here).
6. Any |nfcrnat|cn ycU can prcv|de as tc v|at steps, |f any, ycU |ave taken tc try tc dea|
with this before reporting it to them.
Dont tell them things about a certain harasser you know in real life or make unfounded
accusations unrelated to the communications. Dont rant and rave. Also, do not ask
them for the identity of the harasser. They are not permitted to give out that information
except through valid legal process.
56
You need to follow up in a few days if you have not received any response other than an
auto responder and the situation is continuing. Check rst, since they may not send a
follow-up email, but may have taken down the content or shut down the offending ac-
count.
Be rm and consistent when you follow up. Remind them of the previous report or email,
or resend it marked as resent on [ll in the date]. Always copy yourself on these re-
ports for your own records. Do not copy help groups, the FBI or others on the corre-
spondence. Be focused and clear and you will probably get the help you need.
57
f ycU are |n an abUs|ve re|at|cns||p, v|et|er ycU dec|de tc stay |n t|e re|at|cns||p cr
Ta|k v|t| a trUstvcrt|y perscn {e.g., parent, res|dent ass|stant cr |a|| d|rectcr, adv|ser,

Create a dat|ng safety p|an. A dat|ng safety p|an |e|ps pecp|e v|c are exper|enc|ng
Visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline, ndvh.org, for information about dating
abuse.

Ca|| t|e pc||ce. f scnecne |s |Urt|ng ycU cr ycU are |n |nned|ate danger, |t nay be
best to call the police. Many acts of physical and sexual violence are crimes; the abuser
can be arrested and go to jail for them.

Get a restra|n|ng crder cr a prctect|ve crder. A restra|n|ng crder {a|sc ca||ed a prctect|ve
f ycUr |cne |s nct a safe p|ace and/cr ycU ||ve v|t| t|e abUser, ccns|der gc|ng tc a

A s|e|ter |s a safe p|ace. t's UsUa||y a |cUse cr apartnent |n a secret |ccat|cn, v|ere
or visiting ndvh.org.
57
58
If you are |n an |nt|mate re|at|onsh|p w|th someone, |s |t the hea|thy s|tuat|on that
you deserve? Put a check next to any of the responses be|ow that app|y to th|s
re|at|onsh|p.
Mote: It |s |mportant to remember that somet|mes there are no s|gns that an
|nt|mate partner may become abus|ve.
Ooes the person I am w|th

___ Get extreme|y jea|ous or possess|ve?
___ Accuse me of B|rt|ng or cheat|ng?
___ Constant|y check up on me v|a ca||s or texts or make me check |n?
___ Te|| me how to dress or how much makeup to wear?
___ Try to contro| what I do and whom I see?
___ Try to keep me from see|ng or ta|k|ng to my fam||y and fr|ends?
___ Mave b|g mood sw|ngsgett|ng angry and ye|||ng at me one m|nute, and
be|ng sweet and apo|oget|c the next?
___ Nake me fee| nervous, or ||ke I'm wa|k|ng on eggshe||s?
___ Put me down or cr|t|c|ze me or post th|ngs on||ne to embarrass or
hum|||ate me?
___ Force me to send nude or otherw|se "|nappropr|ate" photos of myse|f?
___ Nake me fee| that I can't do anyth|ng r|ght?
___ Nake me fee| that no one e|se wou|d want me?
___ Threaten to hurt me?
___ Threaten to hurt my fr|ends or fam||y?
___ Threaten to comm|t su|c|de?
___ Threaten to hurt h|m - or herse|f - because of me?
___ Threaten to hurt my pet{s)?
___ Threaten to destroy my th|ngs?
___ Murt me phys|ca||y? {|nc|udes ye|||ng, grabb|ng, push|ng, shov|ng, shak|ng,
punch|ng, s|app|ng, ho|d|ng me down, etc.)
___ Ereak or throw th|ngs when we argue?
___ Pressure or force me |nto hav|ng sex or go|ng further sexua||y than I want to?
If you checked any of these responses, you may be |n an abus|ve re|at|onsh|p.
There are resources out there. The Mat|ona| Oomest|c V|o|ence Mot||ne and Ereak
the Cyc|e can he|p. For more |nformat|on, v|s|t thehot||ne.org or thesafespace.
org.
59
www.|ove|snotabuse.com Love Is Not Abuse is a program of Liz Claiborne
Inc. that provides information and tools that men, women, children, teens, and
corporate executives can use to learn about domestic and dating violence and
how they can help end the epidemic.

www.|ove|srespect.org National Dating Abuse Helpline provides 24/7 access
tc |nfcrnat|cn and serv|ces. 1.S66.SS1.9474 / 1.S66.SS1.S46S {TTY).

www.aca||tomen.org A Call to Men is a leading national mens organization
addressing domestic and sexual violence prevention and the promotion of
healthy manhood. It is committed to maintaining strong partnerships with
womens organizations already doing this important work. It helps to organize
communities in order to raise awareness and get men involved in this effort.

www.atask.org The Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence, Inc., is a
coalition that aims to eliminate family violence and to strengthen Asian families
and communities.

www.ath|n||ne.org MTVs initiative to empower Americas youth to identify,
respond to and stop the spread of digital abuse.

www.aust|n-safep|ace.org Safe Place works to end sexual and domestic
violence through safety, healing and prevention for individuals and the
community in Austin, Texas. SafePlaces Expect Respect Program builds
healthy relationships for youth.

www.bbbs.org Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentoring Program helps children
reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one relationships
with measurable impact.

www.breakthecyc|e.org Break the Cycle, Inc., is a nonprot organization
whose mission is to engage, educate, and empower youth to build lives and
communities free from domestic and dating violence.
www.cdc.gov/v|o|enceprevent|on/dat|ngmatters.htm| Dating Matters:
Understanding Teen Dating Violence Prevention is a 60-minute, interactive
training session designed to help educators, youth-serving organizations,
and others working with teens understand the risk factors and warning signs
associated with teen dating violence. The training was developed by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in partnership with Liz Claiborne Inc.

www.cdc.gov/V|o|encePrevent|on/youthv|o|ence/ The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention online resource for violence prevention.

60
www.ch||dhe|p.org Outlines ChildHelp USAs programs and services, supplies
hotline numbers and local contacts, and provides information for children and
teens about abuse.

www.ch||drennow.org Provides access to Children Now publications, poll
results, policy papers, press materials, and updates on federal and state
legislation.

www.darkness2||ght.org Darkness to Light works to shift responsibility for
preventing child sexual abuse from children to adults, and to reduce child
sexual abuse nationally through awareness and education.

www.dayoneny.org Day One provides preventive education and direct legal
services to young people, and technical assistance to professionals, related to
teen dating abuse and violence.

www.deanaseducat|ona|theater.org Deanas Educational Theater is an arts-
based organization that develops and produces educational theater and other
programs to promote healthy relationships.

www.dv|nst|tute.org Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American
Community provides a forum for identifying appropriate and effective responses
to prevent/reduce family violence in the African American community.

www.endabuse.org The Family Violence Prevention Fund is a national non-
prot organization that focuses on domestic violence education, prevention,
and public policy reform.

www.fv|c.org/rap Family Violence Law Center Relationship Abuse Prevention
Project educates middle and high school youth as well as parents, educators,
adolescent health care providers, and youth service workers about the
dynamics of domestic and dating violence.

www.mencanstoprape.org Men Can Stop Rape mobilizes male youth to
prevent mens violence against women. It builds young mens capacity to
challenge harmful aspects of traditional masculinity, to value alternative visions
of male strength, and to embrace their vital role as allies with women and girls
in fostering healthy relationships and gender equity.

www.ncadv.org The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence website
posts information on events, provides links and resources, and offers
information and a 24-hour hotline on how to get help.
www.nctsn.org The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)
provides information and resources to raise the standard of care and improve
access to services for traumatized youth, their families, and communities
throughout the United States.

61
www.ncvc.org/dvrc The National Center for Victims of Crimes Dating Violence
Resource Center provides training, resources, and information to increase
awareness of and commitment to addressing dating violence.
www.ncvc.org/src The National Center for Victims of Crimes Stalking
awareness of and commitment to addressing stalking, including abusive use of
high-tech devices.

www.thehot||ne.org The 24-hour, toll-free National Domestic Violence Hotline
links individuals to help in their area using a nationwide database and offers
information on local domestic violence shelters, other emergency shelters, legal
advocacy and assistance programs, and social service programs.

www.neah|n.org NEA Health Information Network, the non-prot health
afliate of the National Education Association, provides health information on
topics of concern to educators and students.

www.nnedv.org The National Network to End Domestic Violences Safety Net
Project provides training, resources, and information about ways abusers are
misusing technology to abuse, stalk, and terrorize, and how survivors can use
technology strategically to respond to these crimes.

www.nrcdv.org The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence provides
technical assistance, training, and information on the response to, and
prevention of, domestic violence.

www.peaceoverv|o|ence.org Peace Over Violence is a social service agency
dedicated to building healthy relationships, families, and communities free from
sexual, domestic, and interpersonal violence.

www.safeyouth.org The National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center
is a Federal resource for communities working to prevent violence committed
by and against young people.

www.sport|nsoc|ety.org/mvp The Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP)
Program is a leadership program that motivates student-athletes and student
leaders to play a central role in addressing rape, battering, and sexual
harassment.

www.stopcyberbu||y|ng.org A web site devoted to cyber bullying issues, run
by WiredSafety.

www.tascorp.org The After-School Corporation provides grants, training, and
assistance to community-based organizations in New York City that run after-
school programs.

www.teensaga|nstabuse.org Teens Experiencing Abusive Relationships
(TEAR) is a teen-run organization that works with schools and organizations to
62
educate people about teen dating violence.

www.teenange|s.org A peer expert and help group on cyber safety and digital
responsibility run by Wiredsafety teen volunteers.
www.thatsnotcoo|.com Thats Not Cool is a multi-media campaign developed
by the Family Violence Prevention Fund in collaboration with others to help
young people draw their digital line against disrespectful and controlling
behavior.

www.thesafespace.org A project of Break the Cycle, thesafespace.org is a
comprehensive online dating abuse resource for teens with access to help,
information, and activism opportunities.

www.safehor|zon.org Safe Horizon works in New York Citys ve boroughs to
provide support, prevent violence, and promote justice for victims of crime and
abuse, their families, and communities.

www.startstrongteens.org Start Strong: Building Healthy Teen Relationships
is a national initiative funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to stop
teen dating abuse before it starts.

www.w|redsafety.org Originated by a group of volunteers, this web site
provides one-to-one help, extensive information, and education to cyberspace
users of all ages on a wide range of internet and interactive technology
safety issues. WiredSafety.org houses the cyber harassment helpline run by
the charity. It provides online support for victims of cyber harassment, cyber
bullying and stalking.

www.womens|aw.org Provides easy-to-understand legal information to
women living with or escaping domestic violence.

www.youthoverv|o|ence.org Youth Over Violence empowers teens to end
violence and abuse.
LOVEISNOTABUSE.COM
A DATING VIOLENCE AND ABUSE PREVENTION CURRICULUM
COLLEGE EDITION
SINCE 1991 LIZ CLAIBORNE INC.
FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS DATING ABUSE ?
THE PATTERN OF ABUSE IN DATING VIOLENCE & ABUSE
TECHNOLOGY AND DATING ABUSE

01 - 03
04 - 20
21 - 35
36 - 57
58 - 61

TABLE OF CONTENTS
his curriculum was created by Liz Claiborne Inc. in conjunction with
Education Development Center, Inc., an international, non-prot organization
that focuses on education and health; Break the Cycle, a non-prot organization that works
to prevent domestic and dating violence; WiredSafety.org, the worlds largest and oldest
non-prot cyber safety organization; and the National Network to End Domestic Violence
(NNEDV), the leading voice for domestic violence victims and their advocates.
Additional copies of this curriculum can be ordered online from our website,
along with handbooks and videos for adults, teenagers, and caregivers on domestic
violence and dating abuse, by visiting, loveisnotabuse.com.
T
This curriculum was adapted for the college audience with the help and
guidance of Liz Claiborne Inc.s College Coalition, which is comprised of
educators and administrators from Columbia University, George Mason
University, The University of Kansas, Virginia Community Colleges and Virginia
Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech).
Each section of this curriculum can be addressed on its own, depending on the
time frame available to you, or the curriculum can be addressed in one session
by selecting different pieces of information from each of the three sections.
You are free to facilitate the curriculums material in a manner that best fits
your college or university.
Dating violence and abuse can be a very difficult subject to discuss, let alone
discuss with a group of students. However, it is an important topic that should
be addressed. The more it is discussed, the more we can ensure students
have the potentially life-saving information they need to be aware of the
warning signs and know where to get help. As part of your preparation to teach
the Love Is Not Abuse curriculum, please ask yourself the following questions:

Who is the most appropriate person to address students or
discuss this sensitive information? Ideally, the presenter and/or
co-facilitator should be knowledgeable about dating violence and have
experience in dealing with abusive relationships.

Have I been trained to teach about dating violence and abuse? If
not, how can I be trained to educate students about this important
topic? Liz Claiborne Inc. and the Centers for Disease Controls Dating
Matters: Understanding Teen Dating Violence is a free online training
designed to help educators, youth-serving organizations and others working
with students understand the risk factors and warning signs associated
with dating violence. To learn more about Dating Matters or to take the
training, visit cdc.gov/violenceprevention/datingmatters.html. Once
the training is completed, users become officially certified to teach on this
topic. You may also want to reach out to local experts who can take you
through the lessons and help you navigate this topic with confidence.
FORWARD
Do I have a support system in place? A support system can include
an on-campus counseling center or the campus health office. If you are
planning on addressing this material but do not have a support system
in place, you can reach out to a local non-profit or domestic violence
organization and request their assistance. This is a critical element to
have in place prior to addressing this material. The lessons may trigger a
response from students in relation to their own experiences with violence
and abuse.

Am l kncwIedgeebIe ebcut cn end cff cempus student rescurces?
We strongly encourage you to prepare a handout in advance for students
who may want to seek outside help after the session. The handout should
list locations on campus that can provide assistance, help lines and local
resources for immediate attention as well as any trained counselors who can
be contacted directly if a student expresses the need or desire to do so.
It is recommended that presenters give their classes, workshops, etc. advance
notice that dating violence and abuse is a topic which will be discussed the
next time they meet. It is important to give audience members control over
the decision to attend a presentation on this topic. This information will help
students make an informed decision regarding their attendance and level of
participation.
INTRODUCTION:
THE LOVE
IS NOT ABUSE
CURRICULUM
COLLEGE EDITION
1
DATING ABUSE
It is during their college years that young adults begin to form serious romantic
relationships and/or continue to grow the romantic relationships they may have started in
their teenage years. Yet with a limited understanding of healthy and unhealthy behaviors
in dating relationships, college students are susceptible to becoming targets of dating
abuse. Consider this:
Nearly 1 in 3 (32%) college students report dating violence by a previous partner,
and 21% report violence by a current partner.
1

More than half (60%) of acquaintance rapes on college campuses occur in casual
or steady dating relationships.
2

Ninety percent of college women who are victims of rape or attempted rape know
their assailant.
3
The attacker is usually a classmate, friend, boyfriend, ex-boyfriend or other
acquaintance (in that order).
4
Dened as a pattern of physically, sexually, verbally, and/or emotionally
abusive behavior or privacy intrusions in a dating relationship, dating abuse
tekes meny fcrms. It ranges from punching, slapping, pushing, and grabbing to rape
and murder; from threats of violence, verbal attacks, and other forms of intimidation to
extreme jealousy, possessiveness, and controlling behavior. Dating abuse is designed to
be isolating and controlling, taking different forms at different times and limited only by
the energy, imagination and desperation of the abuser.
In the online environment, it can be anonymous, with the abusers hiding behind fake,
stolen, or impersonated accounts and screen names. It can involve spying and digital
tracking of communications and online activities. It can mean using technology (cell
phones, social networking sites, etc.) to stay in constant contact.
No matter what form abuse takes, the effect on victims is that no place feels private. No
place feels safe.

Dating and domestic abuse are typically not one-time incidents, but a pattern of abusive
behaviors over time that cause fear and/or harm. As the pattern continues, the abuser
uses emotional manipulation and/or physical domination to gain control and power over
his or her partner.
Dating abuse does not discriminate. It affects people of all races, religions, ages, sexual
orientations, genders, and cultures. It affects people regardless of how much money
they have or what neighborhood they live in. While the vast majority of abusers are male
and most targets (also known as victims or survivors) are female, females can also be
abusers and males can be targets of dating abuse.
2
Abuse in relationships can be a difcult topic for anyone to talk about, especially young
men. Because dating abuse has traditionally been considered a womans issue, many
young men feel as if they have no positive, proactive way to help stop it let alone ask
for the help they might need as either the target or the abuser.
The bottom line is this: Everyone must get involved in preventing dating abuse and have a
better understanding of the resources available to those who are involved in such abuse
in order to help and support them.
OVERVIEW OF THE LOVE IS NOT
ABUSE CURRICULUM
This curriculum focuses on four critical goals:
1. Increasing students understanding of dating abuse
2. Enabling students to reach out to provide support and help to a friend or
family member who may be involved in an abusive relationship
3. Increasing help-seeking behavior among students involved in abusive dating
relationships
4. Promoting healthier approaches to dating relationships and conicts
COLLABORATING TO TEACH
LOVE IS NOT ABUSE
We encourage students, faculty and staff at the college or university to collaborate to teach
the curriculum. This curriculum could be used in collaboration with a variety of groups
such as residence life staff, Deans of Students and their staffs, Counseling Center staff,
student health services, Health Education staff, Womens Center staff, law enforcement,
athletics staff, faculty members, student leaders and local community based sexual assault
and domestic violence agencies. These issues span a number of disciplines and teaching
the curriculum as a team can be an effective way to approaching these topics in a holistic
manner.
Many schools draw on staff from community-based domestic violence programs to facilitate
lessons on dating abuse. These and other experts (law enforcement, attorneys, cyber
safety experts, etc.) can participate in implementing Love Is Not Abuse in two ways: as the
lead facilitator of the curriculum or as a guest speaker sharing information and community
resources.
It is important for facilitators of the material to be prepared for some students to disclose
experiences of dating abuse after learning about and discussing this issue. Before
implementing Love Is Not Abuse, facilitators should also inform their institutions psychological
services and advocacy ofces. Additionally, those requesting programming should think
about whom on their campus might be a stakeholder or identify a staff/ofce member that
might need to respond to concerns students raise after being taught this information (e.g. if
a lesson aimed at student athletes is happening, coaches might need to know, or if such a
program is happening in a certain dorm, then housing staff and RAs should be informed).
3
CREATING AN INSTITUTIONAL DATING ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM
As part of a comprehensive approach to health and safety, Love Is Not Abuse can be
a springboard to starting dating abuse prevention programs. The following are possible
additional steps toward developing a campus-wide initiative:
Fev|ew and rev|se co||ege and un|vers|ty po||c|es re|ated to dat|ng abuse, focus|ng
on keep|ng students safe. College/university policies should address the safety and well-
being of targets of dating abuse, consequences for abusers, procedures in the event of a
restraining order, procedures for students to ask for help and to report abuse they witness
or know about, and ways for students to connect to community dating/partner abuse
resources. Consider instituting a policy addressing inappropriate use of technology (e.g.
cell phones, e-mail, text-messaging, social networking web sites) to control, intimidate or
bully other people. For information about creating a dating/partner abuse response policy
for your college or university, contact Break the Cycle by visiting breakthecycle.org.
Fa|se awareness about dat|ng abuse at your co||ege or un|vers|ty. Educate students,
faculty, staff and other campus stakeholders, including administrators, about the issue and
how to respond to students seeking help. Encourage faculty and facilitators to address
dating abuse in appropriate classes. Conduct a presentation during a parent orientation.
Organize a student art exhibit or an essay or poetry contest on dating abuse. Include articles
in newsletters and on the campus website. Point stakeholders to the loveisnotabuse.com
website and other resources for ideas and information.
Nake |t c|ear that your campus |s a safe p|ace and students are a||owed - and
encouraged - to ta|k about dat|ng abuse. Put up posters and yers around campus
to educate students about the issue and publicize local resources. Invite staff from a
local domestic violence organization to speak to students, staff, and other stakeholders.
Facilitate students production of peer-to-peer awareness materials, sharing the message
and promoting awareness.
Start a peer educat|on group. Students experiencing dating abuse are more likely to tell
their friends than anyone else. Peer educators can be trained to teach other students about
the issue and/or to co-facilitate groups that focus on healthy relationships. Peer education
groups can be a great source of support, while also being a positive, powerful inuence.
However, it is not the peer educators role to counsel and rescue targets from
abuse. Instead, they can encourage targets to talk to experts who can provide help and
guidance.
Nake students aware of the anonymous, secure, and eas||y-access|b|e Mat|ona|
Oomest|c V|o|ence Mot||ne. Fesources and serv|ces are ava||ab|e 24/7 on||ne at
thehot||ne.org or by ca|||ng 1-BCC-7DD-72BB and 1-BCC-7B7-B224 {TTY).
Most A NOST c|ub on your campus. Men Can Stop Rape trains male facilitators to
host Men Of Strength Clubs that encourage young men to learn about healthy masculinity
and re-dening male strength. As most abusers are male, reaching out to the men in your
school is a great violence prevention tool. Visit mencanstoprape.org for more info.
WHAT IS
DATING
ABUSE?
4
After completing this lesson, students will be able to do the following
dene vccabU|ary re|ated tc dat|ng abUse and app|y |t tc t|e|r cvn exper|ences
|dent|fy t|e fcrns cf dat|ng abUse
Understand t|e rc|es cf abUser, target, and bystander |n dat|ng abUse
descr|be steps t|at a bystander can take tc |e|p scnecne v|c |s a target cf dat|ng abUse
MATERIALS
Read "Fac|||tator Eackground Informat|on: Teen Oat|ng Abuse" (appears later in
this lesson) before teaching this lesson
Photocopy "I Thought Th|ngs Wou|d Change" excerpt for all students
Photocopy "What Is Teen Oat|ng Abuse?" for all students
Prepare a transparency of "Fo|es |n Oat|ng Abuse: Abuser, Target, and Eystander"
Photocopy "Me|p|ng a Fr|end or Fam||y Nember Who Is Ee|ng Abused" for all
students
Photocopy "Oecreas|ng Your Safety |n an Abus|ve Oat|ng Fe|at|onsh|p" as needed
PURPOSE: To understand what dating
abuse is and how college students are
affected by it.
5
TEACHING TIPS
(A) Because this curriculum deals with sensitive issues related to dating abuse,
it is critical to create a safe environment in the room. If you have not already
established guidelines for discussion, please do so before beginning this lesson.
Here are some examples of recommended guidelines:
Everycne |s a||cved tc express ||s cr |er cp|n|cn v|t|cUt |nterrUpt|cn.
Fespect eac| pc|nt cf v|ev, even |f |t |s d|fferent frcn ycUrs.
Mc qUest|cn cr qUest|cner |s stUp|d cr vrcng; nc pUt-dcvns are a||cved.
Treat other people in the class/group respectfully.
W|at stUdents say s|cU|d be kept ccndent|a| and nct d|scUssed cr s|ared
with others.
(B) It is likely that there are one or more students in every college classroom or group
who are perpetrators of dating abuse (i.e., abusers) or targets. This curriculum may
be especially challenging for them, as well as for students who have experienced
child sexual abuse or rape, or who are bystanders to physical or sexual violence in
their homes. See Facilitator Background Information: Dating Abuse at the end of
this lesson for responding when students reach out for help.
(C) Many students who are not abusers or targets of dating abuse are bystanders
to it. Bystanders play a critical role in preventing and reducing dating
abuse. Friends may be used by an abuser to further harm or gain access to
a target, often without the friends full knowledge of the situation.
(D) Mention to the group/class that this curriculum will provide everyone with
helpful information and skills to reduce dating abuse now or in the future.
Emphasize that dating abuse is an issue for us all, and that working together,
we can make an impact.
(E) This curriculum uses the term target to refer to individuals who experience
abuse or violence at the hand of someone they are dating. We chose this term
instead of victim, which can have a connotation of passive suffering.
(F) Depending on the school and community in which you work, you may (or may
not) choose to explain to students that dating abuse occurs in both opposite-
sex and same-sex relationships. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gendered
students are just as much at risk for abuse in their relationships as anyone else.
6
ACTIVITIES
O|scuss dat|ng abuse and the many forms |t takes.
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf t|e " T|cUg|t T||ngs WcU|d C|ange excerpt.
Mave stUdent vc|Unteers take tUrns read|ng t|e excerpt a|cUd.
Ask stUdents v|at t|ey t||nk t|e excerpt |s abcUt.
Ask stUdents v|at t|ey t||nk cf v|en t|ey |ear t|e p|rase "dat|ng abUse. As stUdents
brainstorm, record each response on the board.
Cffer a den|t|cn cf dat|ng abUse t|at |nc|Udes stUdents' respcnses, fcr exanp|e, "Oat|ng
abuse is a pattern of physically, sexually, verbally and/or emotionally abusive or controlling
behavior in a dating relationship.
Ask stUdents fcr exanp|es cf dat|ng abUse be|av|crs. Prcnpt t|en tc ccns|der t|e
different ways this abuse can occur (face-to-face, through technology like cell phones,
instant messages or web sites, using another person to convey messages or carry out
actions, intimidation, pressure to engage in sexual activities they may not be ready for/want
to participate in).
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf "W|at s Oat|ng AbUse? Fev|ev t|e |andcUt.
Exp|a|n t|at v|||e nany ncre fena|es t|an na|es are p|ys|ca||y abUsed by scnecne t|ey
are dating, males do experience dating abuse (especially via technology). Men and women
may also be involved in relationships that are abusive or unhealthy for both partners.
Mention that dating abuse affects people of all races, religions, cultures, genders and sexual
orientations regardless of how much money they have or the neighborhood they live in.
Exp|cre v|t| stUdents |cv dat|ng abUse fee|s by ask|ng:
W|at fcrns cf dat|ng abUse d|d Ada||z exper|ence?
Mcv d|d Ada||z fee| v|en F|c|ard vas be|ng abUs|ve tc |er? Mcv dces F|c|ard's
abUse affect Ada||z's day-tc-day ||fe? W|at ev|dence cf t||s can ycU nd |n t|e text?
Enp|as|ze t|at dat|ng abUse |s never t|e faU|t cf t|e perscn v|c |s be|ng abUsed.
Nothing this person says, does, believes or wears caused the abuse or gives anyone the
right to hurt her or him.
f stUdents qUest|cn v|y abUsers |Urt t|e|r targets, exp|a|n t|at abUsers Use p|ys|ca|,
sexual, verbal/emotional, and digital abuse to control the target. Violence is a learned
behavior that is shaped by observation, experience, culture, family and community. There
is never an excuse for violent behavior. Abusers may believe that abusive behavior is
normal. They may lack positive role models for their relationships.
7
Ask stUdents v|at t|ey t||nk are scne cf t|e effects cf dat|ng abUse cn t|e perscn v|c
experiences the violence or abuse. Then describe some of the effects that students do not
mention, such as:
Feeling ashamed
Feeling anxious
Becoming depressed
Having thoughts of suicide
Doing poorly in school
Losing interest in friends or favorite activities
Dressing differently, changing hairstyles
Engaging in self-harm, such as eating disorders or cutting
Isolation
Discarding or changing friends
STEP TWO {B m|nutes)
Oehne the ro|es of abuser, target and bystander.
Pc|nt cUt t|at |n abUs|ve dat|ng re|at|cns||ps, pecp|e nay fa|| |ntc cne cf t|ree rc|es:
abuser, target or bystander. Pass out a photocopy of the Roles in Dating Abuse: Abuser,
Target and Bystander handout. Explain that bystanders dont have to be present when
the abuser is hurting the target; they simply have to know about the abuse. Many young
adults report that abusive behavior goes both ways and men and women can be both
victims and abusers. Thats why it is important for everyone to learn how to have safe
and healthy relationships and how to identify abusive and controlling behavior.

Fev|ev t|e den|t|cns cn t|e transparency cr |andcUt. Nent|cn t|at a|t|cUg| bystanders
cannot rescue the target from the abuse, they can encourage him or her to talk to
people who can provide help and guidance and offer support. Bystanders may also be
able to talk to friends who are behaving abusively and express their disapproval or ask
them to stop if it is safe for the bystander to do so.

Ask stUdents v|c t|ey t||nk t|e abUser |s |n t|e " T|cUg|t T||ngs WcU|d C|ange
excerpt. W|c dc t|ey t||nk |s t|e target? W|c dc t|ey t||nk |s a bystander? {Pcss|b|e
answers: Richards friends who watched Adaliz and reported to Richard if they saw her
talking to anyone. Anyone else in Adalizs and Richards life who was aware or strongly
suspected that he was abusing her.)
8
STEP THREE {25 m|nutes)
Exp|ore how bystanders can he|p.
Ask stUdents v|c t|ey t||nk ccU|d be a bystander tc dat|ng abUse. {Pcss|b|e ansvers:
friends of the abuser or the target, family members, classmates, neighbors, professors,
faculty, etc.)
Ask stUdents v|at t|ey ccU|d dc tc |e|p a fr|end cr fan||y nenber v|c vas be|ng
abused by someone he or she was dating.
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf "Me|p|ng a Fr|end cr Fan||y Nenber W|c s Ee|ng
Abused.
Fev|ev t|e tcp cf t|e |andcUt, v||c| sUnnar|zes v|at a bystander tc dat|ng abUse
can do.
Fead t|e d|rect|cns at t|e bcttcn cf t|e |andcUt. Exp|a|n t|at stUdents v||| vcrk v|t|
a partner to write a letter to Adaliz.
After 16 n|nUtes, ask fcr tvc cr t|ree pa|rs cf stUdent vc|Unteers tc read a|cUd t|e
letters they wrote. Have the rest of the class comment on what the letter-writers did
well in adhering to the suggestions in Helping a Friend or Family Member Who Is Being
Abused.
STEP FOUR {25 m|nutes)
Ident|fy strateg|es for reach|ng out to a fr|end or fam||y member who |s abus|ng a
partner.
Nent|cn t|at stUdents nay nct cn|y kncv scnecne v|c |s be|ng abUsed, bUt a|sc
someone who is being abusive to a partner.
Exp|a|n t|at abUsers cften Use excUses tc exp|a|n avay-cr rat|cna||ze-t|e|r abUs|ve
behavior. Ask students for examples of excuses that abusers might use to convince
themselves and others that the abuse is not happening or is not a problem. Sample
answers may include:
Its not really abuse.
I didnt mean to hurt him (or her).
It was a uke. Itll never happen again.
She (or he) got me so angry, I had to do it.
She (or he) likes it.
I cant control myself when I get mad.
I only did it because I was stressed out/drunk/high.
STEP Five {5 m|nutes)
Conc|us|on
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf "ncreas|ng YcUr Safety |n an AbUs|ve Oat|ng
Relationship. Review the handout. Emphasize that even when someone is planning to
end-cr |as a|ready ended-an abUs|ve re|at|cns||p, |e cr s|e s|cU|d ccnt|nUe Use cf
these precautions in case the abuser attempts to commit additional violence. Consider
stressing that the most dangerous time for the target is when he or she has left the
relationship.
O|str|bUte cne Mat|cna| Ocnest|c V|c|ence Mct||ne va||et card tc eac| stUdent.
Explain that the card is sized to t in a wallet and that it contains a toll-free phone
number and web site for assistance with dating abuse issues.
ASSIGNMENT (OPTIONAL):
To Understand What Dating Abuse Is And How People
Are Affected By It. Write the following question on the
board:

WHY IS IT HARD FOR ADALIZ TO END
HER RELATIONSHIP WITH RICHARD?
Tell students to take a few moments to write a response
and ask if anyone wants to share.
10
WARNING SIGNS
There are some warning signs that an intimate relationship may become abusive. Not
all of the signs appear in all abusive or potentially abusive relationships, and sometimes
there are no signs that an intimate relationship may become abusive. The existence
of one or several of these behaviors does not necessarily mean that a relationship is
abusive, but it may signal that the relationship is not completely healthy.
Abusive behaviors can occur in all spheres of a persons life: class, work, home,
and online. Although older adults tend to think of online behavior and email as a
separate sphere of their lives, for college students, these spheres are all very much
interconnected and intertwined. For college students, learning and school activities
may also be taking place outside of the classroom, and particularly online and via
email.
COMMON WARNING SIGNS INCLUDE:

Extrene jea|cUsy
Ccnstant pUt-dcvns, |n perscn cr cn||ne
Nak|ng fUn cf t|e ct|er perscn |n frcnt cf fr|ends cr cn||ne
Te|||ng t|e ct|er perscn v|at tc dc
Exp|cs|ve tenper
Verba| t|reats |n perscn cr v|a ena|| cr text nessage
Pcssess|veness
Prevent|ng t|e ct|er perscn frcn dc|ng v|at |e cr s|e vants tc dc
Severe nccd sv|ngs
Nak|ng fa|se accUsat|cns abcUt t|e ct|er perscn, |nc|Ud|ng ct|ers v|cn t|e perscn
spends time with in real life and online
M|stcry cf v|c|ence
sc|at|ng t|e ct|er perscn frcn fan||y and fr|ends, bct| |n rea| ||fe and cn||ne
EnccUrag|ng t|e target tc "b|cck fr|ends and fan||y frcn "bUddy and "fr|ends ||sts
online
Seek|ng nanc|a| ccntrc| cver t|e ct|er perscn
Ca|||ng/ena|||ng/text|ng t|e ct|er perscn every fev n|nUtes cr at Unreascnab|e |cUrs
to check up on the targets whereabouts, and becoming angry if the target does not
immediately respond
C|eck|ng t|e target's ce|| p|cne/ccnpUter tc see v|c t|e target |as been
communicating with (missed calls, emails, voicemail, and text messages)
Oe|et|ng nessages and "fr|ends cn scc|a| netvcrks
A|ter|ng t|e target's cn||ne prc|es v|t|cUt ccnsent
Os|ng t|e target's passvcrds v|t|cUt pern|ss|cn
Masty statUs c|anges and de|et|cn cf |es cr p|ctUres t|e abUser dcesn't apprcve cf
11
COLLEGE STUDENTS SEEKING HELP
It is critical that everyone is able to recognize the warning signs of dating abuse, understand
the dynamics of an abusive relationship, and know how to respond to a person who is
experiencing dating abuse.
Though similar to adult domestic violence, college students face unique obstacles in
recognizing and escaping abusive relationships. They often must overcome issues, such
as distrust of adults, lack of knowledge about available resources, mixed messages from
the media about healthy relationships and constant pressure from peers to be in an intimate
relationship.
Students who do not have nancial resources or transportation may face practical barriers
to seeking help from community agencies. Confusion about their legal rights adds another
layer of difculty for young people in need. Students, especially those under 18, may also
have fears about lack of condentiality, mandated child abuse reporting and parental
consent laws.
It is tempting to assume that the easy solution to an abusive relationship is simply to end
|t. Mcvever, end|ng abUs|ve re|at|cns||ps can be extrene|y d|fcU|t-even dangercUs. t |s
important to be sensitive to why individuals may have trouble breaking free from abusive
relationships or even reaching out for help.
WMEM STUOEMTS FEACM OUT FOF MELP

Being on a college or university campus gives students a variety of options when seeking
help. Depending on their comfort level, students can get assistance from and report
dating abuse to their Resident Assistant or Hall Director, as well as their academic adviser
or counselor. Students can also visit Health Services or their on-campus Womens Center
for more information or for immediate help.
Some students may respond to this curriculum by asking for more information about dating
abuse and/or disclosing that they are involved in an abusive relationship. It is important to
acknowledge to the student the courage that it takes to reach out for help. Be certain to
tell the student that he/she is not alone and the abuse is not his or her fault.
Facilitators should tell students about the National Domestic Violence Hotline, which
provides free resources to victims of dating abuse, as well as to others interested in
learning more. All communication is condential and anonymous.
12
OATIMG AEUSE - MOW PFEVALEMT IS OATIMG AEUSE?
Mear|y 1 |n S {S2%) cc||ege stUdents repcrt dat|ng abUse by a prev|cUs partner, and 21%
report violence by a current partner.
1

Ncre t|an |a|f {60%) cf acqUa|ntance rapes cn cc||ege canpUses cccUr |n casUa| cr
steady dating relationships.
2

n cne year, ncre t|an 1S% cf cc||ege vcnen |nd|cated t|ey |ad been sta|ked, 42% by
a boyfriend or ex-boyfriend.
3
A|ncst 1 |n 4 {22%) cf a|| rape v|ct|ns are betveen t|e UsUa| cc||ege ages cf 1S-24
4
Wcnen ages 16 tc 24 exper|ence t|e ||g|est per cap|ta rates cf |nt|nate v|c|ence - 16
per 1,000 women. The average rate of intimate violence against women as a whole is only
6 per 1,000 women.
6
Depending on the school and community in which you work, you may (or may not)
choose to explain to students that dating abuse occurs in both opposite-sex and same-
sex relationships. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gendered students are just as much
at risk for abuse in their relationships as anyone else.
PFOTECTIMG TME SAFETY OF COLLEGE STUOEMTS IM
AEUSIVE OATIMG FELATIOMSMIPS
People in abusive relationships have options for increasing their safety. They may
decide to stay with the abuser, exploring ways to keep themselves safe while still in the
relationship. They may decide to end the relationship.
should create and use a dating safety plan. This allows them to think in advance about
how to protect themselves from harm rather than trying to gure it out when they
are in immediate danger. The plan should be practical and specic. NOTE: We do not
recommend sharing many details about what a safety plan might look like with all students
because this might enable abusers to notice signs that the person he or she is abusing is
planning to leave the relationship, which could potentially put the target in danger.
shelter, family, friends) nearby at all times. Always have a cell phone or change for a
phone call. If you usually store these numbers in your phone, keep them on paper, too, in
case your battery goes dead or you cant access your phone.
3 B. Fisher and F. Cullen, Extent and Nature of the Sexual Victimization of College Women, (Washington: NIJ, 2000).
4 Kilpatrick, DJ, Edmunds, CN, Seymour, A. 1992. Rape in America: A Report to the Nation, Arlington VA: National Victim Center.
6 EUreaU cf JUst|ce Stat|st|cs. Spec|a| Fepcrt nt|nate Partner V|c|ence and Age cf V|ct|n, 199S-1999. Was||ngtcn, OC: O.S. Gcvernnent
Printing Ofce (2001).
13
ACCESSIMG SMELTEF, COUMSELIMG, AMO/OF OTMEF OONESTIC
VIOLENCE SERVICES
Many communities have resources for individuals experiencing domestic and dating
abuse, such as condential emergency shelters, counseling services, and support groups.
Some domestic violence organizations will serve teenagers as well as adults. To nd help
in your area, contact National Domestic Violence Hotline, thehotline.org or call 1-800-799-
7233 or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY).
Students who experience dating abuse can seek help from the legal system, typically via
civil law, criminal law, or both. Students may also be able to seek help from their campus
available vary greatly from state to state. For help understanding your states civil and
criminal laws, contact Break the Cycle at breakthecycle.org. For more information
specically about cyberlaw, contact WiredSafety (WiredSafety.org) or the technology
safety project at the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV.org). You can
also nd helpful information from Womens Law at womenslaw.org.
happened to the police. Sometimes social networks or websites/services will discover
abusive behavior or digital images and report it themselves.
If the prosecutor decides to press charges, a judge or a jury will hear the evidence and
the prosecutors case against the defendant. If the defendant is a minor, he or she is
typically tried in juvenile court. If the defendant is found guilty, a judge determines the
sentence (e.g., prison or jail time, probation, community service, counseling, ne).
abusers home.
Try nct tc be a|cne |n |sc|ated areas |n pUb||c. Try tc get a r|de tc c|ass, cr ask scnecne
to walk or ride the bus with you.
Create a nev ena|| acccUnt and Use a passvcrd t|at t|e abUser v||| nct be ab|e tc
guess so that the abuser will not be able to read your incoming and outgoing mail.

14
In most states, when a defendant is convicted of a crime related to domestic violence,
the judge may also issue a criminal protective order requiring the abuser to stay away
from the person he or she has harmed and not contact him or her in any way. Criminal
protective orders are an important option for adolescents who live in a state that does not
allow young people, people who are dating, or same sex-couples to obtain civil domestic
violence restraining orders. Protective orders can also include restrictions on digital
communications and activities.
order. A restraining (also called protective) order is a court order that makes it illegal for
the abuser to harm, come near, or contact the target in any way. Often restraining orders
can also help protect a persons children or other people who live in his or her home. With
the abuser comes too close or contacts him or her in any way. In most states, violation of
a restraining order is a crime.
In order to qualify for a domestic violence restraining order, an individual must have
a domestic relationship with the abuser. Many state laws do not include the kind of
relationships college students typically have (such as people who are dating but not living
together) in their denition of domestic relationships and, thus, may not be eligible for
protective orders. Contact Break the Cycle (help@breakthecycle.org) to learn more about
the laws in your state or to identify local resources for legal assistance.
15
I THOUGHT THINGS WOULD CHANGE*
Excerpt By Adaliz Rodriguez
Adaliz describes her relationship with Richard.
EXCEFPT:
What hurt me the most were his mean words. I wasnt used to the kind of names he
called me. My parents never allowed that kind of language. I cried a lot. I walked looking
down. Id ditch [skip] class a lot, and, although I made sure I passed, I was falling behind.
I was miserable. Id tell him he was hurting me verbally. Id try to break up with him,
then hed cry and say, Im sorry, dont leave me. Ill stop hitting you. Id believe him,
because I didnt want to leave him; I wanted him to change.
He had to make sure I wasnt doing anything. Hed nd out from his friends if I was
talking to someone, and wed get in a big argument. Hed call me disgusting names, and
make me cry. Hed hit me, push me, sock me in the stomach and in the head. He was
smart. He knew not to leave me with bruises that showed.
He told me about the problems his parents had. He used to jump on his father to stop
him from hitting his mother. He said hed never hit me like his father did. Then when he
hit me, hed say he didnt mean to, and turn it around so that it was my fault: If you just
didnt do those things, I wouldnt hit you. In other words, I shouldnt get him so mad, or
provoke him to hit me.
*Copyright 1997 from In Love & In Danger, Edited by Barrie Levy. Performed by permission of Seal Press.
16
WHAT IS DATING ABUSE?
Dating abuse is a pattern of physically, sexually, verbally, and/or emotionally abusive or
controlling behavior in a dating relationship. It can involve digital communications and
technologies or real world communications and physical interactions.
PMYSICAL AEUSE
Any unwanted contact with the other persons body. Physical abuse does not have to
leave a mark or a bruise.
Examples:
Scratc||ng PUnc||ng E|t|ng K|ck|ng
P|nc||ng EUrn|ng PU|||ng |a|r C|ck|ng
Strang||ng PUs||ng Os|ng a veapcn S|app|ng
S|cv|ng P|ys|ca| restra|nt Sp|tt|ng
SEXUAL ABUSE
Any sexual behavior that is unwanted or interferes with the other persons right to say
no to sexual advances.
Examples:
Onvanted k|ss|ng cr tcUc||ng
Oate rape
Fcrc|ng scnecne tc gc fUrt|er sexUa||y t|an |e cr s|e vants tc
Onvanted rcUg| cr v|c|ent sexUa| act|v|ty
Mct |ett|ng scnecne Use b|rt| ccntrc| cr prctect|cn aga|nst sexUa||y transn|tted
infections
Fcrc|ng scnecne tc pcse fcr st||| cr v|dec |nages v|||e part|a||y cr fU||y nUde cr v|||e
performing sexual acts
Fcrc|ng scnecne tc vatc| ct|ers engag|ng |n sexUa| acts |n rea| ||fe cr |n st||| cr v|dec
images
Ccerc|ng scnecne tc take nUde cr sexUa| |nages cf ||n/|erse|f and s|are t|en
Fcrc|ng scnecne tc expcse ||n/|erse|f sexUa||y tc ct|ers cr |n pUb||c
Fcrc|ng scnecne tc vear cr nct vear |tens cf c|ct||ng {sUc| as Undervear)
V|dectap|ng cr reccrd|ng a sexUa| act cr nUde |nage cf scnecne v|t|cUt t|e|r
knowledge or consent
Send|ng scnecne Unsc||c|ted and Unve|ccned sexUa| |nages
A|ter|ng an |nage cf a perscn tc nake |t appear t|at t|ey vere pcs|ng |n t|e nUde cr
engaging in sexual activities
17
VEFEAL / ENOTIOMAL AEUSE
Saying or doing something to the other person that causes the person to be afraid and/
or have lower self-esteem. Trying to manipulate or control the persons feelings or
behaviors. This can include online posts or digital communications designed to threaten,
harass, or embarrass someone.
These can take place in real life or through the use of digital technologies, such as social
networks, online games, email, text-messages, videos, photo-sharing and video-sharing
sites, webcams, digital gaming devices, and instant messaging.
Examples:
Mane-ca|||ng and pUt-dcvns
nsU|t|ng t|e perscn cr ||s/|er fan||y cr fr|ends
Ye|||ng and screan|ng
Marn|ng {cr t|reaten|ng tc |arn) t|e perscn cr ||s/|er fan||y, fr|ends, pets cr prcperty
Nak|ng rac|a|, et|n|c cr re||g|cUs s|Urs abcUt t|e perscn cr t|cse |e/s|e cares fcr
Nak|ng Unvanted ccnnents/send|ng Unvanted nessages cf a sexUa| natUre tc t|e
person
S|gn|ng t|e perscn Up fcr Unvanted vebs|tes cr serv|ces
Send|ng t|e perscn pcrncgrap||c v|decs, |nages cr ned|a
Enbarrass|ng t|e perscn |n frcnt cf ct|ers
nt|n|dat|ng t|e perscn
Spread|ng negat|ve rUncrs abcUt t|e perscn
Prevent|ng t|e perscn frcn see|ng cr ta|k|ng tc fr|ends and fan||y
Te|||ng t|e perscn v|at tc dc
Nak|ng t|e perscn fee| respcns|b|e fcr t|e v|c|ence/abUse
Sta|k|ng
Nak|ng t|e perscn fee| gU||ty abcUt vant|ng tc |eave t|e re|at|cns||p by ta|k|ng abcUt
the abusers hard life and how alone and abandoned the abuser will feel if left
T|reaten|ng tc ccnn|t sU|c|de
T|reaten|ng tc k||| t|e target cr a fr|end/fan||y nenber cf t|e target
T|reaten|ng tc expcse perscna| |nfcrnat|cn abcUt t|e perscn {e.g., sexUa| cr|entat|cn,
immigration status, embarrassing secrets)
T|reaten|ng tc take avay t|e perscn's c|||d cr c|||dren
S|ar|ng sexUa| cr nUde p|ctUres cf t|e perscn t|at vere g|ven |n ccndence
Excess|ve cr Unvanted text-nessag|ng, |nstant nessag|ng, p|cne ca||s cr ena||s tc
check up on someone
Pcst|ng fake cr a|tered |nages cf scnecne cr "p|ctcs|cpp|ng a perscn's |nages tc
add or remove others from pictures
Creat|ng an abUs|ve grcUp cr prc|e abcUt scnecne, sUc| as t|e "Katy |s a s|Ut grcUp
or setting the person up for attacks by others online
Pcst|ng nasty, fa|se cr abUs|ve ccnnents cn t|e perscn's prc|e cr ct|er acccUnts cr
in their guestbook
Access|ng scnecne's acccUnts and c|ang|ng t|e passvcrds sc |e cr s|e nc |cnger
has access to them and/or posing as the person and altering his or her accounts and
proles
Adapted frcn Ereak t|e Cyc|e, nc. 2006. breakt|ecyc|e.crg and prcv|ded by Parry Aftab, Esq. fcr W|redSafety and Teenange|s, 2009,
WiredSafety.org or Teenangels.org.
18
ROLES IN DATING ABUSE:
ABUSER, TARGET, AND BYSTANDER.
ABUSER: A person who physically, sexually,
verbally, or emotionally hurts or attempts to
control an intimate partner.
TARGET: A person who is subjected to
controlling behavior or hurt physically,
sexually, verbally, or emotionally by an
intimate partner.
BYSTANDER: A person who is aware or
suspects that someone is being abused
in a dating relationship. The bystander
may become aware of the abuse through
the abusers or the targets actions or
words.
HELPING A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER
WHO IS BEING ABUSED
Te|| t|e perscn v|c |s be|ng abUsed t|at ycU kncv abcUt t|e abUse and are
concerned for his or her safety. Tell your friend or relative that he or she does not
deserve to be abused.
Ackncv|edge t|at t|e abUse |s nct t||s perscn's faU|t. Fen|nd t|e fr|end cr re|at|ve
that the abuser is responsible for the abuse. Tell the person that he or she is not alone.
Ee sUppcrt|ve and pat|ent. t nay be d|fcU|t fcr t|e perscn tc ta|k abcUt t|e abUse.
Let your friend or relative know that you are available to listen or help any time.
Avc|d jUdg|ng ycUr fr|end cr fan||y nenber. T|e perscn nay break Up v|t| and gc
back to the abuser many times before nally leaving the relationship. Do not criticize
your friend or relative for doing this, even if you disagree with the choices he or she
makes.
EnccUrage t|e perscn tc ta|k tc ct|ers v|c can prcv|de |e|p and gU|dance. Cffer
to help the person talk to family, friends, a teacher, faculty member or staff person on
campus, or a member of the clergy; or to help them nd a counselor or support group.
If your friend or relative decides to go to the police, to court, or to see a lawyer, offer
to come along, but make sure you dont do the talking when you get there.
Me|p t|e perscn tc deve|cp a pract|ca| and spec|c safety p|an t|at fccUses cn
preventing future harm or abuse. Visit National Coalition Against Domestic Violence or
the American Bar Association Domestic Violence Safety Plan for safety planning tips
and guides.
Oc nct ccnfrcnt t|e abUser dUr|ng an act cf v|c|ence; |t ccU|d be dangercUs fcr ycU
and your friend or relative. It is best to call the police or get help from an adult in this
situation. However, if it feels safe to do so, you can let a friend know if you think his or
her words or behavior is hurtful or controlling and encourage that person to get help.
Fenenber t|at ycU cannct "rescUe t|e perscn v|c |s t|e target cf abUse. t |s
difcult to see someone you care about get hurt. Your friend or relative must be the
one to decide what to do. Your job is to be supportive.
DIRECTIONS: Imagine that you are a friend or relative of
AdeIiz end thet ycu knew thet Hicherd wes ebusing her. Wcrk with e
partner to write a letter to Adaliz in which you reach out to help her.
As ycu write, keep in mind the suggesticns thet ere Iisted ebcve.
19
20
dating abuse to think ahead about steps to take that may help keep them safer during
a dangerous incident. Visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline, thehotline.org, for
information about dating abuse.
Call the police. If someone is hurting you or you are in immediate danger, it may be
best to call the police. Many acts of physical and sexual violence are crimes; the
abuser can be arrested and go to jail for them.
Get a restraining order or a protective order. A restraining order (also called a
protective order) is a court order that makes it illegal for the abuser to harm you, come
near you, or contact you in any way. When you have an order, you can call the police
as soon as the abuser comes near you or contacts you. To nd out about the laws in
your state, visit thesafespace.org.
A shelter is a safe place. Its usually a house or apartment in a secret location, where
20
Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline, a national 24-hour resource that
can be accessed by calling 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY) or
visiting thehotline.org.
If you are in an intimate relationship with someone, is it the healthy situation that
ycU deserve? PUt a c|eck next tc any cf t|e respcnses be|cv t|at app|y tc t||s
relationship.
lf ycu checked eny cf these respcnses, ycu mey be in en ebusive
relationship. There are resources out there. The National Domestic
VicIence MctIine end reek the CycIe cen heIp. Fcr mcre infcrmeticn,
visit thehotline.org or thesafespace.org.
21
THE PATTERN
OF ABUSE
IN DATING
VIOLENCE
& ABUSE
22
PURPOSE: To identify the pattern of
abusive dating relationships, as well
as obstacles, that make it difcult for
someone who is targeted by dating
abuse to seek help.
dene t|e typ|ca| stages cf t|e pattern cf abUse |n dat|ng abUse
|dent|fy ve cbstac|es t|at ycUng adU|ts cften face v|en seek|ng |e|p |n dat|ng abUse
situations
MATERIALS
Read "Fac|||tator Eackground Informat|on" before teaching this lesson
Photocopy the "Ereath|ng Underwater" excerpt for all students
Photocopy "Patterns of Oat|ng Abuse" for all students
Photocopy "Look|ng at M|ck and Ca|t||n's S|tuat|on" for all students
Photocopy "The Cyc|e of Ny L|fe" for all students
Photocopy the "Poss|b|e Warn|ng S|gns |n Oat|ng Fe|at|onsh|ps" as needed
Photocopy "Increas|ng Your Safety |n an Abus|ve Fe|at|onsh|p" as needed
23
ACTIVITIES
O|scuss the repeat|ng phases that typ|ca||y {but do not a|ways) occur |n abus|ve dat|ng
re|at|onsh|ps.
Exp|a|n tc stUdents t|at |n nany abUs|ve dat|ng re|at|cns||ps, t|e p|ys|ca|, enct|cna|
and/or sexual abuse is not a one-time thing. It usually happens again and again, and the
abuse may become more severe and more frequent over time. Point out that even one
incident of dating abuse is too many.
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf "Patterns cf Oat|ng AbUse. Fev|ev t|e |andcUt. Nake
sure students understand that every relationship is different and that the phases may
occur infrequently, briey, or over long stretches of time. Some targets, for example, never
experience a honeymoon phase.
Exp|a|n t|at abUsers are cften extrene|y jea|cUs cf t|e target's fr|ends and fan||y,
claiming to love their partner so much that they dont want anyone else around. This kind of
excessive possessiveness and jealousy is not a sign of love, but an example of the extreme
control that abusers seek to have over their partners. Abusers often work actively to create
an us vs. them situation between the target and his/her family, thereby making it much
harder for the target to reach out to his or her family for help when he or she may need it.
Nent|cn t|at targets cf dat|ng abUse cften be||eve t|at t|e rst |nc|dent cf abUse |s
an isolated one that will not occur again. After the abuse, the abusers apologies and
promises that it will not happen again may convince the target to stay in the relationship.
Unfortunately, we know that once an individual has demonstrated abusive behavior toward
a dating partner, he or she is likely to abuse the partner again. As the violence and abuse
become more severe and occur more frequently, the target is likely to become more
isolated and fearful, afraid to reach out for help.
Ana|yze a text that |||ustrates an examp|e of phases |n dat|ng abuse.
Te|| stUdents t|at t|e c|ass |s gc|ng tc read a|cUd an excerpt frcn a ncve| t|at |||Ustrates
the phases that make up a typical pattern of dating abuse.
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf t|e "Ereat||ng Ondervater excerpt.
Fead a|cUd t|e rst paragrap|. T|en |ave stUdent vc|Unteers eac| read cne cr tvc
paragraphs aloud.
Exp|a|n tc stUdents t|at t|ey are gc|ng tc vcrk |n grcUps cf t|ree tc |dent|fy |cv t|e
three phases of tension-building, explosion, and honeymoon play out in the excerpt from
Breathing Underwater.
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf "Lcck|ng at M|ck and Ca|t||n's S|tUat|cn. Te|| stUdents t|at as
they work in their small groups to answer the questions, they must refer to the Breathing
Underwater excerpt and provide specic examples from the text that support their answers,
rather than trying to remember the text and responding in a general fashion.
After 10-12 n|nUtes, rev|ev t|e qUest|cns cn t|e |andcUt, se|ect|ng cne cr tvc sna||
groups per question to share their answers with the class.
24
O|scuss the obstac|es that young adu|ts/co||ege students face |n seek|ng he|p for dat|ng
abuse.

Ask stUdents |f t|ey can t||nk cf any add|t|cna| cbstac|es t|at Ca|t||n-cr any cc||ege
stUdent -ccU|d face |n seek|ng |e|p as t|e target cf dat|ng abUse. Wr|te stUdents' |deas cn
the board. Sample answers may include
Bond with/love for the abuser
Not sure what constitutes healthy and unhealthy behaviors in a relationship
Being isolated and feeling they have no one to talk to/no one who cares
Fear that friends or family members wont believe them
Fear that friends will side with the abuser
Fear of being hurt/killed
Fear of friend/family member being hurt/killed
Fear of losing children
Being turned away by friends or family members who dont believe them or tell them
its no big deal
Not wanting to tell someone the details of their private life
Pressure from peers and/or family members to be in a relationship
Not wanting to lose the social status that might come with the relationship
Fear of the abuse escalating if the abuser discovers they have sought help
Specic threats from the abuser about what will happen if they seek help
Denying, minimizing, or rationalizing the abuse
Feeling vulnerable because of pregnancy, parenthood, sexual orientation, a disability,
and/or immigration status
Feeling ashamed of being in an abusive relationship
Cultural and/or religious issues
Idealization of relationship
Substance abuse
Feeling hopeless
Low self-esteem, including feeling powerless to make changes in ones life
Lack of knowledge of resources
Not wanting the abuser to suffer negative consequences
Not knowing their legal rights related to abuse
Fear that information about their situation will not be kept condential
Lack of local social and legal services targeted in violent dating relationships
Lack of access to services
Belief that the abuse will stop or that they can change the abuser
Financial dependence on the abuser
Feeling they cant escape the abuser because he or she lives in the same religious,
ethnic, racial, or cultural community or attends the same school
25
STEP FOUR {1 m|nute)
Conc|us|on.
Exp|a|n t|at nany |nd|v|dUa|s v|c |ave exper|enced dat|ng abUse ccnrn t|at t|e abUse
often occurs in a pattern. And, while there are obstacles facing college students who seek
|e|p v|en t|ey exper|ence dat|ng abUse, nany stUdents-||ke Ada||z-dc reac| cUt and
nd the support they need to keep themselves safe.
STEP FIVE {5 m|nutes)
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf "ncreas|ng YcUr Safety |n an AbUs|ve Oat|ng Fe|at|cns||p.
Fev|ev t|e |andcUt. Enp|as|ze t|at even v|en scnecne |s p|ann|ng tc end-cr |as
a|ready ended-an abUs|ve re|at|cns||p, |e cr s|e s|cU|d ccnt|nUe tc Use t|ese precaUt|cns
in case the abuser attempts to commit additional violence. Consider stressing that the most
dangerous time for the target is when he or she has left the relationship.
the card is sized to t in a wallet and that it contains a toll-free phone number and website
for assistance with dating abuse issues.
PFOTECTIMG TME SAFETY OF COLLEGE STUOEMTS
IM AEUSIVE OATIMG FELATIOMSMIPS
in danger. The plan should be practical and specic. People who experiencing dating abuse
and/or are in the process of ending or have already ended an abusive relationship should
create and use a dating safety plan. This allows them to think in advance about how to
protect themselves from harm rather than trying to gure it out when they are in immediate
call. If you usually store these numbers in your phone, keep them on paper, too, in case
your battery goes dead or you cant access your phone.
abusers home.

1-800-787-3224 (TTY).
using civil law, criminal law, or both. Students may also be able to seek help from their
campus judicial systems. These options are very different. All states provide some
prctect|cn frcn dcnest|c v|c|ence |n bct| t|e cr|n|na| and c|v|| |av, bUt t|e deta||s cf t|e 66
protections available vary greatly from state to state. For help understanding your states
civil and criminal laws, contact Break the Cycle at breakthecycle.org. For more information
specically about cyberlaw, contact WiredSafety (WiredSafety.org) or the technology safety
project at the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV.org). You can also nd
helpful information from Womens Law at womenslaw.org.
happened to the police. Sometimes social networks or websites/services will discover abu-
sive behavior or digital images and report it themselves.
people, people who are dating, or same sex-couples to obtain civil domestic violence re-
straining orders. Protective orders can also include restrictions on digital communications
and activities.
In order to qualify for a domestic violence restraining order, an individual must have a do-
mestic relationship with the abuser. Many state laws do not include the kind of relationships
college students typically have (such as people who are dating but not living together) in
their denition of domestic relationships and, thus, may not be eligible for protective orders.
Contact Break the Cycle (help@breakthecycle.org) to learn more about the laws in your
state or to identify local resources for legal assistance.
29
PATTERNS OF DATING ABUSE
Every relationship is unique, however, many people who are the target of dating abuse nd
the abuse occurs in a distinct pattern with three phases: tension building, explosion, and
honeymoon. Each phase can be as short as a few seconds or as long as several years.
PHASE 1:
Tension Building: Things start to get tense between the two people. In this phase

T|e tvc pecp|e argUe a |ct.
T|e abUser ye||s at t|e target fcr nc reascn.
T|e abUser nakes fa|se accUsat|cns abcUt t|e target.
T|e target fee|s t|at s|e cr |e can't dc anyt||ng r|g|t.
T|e atncsp|ere |s tense, as |f t||ngs ccU|d b|cv Up at any ncnent.
PHASE 2:
Explosion: The tension is released in a burst of physical, sexual and/or verbal/
emotional abuse. The abuser may

Screan and ye|| |n a vay t|at |s fr|g|ten|ng and/cr |Un|||at|ng.
M|t, grab, s|cve, k|ck, s|an t|e ct|er perscn aga|nst t|e va||, etc.
T|rcv cbjects.
T|reaten tc |Urt t|e ct|er perscn cr scnecne |e cr s|e cares abcUt.
Fape t|e ct|er perscn cr fcrce ||n cr |er tc gc fUrt|er sexUa||y t|an |e cr s|e vants tc.
PHASE 3:
Honeymoon: The abuser tries to make the target stay in the relationship by
apologizing and/or shifting the blame for the abuse onto someone or something else.
The abuser may

Apc|cg|ze and prcn|se t|at t|e abUse v||| never |appen aga|n.
Say " |cve ycU.
EUy t|e ct|er perscn cvers cr g|fts.
AccUse t|e ct|er perscn cf dc|ng scnet||ng tc caUse t|e abUse.
E|ane t|e abUse cn ct|er t||ngs sUc| as a|cc|c|, drUgs cr stress.
After the honeymoon phase, the tension starts to build again, leading to another
explosion. Over time, the honeymoon phase may get shorter or even disappear, and
the explosions may become more violent and dangerous. Some targets of dating
abUse never exper|ence t|e |cneynccn p|ase-jUst t|e tens|cn bU||d|ng and exp|cs|cn
phases. These phases do not happen in every abusive relationship. Someone may be
experiencing dating abuse even if this pattern is not present.
Adapted frcn Ereak t|e Cyc|e, nc. 2006.
30
BREATHING UNDERWATER* EXCERPT
In the novel Ereath|ng Underwater," Nick, the sixteen-year-old narrator, recounts
his relationship with Caitlin (also called Cat), whom he abused physically, verbally, and
emotionally for most of their relationship. In this scene, Caitlin and Nick, who have been
dating for a few months, are in Nicks car, driving over a long two-lane bridge. Caitlin has
just told Nick that she feels they need to talk about the way he treats her. Nick fears that
she is going to tell him that she wants to end the relationship.
EXCERPT:
I heard you. Im deciding how to respond. She could not leave me. As I hit the word
respond, I pulled to the left, veering into the southbound lane. Then I oored it past three
cars. A southbound Volvo station wagon slammed its brakes within yards of us. The
driver was honking, yelling. I pulled back into the northbound lane and ipped him off. I
looked at Caitlin. Her mouth hung in mid-scream. I laughed.
"Oc ycU trUst ne, Cat? S|e vas s||ent. |eaned c|cser. "O|d ever te|| ycU abcUt ny
nct|er? Ca|t||n reccvered encUg| tc s|ake |er |ead nc, and sa|d, " vas fcUr, ve, 'd
lie awake nights, listening to her and my dad ghting, him hitting her. I looked at Caitlin.
"YcU vant tc |ear t||s?
She nodded.
I thought wed pack up and leave someday, her and I. I lived for that day. On the wheel,
my knuckles were white. Then, one morning, I wake up, and shes gone, never came
back. She ran from the monster and left me there with him.
Caitlin removed her sunglasses. Im sorry, Nick.
So you talk about trust, its pretty important. I mean, when the one person you trust just
picks up and leaves
Caitlins hand slipped across my shoulder. I tried to shrug her off, swerving left into
trafc, then back. Terror lled Caitlins eyes. Her nails ripped my esh.
"TrUst ne, Cat? S|e ccU|d nct |eave ne. sverved aga|n. "'CaUse |f ycU |aven't gUred
it out, life doesnt mean much to me. Without you, its worthless.
A ock of seagulls headed across my windshield. She could not leave me. I swerved
again, this time counting three before I veered back. She could not leave me. Caitlin
screamed at me to stop.
"W|at's t|e natter? W|en s|e d|dn't ansver, sverved aga|n. "C|-t||s. Naybe ycU're r|g|t.
I straightened the wheel, looking beyond her to the orange and green water east of the
bridge. Silence. I didnt swerve. Nothing. We were halfway across. Caitlin relaxed.
SUdden|y, sa|d, "T||nk ccU|d nake a r|g|t |ere? F|g|t vas |ntc vater. nade ||ke
Id do it, crash through the guardrail, then down. Caitlin screamed. She grabbed for
the wheel. I shoved her away so her ngers clawed the air. She tried again, gripping
both my hands. The car swerved left into the path of a Bronco towing a boat. I pulled
it back. My mind knew what she was doing, but my eyes didnt. I couldnt see her. She
was shrieking. God, shut up! Her voice deafened me, and it was all around, in my ears,
31
making me lose all control. She tried to grab the wheel. Blind and deaf, I drove, sun hot
on my face. I had to get her off me. God, I just had to get her off me. Get her off me! Get off
me! Get off!
Next thing I knew, I was driving on land. I couldnt tell you whether it was minutes or
hours later. Caitlin hung across the seat, head cradled in her ngers. My hand throbbed,
and I knew Id hit her. Id hit her. I was tired. Shed worn me out, but the anger inside
me dissolved, replaced by that regret. But Id had to stop her. Shed been irrational,
overwrought, shouldnt have touched the wheel. She could have killed us. I looked at
her. The seat was the length of a football eld. Caitlin faced the window. She was so
beautiful. Ahead was a red pickup with a Jesus sh. It was going at a good clip, but when
we reached the next passing zone, I overtook it and a few other cars. Cat stiffened. I
merged back into trafc and reached to stroke her hair.
She lifted her head, cautious as a runner stealing home, and stared.
"Are ycU a|| r|g|t, Ca|t||n? asked.
When she didnt answer, I repeated the question.
She shook her head. You hit me.
I told her no. I hadnt. I mean, she was grabbing the wheel. Wed almost creamed the
Bronco. I had to get her off me before we got killed.
Because you were driving off the bridge, she said.
I laughed and said she knew me better. . . Id never do it for real. Besides, wed have
crashed the guardrail, and Id have gotten killed for wrecking the car.
But you hit me, Nick. She leaned out the window toward the sideview mirror to see if
her cheek was getting red.
And |t vas. d|dn't expect |t tc be red, bUt |t vas-a ||tt|e. |adn't ||t |er |ard, jUst
enough to get her off me. I said, Dont you know you shouldnt grab the wheel when
scnecne's dr|v|ng?
"EUt t|cUg|t-
S|e vas pretty s|aken. Nad naybe? pU||ed |er c|cse. "Scrry freaked ycU cUt, K|ttycat.
I forget you arent used to guys. You dont know we play rough sometimes. She kept
prctest|ng, and sa|d, "YcU kncv v|at vas t||nk|ng? vanted tc bUy ycU a r|ng. YcU
kncv, ||ke a synbc|, s|nce ve're gc|ng tcget|er. W|at's ycUr b|rt|stcne?
Still, she stared like her life was ashing before her eyes. You hit me, Nick.
k|ssed |er. S|e drev avay, and pU||ed |er back. "YcUr b|rt|day's |n FebrUary, r|g|t?
Ill ask the jeweler what the stone is.
I held her close until she stopped struggling. The sun was down, but it wasnt dark
enough for a moon, and we crossed bridges connecting the islands, Big Pine Key,
Plantation Key, Key Largo. Then we drove through mainland Miami a while. When we
reached home, the sky above Rickenbacker Causeway was black, and Caitlin slept on
my shoulder.
*From Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn. Copyright 2001 by Alexandra Flinn. Used by permission of
HaperCollins Publishers.
32
LOOKING AT NICK AND CAITLINS
SITUATION (Sample Answers Filled In)
violence occurs).
n t|e rst paragrap|, M|ck |ntent|cna||y steers t|e car |ntc t|e pat| cf cnccn|ng trafc.
n t|e sane paragrap|, Ca|t||n's ncUt| "|Ung |n n|d-screan.
n t|e fcUrt| paragrap|, M|ck's knUck|es are v||te cn t|e steer|ng v|ee|.
M|ck keeps repeat|ng tc ||nse|f, "S|e ccU|d nct |eave ne.
M|ck ||ts Ca|t||n.
Me Uses t|e t|reat cf v|c|ence by repeated|y sverv|ng |ntc cnccn|ng trafc.

" jUst |ad tc get |er cff ne.
" vas t|red.
"S|e'd vcrn ne cUt. . .
"'d |ad tc stcp |er. S|e'd been |rrat|cna|, cvervrcUg|t, s|cU|dn't |ave tcUc|ed t|e
wheel. She could have killed us.
" |adn't ||t |er |ard, jUst encUg| tc get |er cff ne.
Me te||s |er t|at |e d|dn't ||t |er.
Me te||s |er |e |ad tc get |er cff ||n "befcre ve gct k|||ed.
Me te||s |er |e vcU|d "never dc |t fcr rea|.
Me says, "Ocn't ycU kncv ycU s|cU|dn't grab t|e v|ee| v|en scnecne |s dr|v|ng?
Me says, " fcrget ycU aren't Used tc gUys. YcU dcn't kncv ve p|ay rcUg| scnet|nes.
5. After Nick is abusive to Caitlin, what does he do to try to convince her to stay
v|t| ||n?
Me strckes |er |a|r.
Me asks |er, "Are ycU a|| r|g|t?
Me te||s |er |e vants tc bUy |er a r|ng "s|nce ve're gc|ng tcget|er.
Me k|sses |er.
Me |c|ds |er c|cse Unt|| s|e stcps strUgg||ng.
FACILITATORS COPY
33
LOOKING AT
NICK AND CAITLINS SITUATION
violence occurs).
5. After M|ck |s abUs|ve tc Ca|t||n, v|at dces |e dc tc try tc ccnv|nce |er tc stay v|t| ||n?
34
THE CYCLE OF MY LIFE*
by Pamela
It all starts out wonderful until he strikes
Constantly hearing Im sorry
Until it doesnt matter anymore
Forgiving every time, forgetting never
Calling out for him to stop
Never stopping until it is almost too late
Never thinking about the consequences of his actions
Just making me think out every possible consequence of mine
Hearing Im sorry all over again
Meeting him with open eyes
Awaiting the gifts I know will pour forward
Ont|| |t a|| stcps-
And the cycle begins all over again
Directions: List below signs that Pamela is experiencing phases two and three of the
typical pattern of abuse in dating violence. Refer to Patterns of Dating Abuse for
examples of behaviors that occur in these phases.
PHASE 2: SIGNS OF EXPLOSION:
PHASE 3: SIGNS OF HONEYMOON:
*From www.teenrelationships.org/teenssay/teensay.htm.
35
If you are in an intimate relationship with someone, is it the healthy situation that you de-
serve? PUt a c|eck next tc any cf t|e respcnses be|cv t|at app|y tc t||s re|at|cns||p.

lf ycu checked eny cf these respcnses, ycu mey be in en ebusive reIeticnship.
There are resources out there. The National Domestic Violence Hotline
end reek the CycIe cen heIp. Fcr mcre infcrmeticn, visit thehctIine.crg cr
thesafespace.org.
35
36
Visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline, thehotline.org, for information about dating
abuse.

Call the police. If someone is hurting you or you are in immediate danger, it may be best
to call the police. Many acts of physical and sexual violence are crimes; the abuser can
be arrested and go to jail for them.
Get a restraining order or a protective order. A restraining order (also called a protective
domestic violence shelter. A shelter is a safe place. Its usually a house or apartment
in a secret location, where people experiencing dating or domestic violence and their
children can live for a limited time. Staff at the shelter can help you nd a more permanent
place to live.
or visiting thehotline.org.
36

TECHNOLOGY
AND
DATING
ABUSE
37
reccgn|ze t|e rc|e d|g|ta| tec|nc|cg|es nay p|ay |n dat|ng v|c|ence
dene vccabU|ary re|ated tc d|g|ta| dat|ng abUse and app|y |t tc t|e text and tc t|e|r cvn
experiences
Understand v|at tc dc |f t|ey v|tness d|g|ta| dat|ng abUse
Understand t|e r|sks and |ega| ccnseqUences cf d|g|ta| abUse and sext|ng
MATERIALS
Read "Fac|||tator Eackground Informat|on: O|g|ta| Oat|ng Abuse"
(appears later in this lesson) before teaching this lesson
Read "Look|ng at Shannon and Greg's S|tuat|on" Facilitator copy
Photocopy "Shannon's Story" for all students
Photocopy "Look|ng at Shannon and Greg's S|tuat|on" for all students
Photocopy "The 2C Quest|ons" for all students
Photocopy "Feport|ng O|g|ta| Abuse" for all students
Photocopy "Increas|ng Your Safety |n an Abus|ve Oat|ng Fe|at|onsh|p" as needed
Additionally, as you teach this you may nd that your students reaction warrants an
extension from one class period to two.
PURPOSE: To understand the role of
digital technologies in dating abuse.
38
ACTIVITIES
Create a framework for the tech abuse d|scuss|ons.
Dene dating abuse for the students. Dating abuse is dened as a pattern of physically,
sexually, verbally and/or emotionally abusive or controlling behavior in a dating relationship.
Based on that denition, ask the class to dene tech abuse and share ways an abusive
partner may use technology against the target. Tech abuse is when someone uses digital
technology as a weapon to hurt someone else in a dating situation. Using technology to spy
on, harass or embarrass a partner in social communities can be a powerful abuse tactic in
any relationship.
Ansvers v||| vary, and nay |nc|Ude
Calling/emailing/texting the target to check up on him or her.
Checking the targets missed calls, emails, voicemail and text messages to see who
he or she has been communicating with.
Deleting friends on social networks.
Accessing the targets Facebook/MySpace page and posing as or altering his or her
online prole.
Calling or sending unwanted emails or texts that are threatening in tone.
Sending unwanted emails or texts that are sexual in nature (sexual harassment).
Stealing or breaking digital devices (laptops, phones, etc.) with the intent to harass
or intimidate.
Directing threatening calls, emails, or texts to any friends or family members of the target.
Ganging up on the target by having friends send threatening calls, emails, or texts to
the target.
Using camera phones to take unwanted pictures of the target and then using those
photos as a form of blackmail/intimidation, sharing these photos on social networking
sites, etc.
As t|e ccnversat|cn ccnt|nUes, d|scUss t||ngs t|e abUser can dc spec|ca||y cn t|e |n-
ternet. Do they have other accounts online where they interact with friends, like gaming or
p|ctc-s|ar|ng s|tes? CcU|d an abUser |arass a target t|rcUg| a v|dec gane systen {W||,
P|aystat|cn, etc.) t|at |s ccnnected tc t|e |nternet? Oces anycne Use Skype cr Vcnage?
Mcv ccU|d t|at be n|sUsed?
f t|ne a||cvs, sUnnar|ze t||s d|scUss|cn cf tec|nc|cg|es by ask|ng t|e stUdents tc |e|p
categorize the examples they listed above as one of the following:
O|rect Attacks by the abuser against the target (where he or she is called names,
harassed, or has his or her property destroyed, or has friends and family threatened).
Pub||c Attacks by the abuser about the target (posts or communications broadcast to
others designed to embarrass or damage the reputation of the target).
Cyberbu||y|ng-by-Proxy where the abuser manipulates others to commit direct
attacks,
39
public attacks, privacy invasions, or posed attacks designed to hurt the target.
Pr|vacy Invas|ons by the abuser spying on the target without permission, and
monitoring the targets communications or activities.
Posed Attacks by the abuser using the anonymity offered by digital technologies to
steal someones ID, hide his or her real identity, or pose as someone else (even the
target, in some situations).
Some examples students give will t into more than one category. For example, a post on
the targets Facebook page can be both a direct attack and a public attack.
Ana|yze a text that |||ustrates how d|g|ta| techno|og|es can be |nvo|ved |n the three
phases of dat|ng abuse.
Te|| stUdents t|at t|e c|ass |s gc|ng tc read a|cUd a s|crt stcry t|at |||Ustrates |cv d|g|ta|
technologies are used in dating abuse and how the three phases of dating abuse play out online.
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf t|e "S|anncn's Stcry |andcUt.
Fead t|e stcry a|cUd cr ass|gn cne stUdent tc read t|e ent|re stcry a|cUd cr ask stUdents tc read |t
to themselves, silently.
Exp|a|n tc stUdents t|at t|ey are gc|ng tc vcrk |n sna|| grcUps tc |dent|fy |cv d|g|ta| tec|nc|cg|es
can be used in dating abuse and that they will be asked to identify how the three phases of tension
building, explosion and honeymoon play out in Shannons Story.
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf "Lcck|ng at S|anncn & Greg's S|tUat|cn. Te|| stUdents t|at as t|ey
work in their small groups to answer the questions, they should refer to Shannons Story and
provide specic examples from the text that support their answers, rather than trying to remember
the text and responding in a general fashion.
After 10 n|nUtes, rev|ev t|e qUest|cns cn t|e |andcUt, se|ect|ng cne grcUp per qUest|cn tc s|are
their answers with the class. (10 minutes of discussion.)
Exp|ore the trends of password-shar|ng and sext|ng as ways students use to
show |nt|macy and trust |n a re|at|onsh|p.
PASSWORD-SHARING
Ask the students if sharing passwords is common in dating relationships and friendships,
and ask how many of them have voluntarily shared their passwords with a boyfriend or
girlfriend or close friend. Ask students to brainstorm ways to handle situations where a
friend or signicant other asks for your password. If theres time, consider having them
role-play an effective discussion.
Ask stUdents |cv scnecne nay be ab|e tc access ycUr acccUnt, even |f t|ey dcn't kncv
the password. Students will likely say hacking or jacking. Ask them to expand upon
that. Some possible answers include:
Clicking the forgot password button, guessing the answer to your secret question.
Asking a mutual friend or sibling that knows your password.
Using a computer or phone that youve asked to remember your password.
INPOFTAMT: Fem|nd students that even |f they have shared the|r password w|th
someone, they are MOT to b|ame for the abuse, espec|a||y cons|der|ng the add|t|ona|
40
ways an abuser cou|d have accessed the|r account.
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf "The 2C Quest|ons" handout. Point out that most teens
and adults tend to choose an easily guessed password. Ask them to review this list of
the 20 most-commonly used password sources. Ask them how many of their passwords
could be guessed by anyone who knew enough about them to answer these questions
accurately. Suggest that they change their passwords to something that is both easy to
remember and hard to guess.
Additional activities for cyber safety:
PUt tcget|er a ||st cf 20 qUest|cns t|at ycU t||nk are Used ncst cften by ct|er stUdents fcr
their passwords.
Oc a sUrvey cf |cv nany stUdents kncv t|e ansvers tc t|ese 20 qUest|cns fcr t|e|r best fr|ends.
Ask ycUr parents |f ycU ccU|d |ave gUessed t|e|r passvcrds by Us|ng t|ese 20 qUest|cns
as a guide.
SEXTING
Sexting is sending nude, seminude or provocative pictures or video of yourself or others
via cell phone. Ask the students about sexting in relationships. We know that some teens
do send sexy photos. At what point in a relationship do these teens share these intimate
p|ctcs? W|y dc t|ey send t|en? {Fcr a brcader d|scUss|cn cn "sext|ng, v|s|t at||n||ne.crg
and wiredsafety.org.)
f needed, prcnpt stUdents by ask|ng
Eefcre? {tc try tc attract scnecne)
OUr|ng a re|at|cns||p? {tc s|cv |cv nUc| t|ey |cve and trUst eac| ct|er, as an a|ternat|ve
to sexual contact, or as a way to try to keep a boyfriend or girlfriend)
After? {tc rU|n scnecne's repUtat|cn cr jUst get revenge fcr be|ng dUnped)
Ask t|e stUdents: Mcv dces sext|ng re|ate tc d|g|ta| dat|ng abUse?
Possible answers include
An abuser may send them to embarrass the target.
An abuser may use sexting pictures as blackmail, threatening to share them with the
whole school or post them online unless the target does exactly what the abuser wants him/her to.
An abuser may threaten the target to coerce him/her into posing for sexy photos.
STEP FOUR {B NIMUTES) Conc|us|on.
Fev|ev t|e steps tc take tc |e|p a fr|end dea||ng v|t| d|g|ta| dat|ng abUse.
STEP FIVE {B NIMUTES)
G|ve eac| stUdent a ccpy cf "ncreas|ng YcUr Safety |n an AbUs|ve Oat|ng Fe|at|cns||p. Fev|ev
t|e |andcUt. Enp|as|ze t|at even v|en scnecne |s p|ann|ng tc end-cr |as a|ready ended-an
abusive relationship, he or she should continue use of these precautions in case the abuser
attempts to commit additional violence. Consider stressing that the most dangerous time for the
target is when he or she has left the relationship.
the card is sized to t in a wallet and that it contains a toll-free phone number and website for
assistance with dating abuse issues.
41
TECH ABUSE OVERVIEW
When dating abuse impacts young adults and college students, it impacts all parts of their
lives. It affects them in school, at home, in their dorm or apartment, among their peers, at
work, and in their social lives. With digital technology playing such an important role in their
lives, it shouldnt be a surprise that dating abuse has gone digital. A 2009 MTV and Associated
Press d|g|ta| abUse sUrvey fcUnd t|at 62% cf pecp|e age 1S-24 |ave exper|enced d|g|ta||y
abusive behavior.
The same tactics of power and control that are generally the hallmark of abusive relationships
extend to these new technologies. One partner may try to coerce the other to take and share
a sexual or nude image. Unsolicited nude or sexual images may be sent to dating partners to
remind them of what they are missing at that moment (or sent during the irtation or pre-
dating phase that is common especially in dating, to give a sample of what they can look
forward to). There is also a growing expectation that partners will always be available and
respond immediately to any digital communication, from instant messages and wall posts to
cell phone calls and text messages. Many partners expect a response 24/7.
This ever-on reality makes it easier for partners to textually-harass with repeated text
messages and cell phone calls, expecting an immediate reply. They demand to know what
their partner is doing, how much they are loved, and require updates every few minutes.
Texts may be used for middle of the night booty texts or calls, expecting their target to wake
up and accommodate their needs.
Cell phones and social networks are the two most commonly abused digital technologies
when college students are involved. And new cell phone applications that connect the two
are the way digital abuse images make their way to a broad audience of the couples peers
to do the greatest damage in the shortest amount of time.
Spying, hacking, and monitoring, with or without a partners knowledge, are frequent tech
abuse tactics. Activating GPS devices, reviewing call logs and keystroke loggers that use
spyware technology to report every word and activity to the abuser are the newest tools
to join video surveillance and phone tapping technology in attempts to control a partner.
Jealous and suspicious partners are not limited to parking around the corner any longer. Their
technology can do their spying for them. And to complicate matters further, it changes each
and every day with the digital abuses limited only by the bandwidth, creativity, and energy of
the abuser.
WHAT IS DIGITAL DATING ABUSE?
Digital dating abuse is when someone uses digital technology as a weapon to hurt someone
else in a dating situation. Using technology to spy on, harass, or embarrass a partner in social
communities can be a powerful abuse tactic in any relationship.
Abusers can start online and move ofine or vice versa. They can be anonymous, use stolen
identities, or pretend to be the target. Tactics include spying, hacking and invasions of privacy,
sexting-related harassment, extortion, posing, and set-ups. Any digital device can be used to
hurt someone if the abuser is creative enough.
42
Typically, there are ve approaches to tech abuse that are used as weapons in dating
relationships:
1. Direct Attacks by the abuser against the target (where they are called names, harassed, or
have their property destroyed or their friends and family threatened). You are stupid! If you
refuse to listen to me you will be sorry!
2. Public Attacks by the abuser about the target (posts or communications broadcast to
others designed to embarrass or damage the reputation of the target). Sarah is such a slut!
Jeff is a wimp!
3. Cyberbullying-by-Proxy where the abuser manipulates others to commit direct attacks,
public attacks, privacy invasions, or posed attacks designed to hurt the target. Jenny said
such mean things about you. I cant believe youd stand for it! Jamie is cheating on you! or
malicious messages sent to the targets friends from another account pretending to be the
target.
4. Privacy Invasions by the abuser spying on the target or monitoring their communications
or activities with or without permission.
6. Pcsed Attacks by t|e abUser Us|ng t|e ancnyn|ty cffered by d|g|ta| tec|nc|cg|es tc stea|
someones ID or pose as someone else (even the target, in some situations).
Tech abuse can be conducted using any digital device from cell phones to computers to
webcams. In cases of sexting, the targets image can be taken without his or her knowledge
or consent and sent selectively to those with whom it can do the most damage (such as
parents, schools, police or bosses). Or it can involve a privately-entrusted nude or sexually
provocative image that is released to the entire community upon break-up or after a ght.
Xbox 360, PSP, Playstation and even DSi can be used to threaten, harass or target someone
for harassment by others using typed chat, voice-over-IP (internet voice communications),
ID theft and posing, as well as stolen accounts and points. Social networks (like Facebook),
video-sharing networks (like YouTube), and photo-sharing networks (like Flickr) are all fertile
ground for tech abuse with devastating results to the target.
Hacking software, monitoring and GPS tools, video surveillance cameras, Trojan Horses
(a technology that gives others access to your computer by remote control), and other
malware can be easily installed in person or sent online to the computer, car, or home of
the target to report back to the abuser, destroy devices, data and content, or set the target
up to be investigated for or charged with crimes. Text messages, instant messages, cache
and history les, cell phone logs, and telephone calls can be tapped, checked, and recorded.
Passwords can be guessed, saved on devices controlled by the abuser, or used without
authorization. Text messages, instant messages and cell phone calls can arrive day and night
by the hundreds and even thousands.
Abusive messages can be conveyed using popular social networks, such as Twitter, Facebook,
MySpace and myYearbook. And the abuser can ask friends and classmates to vote for the
target as the ugliest, fattest, sluttiest, [ll in the blank] person and pass it on. Rude and hateful
comments can be added to network walls, videos, and pictures, and targets can be reported
falsely for violating terms of service at their favorite sites.
43
The list goes on and on, with every new digital technology adding a new tactic and opportunity
for the abuser. Teaching students to recognize tech abuse when they encounter it and what
to do to stop it is crucial, as is helping them understand tech self-defense strategies.
SEXTING
Sexting is sending nude, seminude, or provocative pictures or video of yourself or others
via cell phone. A 2009 digital abuse survey conducted by MTV and the Associated Press
found that 33% of young adults age 18-24 report having been involved in some type of naked
sexting. The truth is that no one knows how often it happens. What we do know, based upon
the research and work of WiredSafety, is that
T|ese |nages are cften taken v|en Under t|e |nUence cf peer pressUre, cr |n respcnse tc
threats or coercion by a partner.
Cnce pecp|e are sexUa||y |nt|nate, |t |s ccnncn t|at t|e cne partner |s asked tc s|are at
least one nude or sexual image or video with their partner.
Scne pecp|e v||| s|are a nUde |nage v|t| t|e perscn t|ey are see|ng |nstead cf be|ng
sexually intimate or to delay intimacy.
Even |f t|e |nage |s never vc|Untar||y s|ared v|t| anycne e|se, fr|ends and rccnnates nay
stumble across it when using or searching you or your partners devices.
Scne pecp|e |ave Used kncv|edge cf t|e|r partner |av|ng pcsed fcr a sext|ng cr sex|ng
image to extort them into taking more sexual pictures or engage in sex acts with them,
TME FOLE OF EYSTAMOEFS IM TECM AEUSE
In typical dating abuse situations, the bystanders generally know the target and/or the abuser.
They may be mere witnesses to the abuse, or knowingly or unknowingly help facilitate it.
These same types of bystanders exist in a digital environment but might also be joined by
strangers who witness the abuse and know neither the target nor the abuser.
Abusers typically try to avoid witnesses to their abuse (especially when the abuser is seeking
to hide the abusive activity or blame it on the target). Even when the abuse is designed to
ruin the reputation of someone, it is staged so as not to appear as abuse. As a result, ofine
abuse is often a secret to everyone except perhaps the targets closest friends and family.
EecaUse cf t|e natUre cf cn||ne scc|a| ccnnUn|t|es v|t| S60 n||||cn+ Users, |t |s ||g||y ||ke|y
that strangers will witness tech abuse that is posted online or sent in viral messages. For
example, sexting-related harassment can result in tens of thousands of strangers viewing
the nude photo. As a young student explained to Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America in
April 2009, In the beginning its a shocking picture of someone you know. You have a stake
in protecting her or sharing it with others because of who she is. But as it continues to move
outside of your school and community, it eventually just becomes a picture of some naked
girl.
44
STFAMGEFS WMO WITMESS AEUSE
Strangers who receive or view a picture of some naked girl are bystanders witnessing tech
abuse. They can report it, ignore and delete it, or pass it on. And their choice can make a
signicant difference in the duration and scope of the tech abuse. And, to the target trying
to contain the abuse, it can make all the difference in the world. Empowering bystanders
to report what they see is crucial. To do that, we have to address the issues that cause
bystanders to ignore or forward the image in the rst place:
Avareness prcgrans |ave tc teac| t|en v|at s|cU|d be repcrted.
Eystanders nUst Understand t|at a gccd fa|t| repcrt, even |f |t tUrns cUt tc be vrcng, v|||
not come back and haunt them.
T|e netvcrks need tc nake repcrt|ng abUse easy and ren|nd t|e|r Users t|at abUse repcrts
are condential.
And bystanders nUst be ccnv|nced t|at nak|ng t|e repcrt nakes a b|g d|fference. f t|ey
think their abuse report will be futile, they wont bother reporting what they see.
How bystanders take a stand can make all the difference in the world:

T|ey can reac| cUt tc t|e abUser and d|scUss t|e abUse ca|n|y.
T|ey can reac| cUt tc ct|ers and |ave t|en agree nct tc pass any cf t|e abUse cntc
others.
T|ey can repcrt |t tc t|e s|tes/netvcrks and canpUs aUt|cr|t|es.
T|ey can refUse tc vcte, fcrvard nessages, cr v|s|t t|e prc|es cr s|tes v|ere t|e abUse |s
happening.
T|ey can s|are v|at t|ey |ave |earned |n t|ese |esscns abcUt gett|ng |e|p, d|g|ta| |yg|ene,
and self-defense.
T|ey can seek |e|p cn||ne frcn s|tes ||ke breakt|ecyc|e.crg and
wiredsafety.org.
T|ey can ca|| scnecne cUt v|en t|ey see t|en dc|ng t||ngs t|at t|ey s|cU|dn't be dc|ng,
like reprogramming their partners cell phone or warning targets not to leave cell phones
unattended.
Reporting abuse is one of the easiest ways for a bystander to do something. Yet, many people
are uncomfortable reporting abuse. Sometimes they dont know if the report is warranted.
They may worry that they have misread the situation and might get blamed for making a
report that turns out to be groundless. They also often believe that the person or account
being reported is given their name or contact information. Some dont know where or how
to report something or believe that the network or site doesnt do anything when abuses are
reported. Few understand what the network or site will take action on, never having read the
terms of service when joining.
This is why it is crucial for their reports to be effective. Knowing where and how to report
different kinds of abuse can sometimes mean the difference between someone taking action
based on a report, or the report just sitting in limbo. The handout Reporting Tech Abuse
details how to make a tech abuse report online and should be reviewed by you beforehand.
45
Remind students that most of the time the identity of the person reporting the abuse is not
given to the person being reported. The sites and networks record those who make reports
in order to track false reports that are intended to target someone else, but if bystanders
report something in good faith that they believe is tech abuse, they wont get into trouble.
And suggest that students act quickly when they see tech abuse. The faster they act, the
more effective their actions are. (You can learn more about this in the Reporting Tech Abuse
handout.)
PFOTECTIMG TME SAFETY OF COLLEGE STUOEMTS IM AEUSIVE OATIMG
FELATIOMSMIPS
should create and use a dating safety plan. This allows them to think in advance about how
to protect themselves from harm rather than trying to gure it out when they are in immediate
call. If you usually store these numbers in your phone, keep them on paper, too, in case your
battery goes dead or you cant access your phone.
Keep a reccrd cf a|| |nc|dents cf t|e abUse and v|c|ence. Save any t|reaten|ng cr |arass|ng
letters and email, text, or voicemail messages that the abuser sends.
abusers home.

46
In addition to the suggestions above, an individual who decides to leave a relationship with an
abuser should consider the following:

Gc tc ccUrt tc get a restra|n|ng crder. Keep at |east cne ccpy and g|ve ccp|es tc t|e pc||ce,
school administrators, people at work, etc.
1-800-787-3224 (TTY).
using civil law, criminal law, or both. Students may also be able to seek help from their campus
available vary greatly from state to state. For help understanding your states civil and criminal
laws, contact Break the Cycle at breakthecycle.org. For more information specically about
cyberlaw, contact WiredSafety (WiredSafety.org) or the technology safety project at the
National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV.org). You can also nd helpful information
from Womens Law at womenslaw.org.
47
happened to the police. Sometimes social networks or websites/services will discover abusive
behavior or digital images and report it themselves.
people, people who are dating, or same sex-couples to obtain civil domestic violence
restraining orders. Protective orders can also include restrictions on digital communications
and activities.
In order to qualify for a domestic violence restraining order, an individual must have a domestic
relationship with the abuser. Many state laws do not include the kind of relationships college
students typically have (such as people who are dating but not living together) in their denition
of domestic relationships and, thus, may not be eligible for protective orders. Contact Break
the Cycle (help@breakthecycle.org) to learn more about the laws in your state or to identify
local resources for legal assistance.
48
LOOKING AT SHANNON AND GREGS
SITUATION (SAMPLE ANSWERS FILLED IN)
DIRECTIONS: In your small group, respond to the following questions or to only the one
qUest|cn ass|gned tc ycUr sna|| grcUp, as ve|| as tc qUest|cn nc. 6.
1. Cite at least three specic examples of Gregs misuse of power in Shannons story
make sure that at least two examples are of tech abuse.
OFFLINE
Greg ca||ed S|anncn "stUp|d, say|ng t|at t|ese ct|er gUys cn|y vanted cne t||ng
Greg a|vays cr|t|c|zed S|anncn's fr|ends and tr|ed tc |sc|ate |er frcn t|en
Greg accUsed S|anncn cf c|eat|ng
Greg t|reatened tc break Up v|t| |er v|enever t|ey |ad an argUnent
Greg ye||ed at S|anncn freqUent|y
Greg t|rev t||ngs and brcke t||ngs v|en |e vas Upset
Greg vas sUsp|c|cUs cf everyt||ng S|anncn d|d
Greg's jea|cUsy gct |n t|e vay cf S|anncn's vcrk fcr t|e canpUs nevpaper
Greg sa|d |e d|dn't vant tc be v|t| a g|r| v|c ct|ers t|cUg|t vas easy, and |e sa|d gUys
thought she was easy
DIGITAL
Greg n|sUsed S|anncn's passvcrds, |cgg|ng |ntc |er acccUnts, ccnnUn|cat|ng v|t|
her friends, reading her IMs and text messages, and deleting pictures
Greg c|anged S|anncn's scc|a| netvcrk statUs v|en |e vas nad at |er tc say
Shannon is stupid
Greg ca||ed |er nanes |n N and by text nessage
Greg vcU|d b|cck certa|n senders, c|ange S|anncn's bUddy ||sts and de|ete Ns befcre
she could even see them
Greg vcU|d ncn|tcr |er fr|ends and bUddy ||sts tc de|ete a|| gUys
Greg "defr|ended and b|ccked nessages frcn S|anncn cn ||s Facebcck page
Greg vcU|d send |er ccnstant text nessages, denand|ng t|at s|e respcnd |nned|ate|y
and made her sleep with her cell phone
2. When Greg does explode, what types of abusive behaviors, online and ofine, does he
engage |n?
OFFLINE ACTIONS
Greg b|aned |er fcr |ead|ng gUys cn
Me ye||ed at |er and ca||ed |er nanes
Greg refUsed tc ansver S|anncn's p|cne ca||s
Me vent ba|||st|c v|en s|e tcck an |nnccent p|ctUre cf t|e fcctba|| tean
DIGITAL ACTIONS
Greg defr|ended S|anncn and b|ccked |er frcn ||s acccUnts
Greg deact|vated S|anncn's Facebcck acccUnt
Me vcU|d |arass |er by text nessag|ng
Me destrcyed |er F||ckr ccntent
Me c|anged |er Facebcck acccUnt tc "deact|vate |t
FacilitatorS COPY
49
3. After the abuse, what does Greg tell Shannon to justify his abusive behavior and shift the
b|ane fcr t|e abUse tc |er? W|y dc ycU t||nk t||s |s an effect|ve tact|c cn Greg's part? Mcv dces
|t |e|p ||n ccntrc| S|anncn's act|cns? dent|fy |cv Greg strateg|ca||y Used tec| abUse tc attack
Shannons self-esteem.
Greg ccnv|nces S|anncn t|at |er act|cns are n|sUnderstccd by gUys.
Greg Uses t|e cne year d|fference |n t|e|r ages, and ||s greater tec|nc|cgy sk|||s tc
convince her that he knows more than she does.
Greg ca||s |er stUp|d, repeated|y, cn||ne and cf|ne and S|anncn starts tc be||eve
him.
Greg ccnv|nces S|anncn t|at s|e |as g|ven ||n nc c|c|ce bUt tc teac| |er a |esscn
for talking with and befriending guys.
4. Bystanders play an important role in either stopping or perpetuating abuse online
and ofine. How did Greg use technologically abusive tactics to isolate Shannon from
|er fr|ends and pctent|a||y |e|pfU| bystanders?
Ey Us|ng |er O tc send nasty ccnnents and refUse fr|end reqUests, Greg a||cved
others to think Shannon was the one sending mean messages to them. Those people
could reject her friendship.
W|en Greg b|ccked fr|ends cn S|anncn's bUddy ||st and e|t|er de|eted nessages
from her friends or replied, pretending to be Shannon, they all thought she was turning
against her friends.
S|anncn pU||ed avay frcn a|| gUy fr|ends tc avc|d nak|ng Greg angry. T|ese gUy
friends were not there to provide support for her when she needed it.
S|anncn's fr|ends v|c d|d nct kncv abcUt t|e abUs|ve re|at|cns||p n|g|t |ave pU||ed
away when they saw bizarre posts, status changes, and messages on her Facebook
account.
S|anncn's fr|ends nay |ave resented t|at t|e|r pr|vate nessages vere be|ng rev|eved
by Greg without their knowledge or consent.
Cou|d bystanders have he|ped?
Eystanders can a|vays |e|p.
Eystanders nay |ave been ab|e tc s|cv |er |cv ccntrc|||ng Greg vas and |e|ped |er
regain self-esteem.
Eystanders ccU|d |ave |e|ped |er exp|a|n t|at |UrtfU| nessages vere rea||y be|ng sent
by Greg, and advised her to change her password.
Eystanders ccU|d |ave g|ven |er sUppcrt and scnecne tc ta|k v|t| v|en s|e fe|t
isolated.
5. In Shannons story how did Greg use a combination of tech abuse tactics and
trad|t|cna| dat|ng abUse tact|cs tc s||ft pcver and ccntrc| |n ||s favcr? Oc ycU t||nk
that most tech abuse takes place without at least some ofine dating abuse tactics as
ve||?
T||s qUest|cn |as nc r|g|t ansver. t exp|cres t|e stUdents' |npress|cns and exper|ences
with tech abuse and dating abuse generally. It is an opportunity to learn from the students.
Getting a response from all of the small groups will help dene the rest of the lesson and
identify areas where additional resources and materials can be helpful.
FacilitatorS COPY
50
SHANNONS STORY
We began dating during our rst semester at college. He spent a whole weekend help-
ing me recover les when my laptop died. Then, he helped me upload everything to
Flickr and Facebook before the hard drive died entirely, so that I would have a back-up
and a spare copy of all my pics and les.
Those rst two months were incredible. We exchanged passwords. He said that people
who loved each other didnt have secrets. I thought this was taking our relationship to
a new level. But once school started everything changed. Greg didnt like my girlfriends
from school. He said they were a bad inuence on me. He made me stop seeing them.
He wouldnt let me have guy friends either. Hed call me stupid, saying that these other
guys only wanted one thing. He would check my cell phone and my texts, yelling at me
if they were from guys. He yelled a lot. Sometimes he would throw things or break them.
He was always asking me about other guys. I never gave him any reason to be jealous.
I did what I could to keep him happy.
But he was always suspicious - logging into my accounts, reading my private messages.
He would deny friend requests from anyone he didnt like. He would edit my page, re-
moving pictures he thought were too sexy. He would change my status when he was
mad at me to say Shannon is stupid. And he would block certain senders, change my
buddy lists, and delete IMs before I could even see them. He would send me text mes-
sages all day long, asking where I was and who I was talking to. If I didnt answer right
away, he would get really mad and yell at me. And he called my friends names, some-
times even to their face.
Greg always apologized afterwards. He explained that he loved me too much to share
me. He said that he was doing this for my own good. Slutty friends could reect badly
on me, he explained. Better to cut them off. I listened because I loved him and didnt
want to make him mad. But it was getting worse. He would accuse me of cheating
if I accepted any friend requests from guys, and hed make me unfriend them. I also
couldnt have any guys on my buddy list. Basically, I had no one other than Greg. He said
that he should be enough for me. The texts would arrive day and night What are you
dc|ng? Ocn't even t||nk abcUt c|eat|ng! YcU're n|ne!
Hed threaten to break up with me if I didnt reply that instant. I had to sleep with my cell
phone to make sure I didnt miss any texts. Once, I didnt hear a text come in, so he un-
friended and blocked me on his Facebook page for a week. He said I was stupid about
lots of things. I started to believe him. After all, he only did this because he wanted to
protect me.
51
One day I posted a group pic of the football team. I took it for campus newspaper. He
went ballistic. He said all the guys would think I was coming on to them and didnt want
to be going with a girl that other guys believed was easy. I begged him to forgive me.
I promised to remove the pic as soon as I got home.
I went home and checked my email, and realized I had received a message from Face-
book saying my account had been deactivated. I gured it was a tech thing and went
to Flickr next. I couldnt believe it. All of my pictures were gone not just the football
teams pic but everything! Family pictures, birthday parties, mom and dads wedding
anniversary, the pictures of my cat, Woodyeverything was gone. I couldnt understand
what had happened. My one backup and a spare copy of these photos were on my
Facebook prole, so I tried to log-on to my Facebook and reactivate my account, only
to nd that my username and password had been changed.
I called Greg and left a voicemail. I explained about the problems with Facebook and
F||ckr. M|s text rep|y vas "t's a|| gcne. A|| gcne! Mcv d|d |e kncv? T|en |t s|cv|y began
to sink in. My one copy and one backup wasnt enough to protect me from an angry
Greg. I called Gregs cell phone again and left a message. I told him I could understand
him deleting all the material about the dance but not everything else. I told him it wasnt
fair. He texted me back a few minutes later. Ill come and get you at 8. Well talk then.
I was so relieved.
He showed up and told me he was sorry. He explained that deactivated wasnt the
same as deleted. You could restore it completely whenever you wanted. He told me
that he loved me, but needed to teach me a lesson for my own good. I started crying.
He reached over and held me, kissing me. I was still in shock. I wasnt sure what to think
or feel, all I could do was cry.
Greg reached into the back seat for a bouquet of owers. He promised never to leave
me and hoped I had learned how much he cared about me. He surprised me with a slide
show on his laptop with our favorite songs and pictures of us at camp and kissing at the
dance. I cried again. I didnt know what to do.
52
LOOKING AT SHANNON AND
GREGS SITUATION
Directions: In your small group, respond to the following questions or only to the one
qUest|cn ass|gned tc ycUr sna|| grcUp, as ve|| as tc qUest|cn 6.
1. Cite at least three specic examples of Gregs misuse of power in Shannons Story
make sure that at least two are examples of tech abuse.
a.
b.
c.
2. When Greg does explode, what types of abusive behaviors online and ofine does
|e engage |n?
3. After the abuse, what does Greg tell Shannon to justify the abusive behavior and
s||ft t|e b|ane fcr t|e abUse tc |er? W|y dc ycU t||nk t||s |s an effect|ve tact|c cn Greg's
part? Mcv dces |t |e|p ||n ccntrc| S|anncn's act|cns? dent|fy |cv Greg strateg|ca||y
used tech abuse to attack Shannons self-esteem.
4. Bystanders play an important role in helping the target. How did Greg use
technologically abusive tactics to isolate her from her friends and potentially helpful
bystanders? {Mcv ccU|d bystanders |ave |e|ped?)
5. In Shannons Story how did Greg use a combination of tech abuse tactics and
trad|t|cna| dat|ng abUse tact|cs tc s||ft pcver and ccntrc| |n ||s favcr? Oc ycU t||nk t|at
most digital abuse takes place without at least some ofine dating abuse tactics as
ve||?
53
Passwords, when misused, can be a serious threat to students who quickly nd their
accounts hacked, taken over, or have messages sent to their friends in their name.
While 70% of polled students told WiredSafety that they share their passwords with
their friends, others have passwords or secret questions that can be easily guessed.
We nd that most passwords are created from this list. Is your password formed from
t|ese 20 qUest|cns? Mcv nany cf ycUr fr|ends kncv t|e ansver tc t|ese? Mcv |ard
v||| |t be fcr t|en tc gUess ycUr passvcrd? Tcc easy!
1. favorite sports team
2. where you go to school
3. pets name
4. favorite color
5. lucky number
6. date of birth
7. middle name
8. favorite animal
9. favorite movie
10. favorite band/singer
11. what college you want to go to
12. the year you graduate high school
13. best friends name
14. favorite sports player
15. favorite season
16. shoe size
17. favorite clothing store
18. favorite book
19. dream car
20. dream job
THE 20 QUESTIONS
54
REPORTING TECH ABUSE
Report it or support it. Thats your choice. Whether you are the target of tech abuse or
merely encounter it with someone you know, or even a stranger online, the faster it is
reported the faster the abuse will stop.
First, some quick pointers: If you are being physically threatened, you have to take it
seriously. Tell your resident assistant or hall director or adviser and then call your local
police! Make sure that any report to the online service provider includes a request that
they retain the data so police can review it during an investigation. Otherwise, when
the post or prole is deleted, the evidence is often lost.
Save a copy of everything, not just in printed form, but by clicking save on your browser
and saving the email and text message live. If you are being cyberbullied on a social
network you should report it to that social network. Most social networks will have a
Report Abuse button or some other report mechanism on their site. Become familiar with
how the report abuse approach works on the social networks you use. And remember
to Stop, Block, and Tell!
Stop dont reply. Dont forward it. Dont threaten the abuser. Dont act out in any
way.
Block the sender, message or account so they cant continue to abuse you.
And Tell a trusted person (resident assistant or hall director, professor, adviser, or
health professional) and the site used in the tech abuse or provider where the tech
abuse came from.
Some console game systems also have built-in mechanisms for their users to report
abuse. A good example is Microsofts X-Box 360. To learn more about how you can
report abuse on Xbox Live, visit their code of conduct for US users: www.xbox.com/en-
US/legal/codeofconduct.htm.
If you receive an abusive, threatening, or gross email or IM, the only recourse you may
have is to report the person responsible to his or her email service provider, IM provider
or Internet Service Provider (ISP). If the actions violate the terms of the provider, he or
she may lose the account or have it suspended temporarily. You start by visiting their
ISP, IM or email service providers terms of service or terms of use section. There, read
the policy carefully. Make notes about which sections you believe were violated and
how. Copy and paste the section that applies to the communication you are reporting.
In the majority of cases, the websites also have an email address posted to send violation
reports to. If they dont, you can usually use abuse@[name_of_ISP_goes_here] or tos@
[ISP name] to make the report. Copy yourself on the email so you have a permanent
record of what you sent, where you sent it, and when.
55
Many IM providers and social networks also have a report abuse button you can click.
Try and save a copy of whatever you send. Dont expect too much, though. It has been
WiredSafetys experience that most networks are reluctant to act on a rst contact,
if at all. And they have good reasons for this. Sometimes the cyberbully poses as the
victim, in an attempt to get the network to unknowingly assist in the harassment. It is
also typical that some of the evidence being provided has been fabricated, or has
been enhanced to be more serious than it actually is. There are also privacy and legal
considerations that they must consider. And they receive hundreds of thousands of
Terms of Service (TOS) reports and have to prioritize them. Marking any abuse report
with the kind of abuse you are reporting cyber bullying, sexual predator, suicide
threat, etc., will help them recognize the more important reports and act on them more
quickly.
Mow Can I Improve Ny Chances of Gett|ng a Fesponse or Mav|ng the Metwork or
Serv|ce Prov|der Take Act|on?
The likelihood of getting a response and their taking any disciplinary action depends on
how well you make your case and the policy of the site. Many dont respond, other than
an auto-responder telling you that your abuse report was received. So, dont hold your
breath waiting for a formal report on your complaint.
But you have a good chance of having them take action if you take a few minutes to get
your ducks in a row. All reports should follow the rules that the ISP, social network, game
or email provider sets out in their report Terms of Service (TOS) information. Check and
double check to make sure you have all the information they ask for and have clearly
identied whatever you have. Most ISPs require the following information to be provided,
at minimum:
1. Date and time that the violations of their TOS took place (keep each violation separate
in the report and make sure you include your time zone).
2. Copies of emails (Your help instructions with your email application may walk you
through it, step-by-step.), IMs or the full and correct URLs of the prole, website, forum,
newsgroup, or bulletin board postings (copy the exact address in your browser when
you read it, and paste it as is into the report).
3. Screen shots of offending IMs and proles (save these also to your computer, as the
prole/posting may change and you will need proof of what used to be there).
4. A time-line of how the situation developed, including copies of all communications.
(Using a monitoring application can be very helpful here).
6. Any |nfcrnat|cn ycU can prcv|de as tc v|at steps, |f any, ycU |ave taken tc try tc dea|
with this before reporting it to them.
Dont tell them things about a certain harasser you know in real life or make unfounded
accusations unrelated to the communications. Dont rant and rave. Also, do not ask
them for the identity of the harasser. They are not permitted to give out that information
except through valid legal process.
56
You need to follow up in a few days if you have not received any response other than an
auto responder and the situation is continuing. Check rst, since they may not send a
follow-up email, but may have taken down the content or shut down the offending ac-
count.
Be rm and consistent when you follow up. Remind them of the previous report or email,
or resend it marked as resent on [ll in the date]. Always copy yourself on these re-
ports for your own records. Do not copy help groups, the FBI or others on the corre-
spondence. Be focused and clear and you will probably get the help you need.
57
f ycU are |n an abUs|ve re|at|cns||p, v|et|er ycU dec|de tc stay |n t|e re|at|cns||p cr
Ta|k v|t| a trUstvcrt|y perscn {e.g., parent, res|dent ass|stant cr |a|| d|rectcr, adv|ser,

Create a dat|ng safety p|an. A dat|ng safety p|an |e|ps pecp|e v|c are exper|enc|ng
Visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline, ndvh.org, for information about dating
abuse.

Ca|| t|e pc||ce. f scnecne |s |Urt|ng ycU cr ycU are |n |nned|ate danger, |t nay be
best to call the police. Many acts of physical and sexual violence are crimes; the abuser
can be arrested and go to jail for them.

Get a restra|n|ng crder cr a prctect|ve crder. A restra|n|ng crder {a|sc ca||ed a prctect|ve
f ycUr |cne |s nct a safe p|ace and/cr ycU ||ve v|t| t|e abUser, ccns|der gc|ng tc a

A s|e|ter |s a safe p|ace. t's UsUa||y a |cUse cr apartnent |n a secret |ccat|cn, v|ere
or visiting ndvh.org.
57
58
If you are |n an |nt|mate re|at|onsh|p w|th someone, |s |t the hea|thy s|tuat|on that
you deserve? Put a check next to any of the responses be|ow that app|y to th|s
re|at|onsh|p.
Mote: It |s |mportant to remember that somet|mes there are no s|gns that an
|nt|mate partner may become abus|ve.
Ooes the person I am w|th

___ Get extreme|y jea|ous or possess|ve?
___ Accuse me of B|rt|ng or cheat|ng?
___ Constant|y check up on me v|a ca||s or texts or make me check |n?
___ Te|| me how to dress or how much makeup to wear?
___ Try to contro| what I do and whom I see?
___ Try to keep me from see|ng or ta|k|ng to my fam||y and fr|ends?
___ Mave b|g mood sw|ngsgett|ng angry and ye|||ng at me one m|nute, and
be|ng sweet and apo|oget|c the next?
___ Nake me fee| nervous, or ||ke I'm wa|k|ng on eggshe||s?
___ Put me down or cr|t|c|ze me or post th|ngs on||ne to embarrass or
hum|||ate me?
___ Force me to send nude or otherw|se "|nappropr|ate" photos of myse|f?
___ Nake me fee| that I can't do anyth|ng r|ght?
___ Nake me fee| that no one e|se wou|d want me?
___ Threaten to hurt me?
___ Threaten to hurt my fr|ends or fam||y?
___ Threaten to comm|t su|c|de?
___ Threaten to hurt h|m - or herse|f - because of me?
___ Threaten to hurt my pet{s)?
___ Threaten to destroy my th|ngs?
___ Murt me phys|ca||y? {|nc|udes ye|||ng, grabb|ng, push|ng, shov|ng, shak|ng,
punch|ng, s|app|ng, ho|d|ng me down, etc.)
___ Ereak or throw th|ngs when we argue?
___ Pressure or force me |nto hav|ng sex or go|ng further sexua||y than I want to?
If you checked any of these responses, you may be |n an abus|ve re|at|onsh|p.
There are resources out there. The Mat|ona| Oomest|c V|o|ence Mot||ne and Ereak
the Cyc|e can he|p. For more |nformat|on, v|s|t thehot||ne.org or thesafespace.
org.
59
www.|ove|snotabuse.com Love Is Not Abuse is a program of Liz Claiborne
Inc. that provides information and tools that men, women, children, teens, and
corporate executives can use to learn about domestic and dating violence and
how they can help end the epidemic.

www.|ove|srespect.org National Dating Abuse Helpline provides 24/7 access
tc |nfcrnat|cn and serv|ces. 1.S66.SS1.9474 / 1.S66.SS1.S46S {TTY).

www.aca||tomen.org A Call to Men is a leading national mens organization
addressing domestic and sexual violence prevention and the promotion of
healthy manhood. It is committed to maintaining strong partnerships with
womens organizations already doing this important work. It helps to organize
communities in order to raise awareness and get men involved in this effort.

www.atask.org The Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence, Inc., is a
coalition that aims to eliminate family violence and to strengthen Asian families
and communities.

www.ath|n||ne.org MTVs initiative to empower Americas youth to identify,
respond to and stop the spread of digital abuse.

www.aust|n-safep|ace.org Safe Place works to end sexual and domestic
violence through safety, healing and prevention for individuals and the
community in Austin, Texas. SafePlaces Expect Respect Program builds
healthy relationships for youth.

www.bbbs.org Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentoring Program helps children
reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one relationships
with measurable impact.

www.breakthecyc|e.org Break the Cycle, Inc., is a nonprot organization
whose mission is to engage, educate, and empower youth to build lives and
communities free from domestic and dating violence.
www.cdc.gov/v|o|enceprevent|on/dat|ngmatters.htm| Dating Matters:
Understanding Teen Dating Violence Prevention is a 60-minute, interactive
training session designed to help educators, youth-serving organizations,
and others working with teens understand the risk factors and warning signs
associated with teen dating violence. The training was developed by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in partnership with Liz Claiborne Inc.

www.cdc.gov/V|o|encePrevent|on/youthv|o|ence/ The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention online resource for violence prevention.

60
www.ch||dhe|p.org Outlines ChildHelp USAs programs and services, supplies
hotline numbers and local contacts, and provides information for children and
teens about abuse.

www.ch||drennow.org Provides access to Children Now publications, poll
results, policy papers, press materials, and updates on federal and state
legislation.

www.darkness2||ght.org Darkness to Light works to shift responsibility for
preventing child sexual abuse from children to adults, and to reduce child
sexual abuse nationally through awareness and education.

www.dayoneny.org Day One provides preventive education and direct legal
services to young people, and technical assistance to professionals, related to
teen dating abuse and violence.

www.deanaseducat|ona|theater.org Deanas Educational Theater is an arts-
based organization that develops and produces educational theater and other
programs to promote healthy relationships.

www.dv|nst|tute.org Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American
Community provides a forum for identifying appropriate and effective responses
to prevent/reduce family violence in the African American community.

www.endabuse.org The Family Violence Prevention Fund is a national non-
prot organization that focuses on domestic violence education, prevention,
and public policy reform.

www.fv|c.org/rap Family Violence Law Center Relationship Abuse Prevention
Project educates middle and high school youth as well as parents, educators,
adolescent health care providers, and youth service workers about the
dynamics of domestic and dating violence.

www.mencanstoprape.org Men Can Stop Rape mobilizes male youth to
prevent mens violence against women. It builds young mens capacity to
challenge harmful aspects of traditional masculinity, to value alternative visions
of male strength, and to embrace their vital role as allies with women and girls
in fostering healthy relationships and gender equity.

www.ncadv.org The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence website
posts information on events, provides links and resources, and offers
information and a 24-hour hotline on how to get help.
www.nctsn.org The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)
provides information and resources to raise the standard of care and improve
access to services for traumatized youth, their families, and communities
throughout the United States.

61
www.ncvc.org/dvrc The National Center for Victims of Crimes Dating Violence
awareness of and commitment to addressing dating violence.
www.ncvc.org/src The National Center for Victims of Crimes Stalking
awareness of and commitment to addressing stalking, including abusive use of
high-tech devices.

www.thehot||ne.org The 24-hour, toll-free National Domestic Violence Hotline
links individuals to help in their area using a nationwide database and offers
information on local domestic violence shelters, other emergency shelters, legal
advocacy and assistance programs, and social service programs.

www.neah|n.org NEA Health Information Network, the non-prot health
afliate of the National Education Association, provides health information on
topics of concern to educators and students.

www.nnedv.org The National Network to End Domestic Violences Safety Net
Project provides training, resources, and information about ways abusers are
misusing technology to abuse, stalk, and terrorize, and how survivors can use
technology strategically to respond to these crimes.

www.nrcdv.org The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence provides
technical assistance, training, and information on the response to, and
prevention of, domestic violence.

www.peaceoverv|o|ence.org Peace Over Violence is a social service agency
dedicated to building healthy relationships, families, and communities free from
sexual, domestic, and interpersonal violence.

www.safeyouth.org The National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center
is a Federal resource for communities working to prevent violence committed
by and against young people.

www.sport|nsoc|ety.org/mvp The Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP)
Program is a leadership program that motivates student-athletes and student
leaders to play a central role in addressing rape, battering, and sexual
harassment.

www.stopcyberbu||y|ng.org A web site devoted to cyber bullying issues, run
by WiredSafety.

www.tascorp.org The After-School Corporation provides grants, training, and
assistance to community-based organizations in New York City that run after-
school programs.

www.teensaga|nstabuse.org Teens Experiencing Abusive Relationships
(TEAR) is a teen-run organization that works with schools and organizations to
62
educate people about teen dating violence.

www.teenange|s.org A peer expert and help group on cyber safety and digital
responsibility run by Wiredsafety teen volunteers.
www.thatsnotcoo|.com Thats Not Cool is a multi-media campaign developed
by the Family Violence Prevention Fund in collaboration with others to help
young people draw their digital line against disrespectful and controlling
behavior.

www.thesafespace.org A project of Break the Cycle, thesafespace.org is a
comprehensive online dating abuse resource for teens with access to help,
information, and activism opportunities.

www.safehor|zon.org Safe Horizon works in New York Citys ve boroughs to
provide support, prevent violence, and promote justice for victims of crime and
abuse, their families, and communities.

www.startstrongteens.org Start Strong: Building Healthy Teen Relationships
is a national initiative funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to stop
teen dating abuse before it starts.

www.w|redsafety.org Originated by a group of volunteers, this web site
provides one-to-one help, extensive information, and education to cyberspace
users of all ages on a wide range of internet and interactive technology
safety issues. WiredSafety.org houses the cyber harassment helpline run by
the charity. It provides online support for victims of cyber harassment, cyber
bullying and stalking.

www.womens|aw.org Provides easy-to-understand legal information to
women living with or escaping domestic violence.

www.youthoverv|o|ence.org Youth Over Violence empowers teens to end
violence and abuse.
LOVEISNOTABUSE.COM
11/27/12 3:25 PM 750 ILCS 60/ Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986.
Page 1 of 40 http://ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs5.asp?ActID=2100&ChapterID=59
Illinois Compiled Statutes
Back to Article Listing Public Acts Search Guide Disclaimer Printer-Friendly Version
Information maintained by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Updating the database of the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) is an ongoing process. Recent laws may
not yet be included in the ILCS database, but they are found on this site as Public Acts soon after they
become law. For information concerning the relationship between statutes and Public Acts, refer to the
Guide.
Because the statute database is maintained primarily for legislative drafting purposes, statutory
changes are sometimes included in the statute database before they take effect. If the source note at
the end of a Section of the statutes includes a Public Act that has not yet taken effect, the version of
the law that is currently in effect may have already been removed from the database and you should
refer to that Public Act to see the changes made to the current law.
FAMILIES
(750 ILCS 60/) Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986.

( 750 I LCS 60/ Ar t . I headi ng)
ARTI CLE I
GENERAL PROVI SI ONS
( 750 I LCS 60/ 101) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2311- 1)
Sec. 101. Shor t Ti t l e. Thi s Act shal l be known and may be ci t ed as t he
" I l l i noi s Domest i c Vi ol ence Act of 1986" .
( Sour ce: P. A. 84- 1305. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 102) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2311- 2)
Sec. 102. Pur poses; r ul es of const r uct i on. Thi s Act shal l be l i ber al l y
const r ued and appl i ed t o pr omot e i t s under l yi ng pur poses, whi ch ar e t o:
( 1) Recogni ze domest i c vi ol ence as a ser i ous cr i me agai nst t he
i ndi vi dual and soci et y whi ch pr oduces f ami l y di shar mony i n t housands of
I l l i noi s f ami l i es, pr omot es a pat t er n of escal at i ng vi ol ence whi ch
f r equent l y cul mi nat es i n i nt r a- f ami l y homi ci de, and cr eat es an emot i onal
at mospher e t hat i s not conduci ve t o heal t hy chi l dhood devel opment ;
( 2) Recogni ze domest i c vi ol ence agai nst hi gh r i sk adul t s wi t h
di sabi l i t i es, who ar e par t i cul ar l y vul ner abl e due t o i mpai r ment s i n abi l i t y
t o seek or obt ai n pr ot ect i on, as a ser i ous pr obl em whi ch t akes on many
f or ms, i ncl udi ng physi cal abuse, sexual abuse, negl ect , and expl oi t at i on,
and f aci l i t at e accessi bi l i t y of r emedi es under t he Act i n or der t o pr ovi de
i mmedi at e and ef f ect i ve assi st ance and pr ot ect i on.
( 3) Recogni ze t hat t he l egal syst emhas i nef f ect i vel y deal t wi t h f ami l y
vi ol ence i n t he past , al l owi ng abuser s t o escape ef f ect i ve pr osecut i on or
f i nanci al l i abi l i t y, and has not adequat el y acknowl edged t he cr i mi nal nat ur e
of domest i c vi ol ence; t hat , al t hough many l aws have changed, i n pr act i ce
Home Legislation & Laws Senate House My Legislation Site Map
Bills & Resolutions
Compiled Statutes
Public Acts
Legislative Reports
IL Constitution
Legislative Guide
Legislative Glossary
Search By Number
(example: HB0001)
Go
Search Tips
Search By Keyword
Go
Alternate Search
Search Tips
Advanced Search

of domest i c vi ol ence; t hat , al t hough many l aws have changed, i n pr act i ce
t her e i s st i l l wi despr ead f ai l ur e t o appr opr i at el y pr ot ect and assi st
vi ct i ms;
( 4) Suppor t t he ef f or t s of vi ct i ms of domest i c vi ol ence t o avoi d f ur t her
abuse by pr ompt l y ent er i ng and di l i gent l y enf or ci ng cour t or der s whi ch
pr ohi bi t abuse and, when necessar y, r educe t he abuser ' s access t o t he vi ct i m
and addr ess any r el at ed i ssues of chi l d cust ody and economi c suppor t , so
t hat vi ct i ms ar e not t r apped i n abusi ve si t uat i ons by f ear of r et al i at i on,
l oss of a chi l d, f i nanci al dependence, or l oss of accessi bl e housi ng or
ser vi ces;
( 5) Cl ar i f y t he r esponsi bi l i t i es and suppor t t he ef f or t s of l aw
enf or cement of f i cer s t o pr ovi de i mmedi at e, ef f ect i ve assi st ance and
pr ot ect i on f or vi ct i ms of domest i c vi ol ence, r ecogni zi ng t hat l aw
enf or cement of f i cer s of t en become t he secondar y vi ct i ms of domest i c
vi ol ence, as evi denced by t he hi gh r at es of pol i ce i nj ur i es and deat hs t hat
occur i n r esponse t o domest i c vi ol ence cal l s; and
( 6) Expand t he ci vi l and cr i mi nal r emedi es f or vi ct i ms of domest i c
vi ol ence; i ncl udi ng, when necessar y, t he r emedi es whi ch ef f ect physi cal
separ at i on of t he par t i es t o pr event f ur t her abuse.
( Sour ce: P. A. 86- 542; 87- 1186. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 103) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2311- 3)
Sec. 103. Def i ni t i ons. For t he pur poses of t hi s Act , t he f ol l owi ng t er ms
shal l have t he f ol l owi ng meani ngs:
( 1) " Abuse" means physi cal abuse, har assment , i nt i mi dat i on of a
dependent , i nt er f er ence wi t h per sonal l i ber t y or wi l l f ul depr i vat i on but
does not i ncl ude r easonabl e di r ect i on of a mi nor chi l d by a par ent or per son
i n l oco par ent i s.
( 2) " Adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es" means an el der adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es or
a hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es. A per son may be an adul t wi t h
di sabi l i t i es f or pur poses of t hi s Act even t hough he or she has never been
adj udi cat ed an i ncompet ent adul t . However , no cour t pr oceedi ng may be
i ni t i at ed or cont i nued on behal f of an adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es over t hat
adul t ' s obj ect i on, unl ess such pr oceedi ng i s appr oved by hi s or her l egal
guar di an, i f any.
( 3) " Domest i c vi ol ence" means abuse as def i ned i n par agr aph ( 1) .
( 4) " El der adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es" means an adul t pr event ed by advanced
age f r omt aki ng appr opr i at e act i on t o pr ot ect hi msel f or her sel f f r omabuse
by a f ami l y or househol d member .
( 5) " Expl oi t at i on" means t he i l l egal , i ncl udi ng t or t i ous, use of a hi gh-
r i sk adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es or of t he asset s or r esour ces of a hi gh- r i sk
adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es. Expl oi t at i on i ncl udes, but i s not l i mi t ed t o, t he
mi sappr opr i at i on of asset s or r esour ces of a hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h
di sabi l i t i es by undue i nf l uence, by br each of a f i duci ar y r el at i onshi p, by
f r aud, decept i on, or ext or t i on, or t he use of such asset s or r esour ces i n a
manner cont r ar y t o l aw.
( 6) " Fami l y or househol d member s" i ncl ude spouses, f or mer spouses,
par ent s, chi l dr en, st epchi l dr en and ot her per sons r el at ed by bl ood or by
pr esent or pr i or mar r i age, per sons who shar e or f or mer l y shar ed a common
dwel l i ng, per sons who have or al l egedl y have a chi l d i n common, per sons who
shar e or al l egedl y shar e a bl ood r el at i onshi p t hr ough a chi l d, per sons who
have or have had a dat i ng or engagement r el at i onshi p, per sons wi t h
di sabi l i t i es and t hei r per sonal assi st ant s, and car egi ver s as def i ned i n
Sect i on 12- 4. 4a or par agr aph ( 3) of subsect i on ( b) of Sect i on 12- 21 of t he
Cr i mi nal Code of 1961. For pur poses of t hi s par agr aph, nei t her a casual
acquai nt anceshi p nor or di nar y f r at er ni zat i on bet ween 2 i ndi vi dual s i n
busi ness or soci al cont ext s shal l be deemed t o const i t ut e a dat i ng
busi ness or soci al cont ext s shal l be deemed t o const i t ut e a dat i ng
r el at i onshi p. I n t he case of a hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es, " f ami l y or
househol d member s" i ncl udes any per son who has t he r esponsi bi l i t y f or a
hi gh- r i sk adul t as a r esul t of a f ami l y r el at i onshi p or who has assumed
r esponsi bi l i t y f or al l or a por t i on of t he car e of a hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h
di sabi l i t i es vol unt ar i l y, or by expr ess or i mpl i ed cont r act , or by cour t
or der .
( 7) " Har assment " means knowi ng conduct whi ch i s not necessar y t o
accompl i sh a pur pose t hat i s r easonabl e under t he ci r cumst ances; woul d cause
a r easonabl e per son emot i onal di st r ess; and does cause emot i onal di st r ess t o
t he pet i t i oner . Unl ess t he pr esumpt i on i s r ebut t ed by a pr eponder ance of t he
evi dence, t he f ol l owi ng t ypes of conduct shal l be pr esumed t o cause
emot i onal di st r ess:
( i ) cr eat i ng a di st ur bance at pet i t i oner ' s pl ace of
empl oyment or school ;
( i i ) r epeat edl y t el ephoni ng pet i t i oner ' s pl ace of
empl oyment , home or r esi dence;
( i i i ) r epeat edl y f ol l owi ng pet i t i oner about i n a
publ i c pl ace or pl aces;
( i v) r epeat edl y keepi ng pet i t i oner under sur vei l l ance

by r emai ni ng pr esent out si de hi s or her home, school , pl ace
of empl oyment , vehi cl e or ot her pl ace occupi ed by
pet i t i oner or by peer i ng i n pet i t i oner ' s wi ndows;
( v) i mpr oper l y conceal i ng a mi nor chi l d f r om

pet i t i oner , r epeat edl y t hr eat eni ng t o i mpr oper l y r emove a
mi nor chi l d of pet i t i oner ' s f r om t he j ur i sdi ct i on or f r om
t he physi cal car e of pet i t i oner , r epeat edl y t hr eat eni ng t o
conceal a mi nor chi l d f r om pet i t i oner , or maki ng a si ngl e
such t hr eat f ol l owi ng an act ual or at t empt ed i mpr oper
r emoval or conceal ment , unl ess r espondent was f l eei ng an
i nci dent or pat t er n of domest i c vi ol ence; or
( vi ) t hr eat eni ng physi cal f or ce, conf i nement or
r est r ai nt on one or mor e occasi ons.
( 8) " Hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es" means a per son aged
18 or over whose physi cal or ment al di sabi l i t y i mpai r s hi s or
her abi l i t y t o seek or obt ai n pr ot ect i on f r omabuse, negl ect , or
expl oi t at i on.
( 9) " I nt er f er ence wi t h per sonal l i ber t y" means commi t t i ng or
t hr eat eni ng physi cal abuse, har assment , i nt i mi dat i on or wi l l f ul
depr i vat i on so as t o compel anot her t o engage i n conduct f r om
whi ch she or he has a r i ght t o abst ai n or t o r ef r ai n f r om
conduct i n whi ch she or he has a r i ght t o engage.
( 10) " I nt i mi dat i on of a dependent " means subj ect i ng a per son
who i s dependent because of age, heal t h or di sabi l i t y t o
par t i ci pat i on i n or t he wi t nessi ng of : physi cal f or ce agai nst
anot her or physi cal conf i nement or r est r ai nt of anot her whi ch
const i t ut es physi cal abuse as def i ned i n t hi s Act , r egar dl ess of
whet her t he abused per son i s a f ami l y or househol d member .
( 11) ( A) " Negl ect " means t he f ai l ur e t o exer ci se t hat degr ee
of car e t owar d a hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es whi ch a
r easonabl e per son woul d exer ci se under t he ci r cumst ances and
i ncl udes but i s not l i mi t ed t o:
( i ) t he f ai l ur e t o t ake r easonabl e st eps t o pr ot ect a
hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es f r omact s of abuse;
( i i ) t he r epeat ed, car el ess i mposi t i on of
unr easonabl e conf i nement ;
( i i i ) t he f ai l ur e t o pr ovi de f ood, shel t er , cl ot hi ng,
( i i i ) t he f ai l ur e t o pr ovi de f ood, shel t er , cl ot hi ng,

and per sonal hygi ene t o a hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es
who r equi r es such assi st ance;
( i v) t he f ai l ur e t o pr ovi de medi cal and

r ehabi l i t at i ve car e f or t he physi cal and ment al heal t h
needs of a hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es; or
( v) t he f ai l ur e t o pr ot ect a hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h
di sabi l i t i es f r omheal t h and saf et y hazar ds.
( B) Not hi ng i n t hi s subsect i on ( 10) shal l be const r ued t o
i mpose a r equi r ement t hat assi st ance be pr ovi ded t o a hi gh- r i sk
adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es over hi s or her obj ect i on i n t he absence
of a cour t or der , nor t o cr eat e any new af f i r mat i ve dut y t o
pr ovi de suppor t t o a hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es.
( 12) " Or der of pr ot ect i on" means an emer gency or der , i nt er i m
or der or pl enar y or der , gr ant ed pur suant t o t hi s Act , whi ch
i ncl udes any or al l of t he r emedi es aut hor i zed by Sect i on 214 of
t hi s Act .
( 13) " Pet i t i oner " may mean not onl y any named pet i t i oner f or
t he or der of pr ot ect i on and any named vi ct i m of abuse on whose
behal f t he pet i t i on i s br ought , but al so any ot her per son
pr ot ect ed by t hi s Act .
( 14) " Physi cal abuse" i ncl udes sexual abuse and means any of
t he f ol l owi ng:
( i ) knowi ng or r eckl ess use of physi cal f or ce,
conf i nement or r est r ai nt ;
( i i ) knowi ng, r epeat ed and unnecessar y sl eep
depr i vat i on; or
( i i i ) knowi ng or r eckl ess conduct whi ch cr eat es an
i mmedi at e r i sk of physi cal har m.
( 14. 5) " St ay away" means f or t he r espondent t o r ef r ai n f r om
bot h physi cal pr esence and nonphysi cal cont act wi t h t he
pet i t i oner whet her di r ect , i ndi r ect ( i ncl udi ng, but not l i mi t ed
t o, t el ephone cal l s, mai l , emai l , f axes, and wr i t t en not es) , or
t hr ough t hi r d par t i es who may or may not know about t he or der of
pr ot ect i on.
( 15) " Wi l l f ul depr i vat i on" means wi l f ul l y denyi ng a per son
who because of age, heal t h or di sabi l i t y r equi r es medi cat i on,
medi cal car e, shel t er , accessi bl e shel t er or ser vi ces, f ood,
t her apeut i c devi ce, or ot her physi cal assi st ance, and t her eby
exposi ng t hat per son t o t he r i sk of physi cal , ment al or
emot i onal har m, except wi t h r egar d t o medi cal car e or t r eat ment
when t he dependent per son has expr essed an i nt ent t o f or go such
medi cal car e or t r eat ment . Thi s par agr aph does not cr eat e any
new af f i r mat i ve dut y t o pr ovi de suppor t t o dependent per sons.
( Sour ce: P. A. 96- 1551, ef f . 7- 1- 11. )

( 750 I LCS 60/ Ar t . I I headi ng)
ARTI CLE I I
ORDERS OF PROTECTI ON
( 750 I LCS 60/ 201) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 1)
Sec. 201. Per sons pr ot ect ed by t hi s Act .
( a) The f ol l owi ng per sons ar e pr ot ect ed by t hi s Act :
( i ) any per son abused by a f ami l y or househol d member ;
( i i ) any hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es who i s
( i i ) any hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es who i s

abused, negl ect ed, or expl oi t ed by a f ami l y or househol d
member ;
( i i i ) any mi nor chi l d or dependent adul t i n t he car e
of such per son; and
( i v) any per son r esi di ng or empl oyed at a pr i vat e

home or publ i c shel t er whi ch i s housi ng an abused f ami l y or
househol d member .
( b) A pet i t i on f or an or der of pr ot ect i on may be f i l ed onl y:
( i ) by a per son who has been abused by a f ami l y or househol d
member or by any per son on behal f of a mi nor chi l d or an adul t
who has been abused by a f ami l y or househol d member and who,
because of age, heal t h, di sabi l i t y, or i naccessi bi l i t y, cannot
f i l e t he pet i t i on, or ( i i ) by any per son on behal f of a hi gh-
r i sk adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es who has been abused, negl ect ed, or
expl oi t ed by a f ami l y or househol d member . However , any pet i t i on
pr oper l y f i l ed under t hi s Act may seek pr ot ect i on f or any
addi t i onal per sons pr ot ect ed by t hi s Act .
( Sour ce: P. A. 86- 542; 87- 1186. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 201. 1) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 1. 1)
Sec. 201. 1. Access of hi gh- r i sk adul t s. No per son shal l obst r uct or
i mpede t he access of a hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es t o any agency or
or gani zat i on aut hor i zed t o f i l e a pet i t i on f or an or der of pr ot ect i on under
Sect i on 201 of t hi s Act f or t he pur pose of a pr i vat e vi si t r el at i ng t o l egal
r i ght s, ent i t l ement s, cl ai ms and ser vi ces under t hi s Act and Sect i on 1 of
" An Act i n r el at i on t o domest i c r el at i ons and domest i c vi ol ence shel t er s and
ser vi ce pr ogr ams" , appr oved Sept ember 24, 1981, as now or her eaf t er amended.
I f a per son does so obst r uct or i mpede such access of a hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h
di sabi l i t i es, l ocal l aw enf or cement agenci es shal l t ake al l appr opr i at e
act i on t o assi st t he par t y seeki ng access i n pet i t i oni ng f or a sear ch
war r ant or an ex par t e i nj unct i ve or der . Such war r ant or or der may i ssue
upon a showi ng of pr obabl e cause t o bel i eve t hat t he hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h
di sabi l i t i es i s t he subj ect of abuse, negl ect , or expl oi t at i on whi ch
const i t ut es a cr i mi nal of f ense or t hat any ot her cr i mi nal of f ense i s
occur r i ng whi ch af f ect s t he i nt er est s or wel f ar e of t he hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h
di sabi l i t i es. When, f r om t he per sonal obser vat i ons of a l aw enf or cement
of f i cer , i t appear s pr obabl e t hat del ay of ent r y i n or der t o obt ai n a
war r ant or or der woul d cause t he hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es t o be i n
i mmi nent danger of deat h or gr eat bodi l y har m, ent r y may be made by t he l aw
enf or cement of f i cer af t er an announcement of t he of f i cer ' s aut hor i t y and
pur pose.
( Sour ce: P. A. 86- 542. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 202) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 2)
Sec. 202. Commencement of act i on; f i l i ng f ees; di smi ssal .
( a) How t o commence act i on. Act i ons f or or der s of pr ot ect i on ar e
commenced:
( 1) I ndependent l y: By f i l i ng a pet i t i on f or an or der

of pr ot ect i on i n any ci vi l cour t , unl ess speci f i c cour t s
ar e desi gnat ed by l ocal r ul e or or der .
( 2) I n conj unct i on wi t h anot her ci vi l pr oceedi ng: By
f i l i ng a pet i t i on f or an or der of pr ot ect i on under t he same
case number as anot her ci vi l pr oceedi ng i nvol vi ng t he
par t i es, i ncl udi ng but not l i mi t ed t o: ( i ) any pr oceedi ng
under t he I l l i noi s Mar r i age and Di ssol ut i on of Mar r i age

under t he I l l i noi s Mar r i age and Di ssol ut i on of Mar r i age
Act , I l l i noi s Par ent age Act of 1984, Nonsuppor t of Spouse
and Chi l dr en Act , Revi sed Uni f or m Reci pr ocal Enf or cement of
Suppor t Act or an act i on f or nonsuppor t br ought under
Ar t i cl e 10 of t he I l l i noi s Publ i c Ai d Code, pr ovi ded t hat a
pet i t i oner and t he r espondent ar e a par t y t o or t he subj ect
of t hat pr oceedi ng or ( i i ) a guar di anshi p pr oceedi ng under
t he Pr obat e Act of 1975, or a pr oceedi ng f or i nvol unt ar y
commi t ment under t he Ment al Heal t h and Devel opment al
Di sabi l i t i es Code, or any pr oceedi ng, ot her t han a
del i nquency pet i t i on, under t he J uveni l e Cour t Act of 1987,
pr ovi ded t hat a pet i t i oner or t he r espondent i s a par t y t o
or t he subj ect of such pr oceedi ng.
( 3) I n conj unct i on wi t h a del i nquency pet i t i on or a

cr i mi nal pr osecut i on: By f i l i ng a pet i t i on f or an or der of
pr ot ect i on, under t he same case number as t he del i nquency
pet i t i on or cr i mi nal pr osecut i on, t o be gr ant ed dur i ng pr e-
t r i al r el ease of a def endant , wi t h any di sposi t i onal or der
i ssued under Sect i on 5- 710 of t he J uveni l e Cour t Act of
1987 or as a condi t i on of r el ease, super vi si on, condi t i onal
di schar ge, pr obat i on, per i odi c i mpr i sonment , par ol e or
mandat or y super vi sed r el ease, or i n conj unct i on wi t h
i mpr i sonment or a bond f or f ei t ur e war r ant ; pr ovi ded t hat :
( i ) t he vi ol at i on i s al l eged i n an i nf or mat i on,

compl ai nt , i ndi ct ment or del i nquency pet i t i on on f i l e,
and t he al l eged of f ender and vi ct i m ar e f ami l y or
househol d member s or per sons pr ot ect ed by t hi s Act ; and
( i i ) t he pet i t i on, whi ch i s f i l ed by t he St at e' s

At t or ney, names a vi ct i m of t he al l eged cr i me as a
pet i t i oner .
( b) Fi l i ng, cer t i f i cat i on, and ser vi ce f ees. No f ee shal l be
char ged by t he cl er k f or f i l i ng, amendi ng, vacat i ng, cer t i f yi ng,
or phot ocopyi ng pet i t i ons or or der s; or f or i ssui ng al i as
summons; or f or any r el at ed f i l i ng ser vi ce. No f ee shal l be
char ged by t he sher i f f f or ser vi ce by t he sher i f f of a pet i t i on,
r ul e, mot i on, or or der i n an act i on commenced under t hi s
Sect i on.
( c) Di smi ssal and consol i dat i on. Wi t hdr awal or di smi ssal of
any pet i t i on f or an or der of pr ot ect i on pr i or t o adj udi cat i on
wher e t he pet i t i oner i s r epr esent ed by t he St at e shal l oper at e
as a di smi ssal wi t hout pr ej udi ce. No act i on f or an or der of
pr ot ect i on shal l be di smi ssed because t he r espondent i s bei ng
pr osecut ed f or a cr i me agai nst t he pet i t i oner . An i ndependent
act i on may be consol i dat ed wi t h anot her ci vi l pr oceedi ng, as
pr ovi ded by par agr aph ( 2) of subsect i on ( a) of t hi s Sect i on. For
any act i on commenced under par agr aph ( 2) or ( 3) of subsect i on
( a) of t hi s Sect i on, di smi ssal of t he conj oi ned case ( or a
f i ndi ng of not gui l t y) shal l not r equi r e di smi ssal of t he act i on
f or t he or der of pr ot ect i on; i nst ead, i t may be t r eat ed as an
i ndependent act i on and, i f necessar y and appr opr i at e,
t r ansf er r ed t o a di f f er ent cour t or di vi si on. Di smi ssal of any
conj oi ned case shal l not af f ect t he val i di t y of any pr evi ousl y
i ssued or der of pr ot ect i on, and t her eaf t er subsect i ons ( b) ( 1)
and ( b) ( 2) of Sect i on 220 shal l be i nappl i cabl e t o such or der .
( d) Pr o se pet i t i ons. The cour t shal l pr ovi de, t hr ough t he
of f i ce of t he cl er k of t he cour t , si mpl i f i ed f or ms and cl er i cal
assi st ance t o hel p wi t h t he wr i t i ng and f i l i ng of a pet i t i on
assi st ance t o hel p wi t h t he wr i t i ng and f i l i ng of a pet i t i on
under t hi s Sect i on by any per son not r epr esent ed by counsel . I n
addi t i on, t hat assi st ance may be pr ovi ded by t he st at e' s
at t or ney.
( Sour ce: P. A. 93- 458, ef f . 1- 1- 04. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 203) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 3)
Sec. 203. Pl eadi ng; non- di scl osur e of addr ess; non- di scl osur e of
school s.
( a) A pet i t i on f or an or der of pr ot ect i on shal l be i n wr i t i ng and
ver i f i ed or accompani ed by af f i davi t and shal l al l ege t hat pet i t i oner has
been abused by r espondent , who i s a f ami l y or househol d member . The pet i t i on
shal l f ur t her set f or t h whet her t her e i s any ot her pendi ng act i on bet ween
t he par t i es. Dur i ng t he pendency of t hi s pr oceedi ng, each par t y has a
cont i nui ng dut y t o i nf or m t he cour t of any subsequent pr oceedi ng f or an
or der of pr ot ect i on i n t hi s or any ot her st at e.
( b) I f t he pet i t i on st at es t hat di scl osur e of pet i t i oner ' s addr ess woul d
r i sk abuse of pet i t i oner or any member of pet i t i oner ' s f ami l y or househol d
or r eveal t he conf i dent i al addr ess of a shel t er f or domest i c vi ol ence
vi ct i ms, t hat addr ess may be omi t t ed f r om al l document s f i l ed wi t h t he
cour t . I f di scl osur e i s necessar y t o det er mi ne j ur i sdi ct i on or consi der any
venue i ssue, i t shal l be made or al l y and i n camer a. I f pet i t i oner has not
di scl osed an addr ess under t hi s subsect i on, pet i t i oner shal l desi gnat e an
al t er nat i ve addr ess at whi ch r espondent may ser ve not i ce of any mot i ons.
( c) I f t he pet i t i oner i s seeki ng t o have a chi l d pr ot ect ed by t he or der
of pr ot ect i on, and i f t hat chi l d i s enr ol l ed i n any day- car e f aci l i t y, pr e-
school , pr e- ki nder gar t en, pr i vat e school , publ i c school di st r i ct , col l ege,
or uni ver si t y, t he pet i t i oner may pr ovi de t he name and addr ess of t he day-
car e f aci l i t y, pr e- school , pr e- ki nder gar t en, pr i vat e school , publ i c school
di st r i ct , col l ege, or uni ver si t y t o t he cour t . However , i f t he pet i t i on
st at es t hat di scl osur e of t hi s i nf or mat i on woul d r i sk abuse t o pet i t i oner or
t o t he chi l d pr ot ect ed under t he or der , t hi s i nf or mat i on may be omi t t ed f r om
al l document s f i l ed wi t h t he cour t .
( Sour ce: P. A. 92- 90, ef f . 7- 18- 01. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 204) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 4)
Sec. 204. ( Repeal ed) .
( Sour ce: Repeal ed by P. A. 88- 306. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 205) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 5)
Sec. 205. Appl i cat i on of r ul es of ci vi l pr ocedur e; Domest i c abuse
advocat es.
( a) Any pr oceedi ng t o obt ai n, modi f y, r eopen or appeal an or der of
pr ot ect i on, whet her commenced al one or i n conj unct i on wi t h a ci vi l or
cr i mi nal pr oceedi ng, shal l be gover ned by t he r ul es of ci vi l pr ocedur e of
t hi s St at e. The st andar d of pr oof i n such a pr oceedi ng i s pr oof by a
pr eponder ance of t he evi dence, whet her t he pr oceedi ng i s hear d i n cr i mi nal
or ci vi l cour t . The Code of Ci vi l Pr ocedur e and Supr eme Cour t and l ocal
cour t r ul es appl i cabl e t o ci vi l pr oceedi ngs, as now or her eaf t er amended,
shal l appl y, except as ot her wi se pr ovi ded by t hi s l aw.
( b) ( 1) I n al l ci r cui t cour t pr oceedi ngs under t hi s Act , domest i c abuse
advocat es shal l be al l owed t o at t end and si t at counsel t abl e and conf er
wi t h t he vi ct i m, unl ess ot her wi se di r ect ed by t he cour t .
( 2) I n cr i mi nal pr oceedi ngs i n ci r cui t cour t s, domest i c abuse advocat es
shal l be al l owed t o accompany t he vi ct i mand conf er wi t h t he vi ct i m, unl ess
shal l be al l owed t o accompany t he vi ct i mand conf er wi t h t he vi ct i m, unl ess
ot her wi se di r ect ed by t he cour t .
( 3) Cour t admi ni st r at or s shal l al l ow domest i c abuse advocat es t o assi st
vi ct i ms of domest i c vi ol ence i n t he pr epar at i on of pet i t i ons f or or der s of
pr ot ect i on.
( 4) Domest i c abuse advocat es ar e not engaged i n t he unaut hor i zed
pr act i ce of l aw when pr ovi di ng assi st ance of t he t ypes speci f i ed i n t hi s
subsect i on ( b) .
( Sour ce: P. A. 87- 1186; 87- 1255; 88- 45. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 206) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 6)
Sec. 206. Tr i al by j ur y. Ther e shal l be no r i ght t o t r i al by j ur y i n any
pr oceedi ng t o obt ai n, modi f y, vacat e or ext end any or der of pr ot ect i on under
t hi s Act . However , not hi ng i n t hi s Sect i on shal l deny any exi st i ng r i ght t o
t r i al by j ur y i n a cr i mi nal pr oceedi ng.
( Sour ce: P. A. 87- 1186. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 207) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 7)
Sec. 207. Subj ect mat t er j ur i sdi ct i on. Each of t he ci r cui t cour t s shal l
have t he power t o i ssue or der s of pr ot ect i on.
( Sour ce: P. A. 84- 1305. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 208) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 8)
Sec. 208. J ur i sdi ct i on over per sons. I n chi l d cust ody pr oceedi ngs, t he
cour t ' s per sonal j ur i sdi ct i on i s det er mi ned by t hi s St at e' s Uni f or m Chi l d-
Cust ody J ur i sdi ct i on and Enf or cement Act . Ot her wi se, t he cour t s of t hi s
St at e have j ur i sdi ct i on t o bi nd ( i ) St at e r esi dent s and ( i i ) non- r esi dent s
havi ng mi ni mum cont act s wi t h t hi s St at e, t o t he ext ent per mi t t ed by t he
l ong- ar m st at ut e, Sect i on 2- 209 of t he Code of Ci vi l Pr ocedur e, as now or
her eaf t er amended.
( Sour ce: P. A. 93- 108, ef f . 1- 1- 04. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 209) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 9)
Sec. 209. Venue.
( a) Fi l i ng. A pet i t i on f or an or der of pr ot ect i on may be f i l ed i n any
count y wher e ( i ) pet i t i oner r esi des, ( i i ) r espondent r esi des, ( i i i ) t he
al l eged abuse occur r ed or ( i v) t he pet i t i oner i s t empor ar i l y l ocat ed i f
pet i t i oner l ef t pet i t i oner ' s r esi dence t o avoi d f ur t her abuse and coul d not
obt ai n saf e, accessi bl e, and adequat e t empor ar y housi ng i n t he count y of
t hat r esi dence.
( b) Excl usi ve Possessi on. Wi t h r espect t o r equest s f or excl usi ve
possessi on of t he r esi dence under t hi s Act , venue i s pr oper onl y i n t he
count y wher e t he r esi dence i s l ocat ed, except i n t he f ol l owi ng
ci r cumst ances:
( 1) I f a r equest f or excl usi ve possessi on of t he

r esi dence i s made under t hi s Act i n conj unct i on wi t h a
pr oceedi ng under t he I l l i noi s Mar r i age and Di ssol ut i on of
Mar r i age Act , venue i s pr oper i n t he count y or j udi ci al
ci r cui t wher e t he r esi dence i s l ocat ed or i n a cont i guous
count y or j udi ci al ci r cui t .
( 2) I f a r equest f or excl usi ve possessi on of t he
r esi dence i s made under t hi s Act i n any ot her pr oceedi ng,
pr ovi ded t he pet i t i oner meet s t he r equi r ement s of i t em ( i v)
of subsect i on ( a) , venue i s pr oper i n t he count y or

of subsect i on ( a) , venue i s pr oper i n t he count y or
j udi ci al ci r cui t wher e t he r esi dence i s l ocat ed or i n a
cont i guous count y or j udi ci al ci r cui t . I n such case,
however , i f t he cour t i s not l ocat ed i n t he count y wher e
t he r esi dence i s l ocat ed, i t may gr ant excl usi ve possessi on
of t he r esi dence under subdi vi si on ( b) ( 2) of Sect i on 214
onl y i n an emer gency or der under Sect i on 217, and such
gr ant may be ext ended t her eaf t er beyond t he maxi mum i ni t i al
per i od onl y by a cour t l ocat ed i n t he count y wher e t he
r esi dence i s l ocat ed.
( c) I nconveni ent f or um. I f an or der of pr ot ect i on i s i ssued
by a cour t i n a count y i n whi ch nei t her of t he par t i es r esi des,
t he cour t may bal ance har dshi ps t o t he par t i es and accor di ngl y
t r ansf er any pr oceedi ng t o ext end, modi f y, r e- open, vacat e or
enf or ce any such or der t o a count y wher ei n a par t y r esi des.
( d) Obj ect i on. Obj ect i on t o venue i s wai ved i f not made
wi t hi n such t i me as r espondent ' s r esponse i s due, except as
ot her wi se pr ovi ded i n subsect i on ( b) . I n no event shal l venue be
deemed j ur i sdi ct i onal .
( Sour ce: P. A. 86- 966; 87- 1186. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 210) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 10)
Sec. 210. Pr ocess.
( a) Summons. Any act i on f or an or der of pr ot ect i on, whet her commenced
al one or i n conj unct i on wi t h anot her pr oceedi ng, i s a di st i nct cause of
act i on and r equi r es t hat a separ at e summons be i ssued and ser ved, except
t hat i n pendi ng cases t he f ol l owi ng met hods may be used:
( 1) By del i ver y of t he summons t o r espondent

per sonal l y i n open cour t i n pendi ng ci vi l or cr i mi nal
cases.
( 2) By not i ce i n accor dance wi t h Sect i on 210. 1 i n

ci vi l cases i n whi ch t he def endant has f i l ed a gener al
appear ance.
The summons shal l be i n t he f or mpr escr i bed by Supr eme Cour t
Rul e 101( d) , except t hat i t shal l r equi r e r espondent t o answer
or appear wi t hi n 7 days. At t achment s t o t he summons or not i ce
shal l i ncl ude t he pet i t i on f or or der of pr ot ect i on and
suppor t i ng af f i davi t s, i f any, and any emer gency or der of
pr ot ect i on t hat has been i ssued. The enf or cement of an or der of
pr ot ect i on under Sect i on 223 shal l not be af f ect ed by t he l ack
of ser vi ce, del i ver y, or not i ce, pr ovi ded t he r equi r ement s of
subsect i on ( d) of t hat Sect i on ar e ot her wi se met .
( b) Bl ank.
( c) Expedi t ed ser vi ce. The summons shal l be ser ved by t he
sher i f f or ot her l aw enf or cement of f i cer at t he ear l i est t i me
and shal l t ake pr ecedence over ot her summonses except t hose of a
si mi l ar emer gency nat ur e. Speci al pr ocess ser ver s may be
appoi nt ed at any t i me, and t hei r desi gnat i on shal l not af f ect
t he r esponsi bi l i t i es and aut hor i t y of t he sher i f f or ot her
of f i ci al pr ocess ser ver s.
( d) Remedi es r equi r i ng act ual not i ce. The counsel i ng,
payment of suppor t , payment of shel t er ser vi ces, and payment of
l osses r emedi es pr ovi ded by par agr aphs 4, 12, 13, and 16 of
subsect i on ( b) of Sect i on 214 may be gr ant ed onl y i f r espondent
has been per sonal l y ser ved wi t h pr ocess, has answer ed or has
made a gener al appear ance.
made a gener al appear ance.
( e) Remedi es upon const r uct i ve not i ce. Ser vi ce of pr ocess on
a member of r espondent ' s househol d or by publ i cat i on shal l be
adequat e f or t he r emedi es pr ovi ded by par agr aphs 1, 2, 3, 5, 6,
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, and 17 of subsect i on ( b) of Sect i on
214, but onl y i f : ( i ) pet i t i oner has made al l r easonabl e ef f or t s
t o accompl i sh act ual ser vi ce of pr ocess per sonal l y upon
r espondent , but r espondent cannot be f ound t o ef f ect such
ser vi ce and ( i i ) pet i t i oner f i l es an af f i davi t or pr esent s swor n
t est i mony as t o t hose ef f or t s.
( f ) Def aul t . A pl enar y or der of pr ot ect i on may be ent er ed by
def aul t as f ol l ows:
( 1) For any of t he r emedi es sought i n t he pet i t i on,

i f r espondent has been ser ved or gi ven not i ce i n accor dance
wi t h subsect i on ( a) and i f r espondent t hen f ai l s t o appear
as di r ect ed or f ai l s t o appear on any subsequent appear ance
or hear i ng dat e agr eed t o by t he par t i es or set by t he
cour t ; or
( 2) For any of t he r emedi es pr ovi ded i n accor dance

wi t h subsect i on ( e) , i f r espondent f ai l s t o answer or
appear i n accor dance wi t h t he dat e set i n t he publ i cat i on
not i ce or t he r et ur n dat e i ndi cat ed on t he ser vi ce of a
househol d member .
( Sour ce: P. A. 87- 1186; 88- 306. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 210. 1) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 10. 1)
Sec. 210. 1. Ser vi ce of not i ce i n conj unct i on wi t h a pendi ng ci vi l case.
( a) Not i ce. When an act i on f or an or der of pr ot ect i on i s sought i n
conj unct i on wi t h a pendi ng ci vi l case i n whi ch t he cour t has obt ai ned
j ur i sdi ct i on over r espondent , and r espondent has f i l ed a gener al appear ance,
t hen a separ at e summons need not i ssue. Or i gi nal not i ce of a hear i ng on a
pet i t i on f or an or der of pr ot ect i on may be gi ven, and t he document s ser ved,
i n accor dance wi t h I l l i noi s Supr eme Cour t Rul es 11 and 12. When, however , an
emer gency or der of pr ot ect i on i s sought i n such a case on an ex par t e
appl i cat i on, t hen t he pr ocedur e set f or t h i n subsect i on ( a) of Sect i on 210
( ot her t han i n subsect i on ( a) ( 2) ) shal l be f ol l owed. I f an or der of
pr ot ect i on i s i ssued usi ng t he not i ce pr ovi si ons of t hi s Sect i on, t hen t he
or der of pr ot ect i on or ext ensi ons of t hat or der may sur vi ve t he di sposi t i on
of t he mai n ci vi l case. The enf or cement of any or der of pr ot ect i on under
Sect i on 223 shal l not be af f ect ed by t he l ack of not i ce under t hi s Sect i on,
pr ovi ded t he r equi r ement s of subsect i on ( d) of t hat Sect i on ar e ot her wi se
met .
( b) Def aul t . The f or m of not i ce descr i bed i n subsect i on ( a) shal l
i ncl ude t he f ol l owi ng l anguage di r ect ed t o t he r espondent :
A 2- year pl enar y or der of pr ot ect i on may be ent er ed

by def aul t f or any of t he r emedi es sought i n t he pet i t i on
i f you f ai l t o appear on t he speci f i ed hear i ng dat e or on
any subsequent hear i ng dat e agr eed t o by t he par t i es or set
by t he cour t .
( c) Par t y t o gi ve not i ce. Not i ce i n t he pendi ng ci vi l case
shal l be gi ven ( i ) by ei t her par t y under t hi s Sect i on, wi t h
r espect t o ext ensi ons, modi f i cat i ons, hear i ngs, or ot her r el i ef
per t i nent t o an or der of pr ot ect i on, i n accor dance wi t h I l l i noi s
Supr eme Cour t Rul es 11 and 12 or ( i i ) by t he r espondent as
pr ovi ded i n subsect i on ( c) of Sect i on 224.
( Sour ce: P. A. 87- 1186. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 211) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 11)
Sec. 211. Ser vi ce of not i ce of hear i ngs. Except as pr ovi ded i n Sect i ons
210 and 210. 1, not i ce of hear i ngs on pet i t i ons or mot i ons shal l be ser ved i n
accor dance wi t h Supr eme Cour t Rul es 11 and 12, unl ess not i ce i s excused by
Sect i on 217 of t hi s Act , or by t he Code of Ci vi l Pr ocedur e, Supr eme Cour t
Rul es, or l ocal r ul es, as now or her eaf t er amended.
( Sour ce: P. A. 87- 1186. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 212) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 12)
Sec. 212. Hear i ngs.
( a) A pet i t i on f or an or der of pr ot ect i on shal l be t r eat ed as an
expedi t ed pr oceedi ng, and no cour t shal l t r ansf er or ot her wi se decl i ne t o
deci de al l or par t of such pet i t i on except as ot her wi se pr ovi ded her ei n.
Not hi ng i n t hi s Sect i on shal l pr event t he cour t f r om r eser vi ng i ssues when
j ur i sdi ct i on or not i ce r equi r ement s ar e not met .
( b) Any cour t or a di vi si on t her eof whi ch or di nar i l y does not deci de
mat t er s of chi l d cust ody and f ami l y suppor t may decl i ne t o deci de cont est ed
i ssues of physi cal car e, cust ody, vi si t at i on, or f ami l y suppor t unl ess a
deci si on on one or mor e of t hose cont est ed i ssues i s necessar y t o avoi d t he
r i sk of abuse, negl ect , r emoval f r om t he st at e or conceal ment wi t hi n t he
st at e of t he chi l d or of separ at i on of t he chi l d f r omt he pr i mar y car et aker .
I f t he cour t or di vi si on t her eof has decl i ned t o deci de any or al l of t hese
i ssues, t hen i t shal l t r ansf er al l undeci ded i ssues t o t he appr opr i at e cour t
or di vi si on. I n t he event of such a t r ansf er , a gover nment at t or ney i nvol ved
i n t he cr i mi nal pr osecut i on may, but need not , cont i nue t o of f er counsel t o
pet i t i oner on t r ansf er r ed mat t er s.
( c) I f t he cour t t r ansf er s or ot her wi se decl i nes t o deci de any i ssue,
j udgment on t hat i ssue shal l be expr essl y r eser ved and r ul i ng on ot her
i ssues shal l not be del ayed or decl i ned.
( Sour ce: P. A. 87- 1186. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 213) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 13)
Sec. 213. Cont i nuances.
( a) Pet i t i ons f or emer gency or der s. Pet i t i ons f or emer gency r emedi es
shal l be gr ant ed or deni ed i n accor dance wi t h t he st andar ds of Sect i on 217,
r egar dl ess of r espondent ' s appear ance or pr esence i n cour t .
( b) Pet i t i ons f or i nt er i mand pl enar y or der s. Any act i on f or an or der of
pr ot ect i on i s an expedi t ed pr oceedi ng. Cont i nuances shoul d be gr ant ed onl y
f or good cause shown and kept t o t he mi ni mum r easonabl e dur at i on, t aki ng
i nt o account t he r easons f or t he cont i nuance. I f t he cont i nuance i s
necessar y f or some, but not al l , of t he r emedi es r equest ed, hear i ng on t hose
ot her r emedi es shal l not be del ayed.
( Sour ce: P. A. 87- 1186. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 213. 1) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 13. 1)
Sec. 213. 1. Hear say except i on. I n an act i on f or an or der of pr ot ect i on
on behal f of a hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es, a f i ndi ng of l ack of
capaci t y t o t est i f y shal l not r ender i nadmi ssi bl e any st at ement as l ong as
t he r el i abi l i t y of t he st at ement i s ensur ed by ci r cumst ances br i ngi ng i t
wi t hi n t he scope of a hear say except i on. The f ol l owi ng evi dence shal l be
admi t t ed as an except i on t o t he hear say r ul e whet her or not t he decl ar ant i s
avai l abl e as a wi t ness:
( 1) A st at ement r el at i ng t o a st ar t l i ng event or condi t i on made
( 1) A st at ement r el at i ng t o a st ar t l i ng event or condi t i on made
spont aneousl y whi l e t he decl ar ant was under t he cont empor aneous or
cont i nui ng st r ess of exci t ement caused by t he event or condi t i on.
( 2) A st at ement made f or t he pur pose of obt ai ni ng, r ecei vi ng, or
pr omot i ng medi cal di agnosi s or t r eat ment , i ncl udi ng psychot her apy, and
descr i bi ng medi cal hi st or y, or past or pr esent sympt oms, pai n, or
sensat i ons, or t he i ncept i on or gener al char act er of t he cause or ext er nal
sour ce t her eof i nsof ar as r easonabl y per t i nent t o di agnosi s or t r eat ment .
For pur poses of obt ai ni ng a pr ot ect i ve or der , t he i dent i t y of any per son
i nf l i ct i ng abuse or negl ect as def i ned i n t hi s Act shal l be deemed
r easonabl y per t i nent t o di agnosi s or t r eat ment .
( 3) A st at ement not speci f i cal l y cover ed by any of t he f or egoi ng
except i ons but havi ng equi val ent ci r cumst ant i al guar ant ees of
t r ust wor t hi ness, i f t he cour t det er mi nes t hat ( A) t he st at ement i s of f er ed
as evi dence of a mat er i al f act , and ( B) t he st at ement i s mor e pr obat i ve on
t he poi nt f or whi ch i t i s of f er ed t han any ot her evi dence whi ch t he
pr oponent can pr ocur e t hr ough r easonabl e ef f or t s.
Ci r cumst ant i al guar ant ees of t r ust wor t hi ness i ncl ude:
( 1) t he cr edi bi l i t y of t he wi t ness who t est i f i es t he st at ement was made;
( 2) assur ance of t he decl ar ant ' s per sonal knowl edge of t he event ;
( 3) t he decl ar ant ' s i nt er est or bi as and t he pr esence or absence of
capaci t y or mot i ve t o f abr i cat e;
( 4) t he pr esence or absence of suggest i veness or pr ompt i ng at t he t i me
t he st at ement was made;
( 5) whet her t he decl ar ant has ever r eaf f i r med or r ecant ed t he st at ement ;
and
( 6) cor r obor at i on by physi cal evi dence or behavi or al changes i n t he
decl ar ant .
The r ecor d shal l r ef l ect t he cour t ' s f i ndi ngs of f act and concl usi ons of
l aw as t o t he t r ust wor t hi ness r equi r ement .
A st at ement shal l not be admi t t ed under t he except i on set f or t h i n t hi s
Sect i on unl ess i t s pr oponent gi ves wr i t t en not i ce st at i ng hi s or her
i nt ent i on t o of f er t he st at ement and t he par t i cul ar s of i t t o t he adver se
par t y suf f i ci ent l y i n advance of of f er i ng t he st at ement t o pr ovi de t he
adver se par t y wi t h a f ai r oppor t uni t y t o pr epar e t o meet t he st at ement .
( Sour ce: P. A. 86- 542. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 213. 2) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 13. 2)
Sec. 213. 2. Wai ver of pr i vi l ege. When t he subj ect of any pr oceedi ng
under t hi s Act i s a hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es f or whom no guar di an
has been appoi nt ed, no par t y ot her t han t he hi gh- r i sk adul t or t he at t or ney
f or t he hi gh- r i sk adul t shal l be ent i t l ed t o i nvoke or wai ve a common l aw or
st at ut or y pr i vi l ege on behal f of t he hi gh- r i sk adul t whi ch r esul t s i n t he
excl usi on of evi dence.
( Sour ce: P. A. 86- 542. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 213. 3) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 13. 3)
Sec. 213. 3. I ndependent counsel ; t empor ar y subst i t ut e guar di an. I f t he
pet i t i oner i s a hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es f or whom a guar di an has
been appoi nt ed, t he cour t shal l appoi nt i ndependent counsel ot her t han a
guar di an ad l i t emand, may appoi nt a t empor ar y subst i t ut e guar di an under t he
pr ovi si ons of Ar t i cl e XI a of t he Pr obat e Act of 1975. The cour t shal l
appoi nt a t empor ar y subst i t ut e guar di an i f t he guar di an i s named as a
r espondent i n a pet i t i on under t hi s Act .
( Sour ce: P. A. 86- 542. )
( Sour ce: P. A. 86- 542. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 214) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 14)
Sec. 214. Or der of pr ot ect i on; r emedi es.
( a) I ssuance of or der . I f t he cour t f i nds t hat pet i t i oner has been
abused by a f ami l y or househol d member or t hat pet i t i oner i s a hi gh- r i sk
adul t who has been abused, negl ect ed, or expl oi t ed, as def i ned i n t hi s Act ,
an or der of pr ot ect i on pr ohi bi t i ng t he abuse, negl ect , or expl oi t at i on shal l
i ssue; pr ovi ded t hat pet i t i oner must al so sat i sf y t he r equi r ement s of one of
t he f ol l owi ng Sect i ons, as appr opr i at e: Sect i on 217 on emer gency or der s,
Sect i on 218 on i nt er i mor der s, or Sect i on 219 on pl enar y or der s. Pet i t i oner
shal l not be deni ed an or der of pr ot ect i on because pet i t i oner or r espondent
i s a mi nor . The cour t , when det er mi ni ng whet her or not t o i ssue an or der of
pr ot ect i on, shal l not r equi r e physi cal mani f est at i ons of abuse on t he per son
of t he vi ct i m. Modi f i cat i on and ext ensi on of pr i or or der s of pr ot ect i on
shal l be i n accor dance wi t h t hi s Act .
( b) Remedi es and st andar ds. The r emedi es t o be i ncl uded i n an or der of
pr ot ect i on shal l be det er mi ned i n accor dance wi t h t hi s Sect i on and one of
t he f ol l owi ng Sect i ons, as appr opr i at e: Sect i on 217 on emer gency or der s,
Sect i on 218 on i nt er i m or der s, and Sect i on 219 on pl enar y or der s. The
r emedi es l i st ed i n t hi s subsect i on shal l be i n addi t i on t o ot her ci vi l or
cr i mi nal r emedi es avai l abl e t o pet i t i oner .
( 1) Pr ohi bi t i on of abuse, negl ect , or expl oi t at i on.

Pr ohi bi t r espondent ' s har assment , i nt er f er ence wi t h
per sonal l i ber t y, i nt i mi dat i on of a dependent , physi cal
abuse, or wi l l f ul depr i vat i on, negl ect or expl oi t at i on, as
def i ned i n t hi s Act , or st al ki ng of t he pet i t i oner , as
def i ned i n Sect i on 12- 7. 3 of t he Cr i mi nal Code of 1961, i f
such abuse, negl ect , expl oi t at i on, or st al ki ng has occur r ed
or ot her wi se appear s l i kel y t o occur i f not pr ohi bi t ed.
( 2) Gr ant of excl usi ve possessi on of r esi dence.

Pr ohi bi t r espondent f r om ent er i ng or r emai ni ng i n any
r esi dence, househol d, or pr emi ses of t he pet i t i oner ,
i ncl udi ng one owned or l eased by r espondent , i f pet i t i oner
has a r i ght t o occupancy t her eof . The gr ant of excl usi ve
possessi on of t he r esi dence, househol d, or pr emi ses shal l
not af f ect t i t l e t o r eal pr oper t y, nor shal l t he cour t be
l i mi t ed by t he st andar d set f or t h i n Sect i on 701 of t he
I l l i noi s Mar r i age and Di ssol ut i on of Mar r i age Act .
( A) Ri ght t o occupancy. A par t y has a r i ght t o

occupancy of a r esi dence or househol d i f i t i s sol el y or
j oi nt l y owned or l eased by t hat par t y, t hat par t y' s
spouse, a per son wi t h a l egal dut y t o suppor t t hat par t y
or a mi nor chi l d i n t hat par t y' s car e, or by any per son
or ent i t y ot her t han t he opposi ng par t y t hat aut hor i zes
t hat par t y' s occupancy ( e. g. , a domest i c vi ol ence
shel t er ) . St andar ds set f or t h i n subpar agr aph ( B) shal l
not pr ecl ude equi t abl e r el i ef .
( B) Pr esumpt i on of har dshi ps. I f pet i t i oner and

r espondent each has t he r i ght t o occupancy of a
r esi dence or househol d, t he cour t shal l bal ance ( i ) t he
har dshi ps t o r espondent and any mi nor chi l d or dependent
adul t i n r espondent ' s car e r esul t i ng f r om ent r y of t hi s
r emedy wi t h ( i i ) t he har dshi ps t o pet i t i oner and any
mi nor chi l d or dependent adul t i n pet i t i oner ' s car e
r esul t i ng f r om cont i nued exposur e t o t he r i sk of abuse
( shoul d pet i t i oner r emai n at t he r esi dence or househol d)
( shoul d pet i t i oner r emai n at t he r esi dence or househol d)
or f r oml oss of possessi on of t he r esi dence or househol d
( shoul d pet i t i oner l eave t o avoi d t he r i sk of abuse) .
When det er mi ni ng t he bal ance of har dshi ps, t he cour t
shal l al so t ake i nt o account t he accessi bi l i t y of t he
r esi dence or househol d. Har dshi ps need not be bal anced
i f r espondent does not have a r i ght t o occupancy.
The bal ance of har dshi ps i s pr esumed t o f avor

possessi on by pet i t i oner unl ess t he pr esumpt i on i s
r ebut t ed by a pr eponder ance of t he evi dence, showi ng
t hat t he har dshi ps t o r espondent subst ant i al l y out wei gh
t he har dshi ps t o pet i t i oner and any mi nor chi l d or
dependent adul t i n pet i t i oner ' s car e. The cour t , on t he
r equest of pet i t i oner or on i t s own mot i on, may or der
r espondent t o pr ovi de sui t abl e, accessi bl e, al t er nat e
housi ng f or pet i t i oner i nst ead of excl udi ng r espondent
f r oma mut ual r esi dence or househol d.
( 3) St ay away or der and addi t i onal pr ohi bi t i ons.

Or der r espondent t o st ay away f r om pet i t i oner or any ot her
per son pr ot ect ed by t he or der of pr ot ect i on, or pr ohi bi t
r espondent f r om ent er i ng or r emai ni ng pr esent at
pet i t i oner ' s school , pl ace of empl oyment , or ot her
speci f i ed pl aces at t i mes when pet i t i oner i s pr esent , or
bot h, i f r easonabl e, gi ven t he bal ance of har dshi ps.
Har dshi ps need not be bal anced f or t he cour t t o ent er a
st ay away or der or pr ohi bi t ent r y i f r espondent has no
r i ght t o ent er t he pr emi ses.
( A) I f an or der of pr ot ect i on gr ant s pet i t i oner

excl usi ve possessi on of t he r esi dence, or pr ohi bi t s
r espondent f r om ent er i ng t he r esi dence, or or der s
r espondent t o st ay away f r om pet i t i oner or ot her
pr ot ect ed per sons, t hen t he cour t may al l ow r espondent
access t o t he r esi dence t o r emove i t ems of cl ot hi ng and
per sonal ador nment used excl usi vel y by r espondent ,
medi cat i ons, and ot her i t ems as t he cour t di r ect s. The
r i ght t o access shal l be exer ci sed on onl y one occasi on
as t he cour t di r ect s and i n t he pr esence of an agr eed-
upon adul t t hi r d par t y or l aw enf or cement of f i cer .
( B) When t he pet i t i oner and t he r espondent at t end
t he same publ i c, pr i vat e, or non- publ i c el ement ar y,
mi ddl e, or hi gh school , t he cour t when i ssui ng an or der
of pr ot ect i on and pr ovi di ng r el i ef shal l consi der t he
sever i t y of t he act , any cont i nui ng physi cal danger or
emot i onal di st r ess t o t he pet i t i oner , t he educat i onal
r i ght s guar ant eed t o t he pet i t i oner and r espondent under
f eder al and St at e l aw, t he avai l abi l i t y of a t r ansf er of
t he r espondent t o anot her school , a change of pl acement
or a change of pr ogr am of t he r espondent , t he expense,
di f f i cul t y, and educat i onal di sr upt i on t hat woul d be
caused by a t r ansf er of t he r espondent t o anot her
school , and any ot her r el evant f act s of t he case. The
cour t may or der t hat t he r espondent not at t end t he
publ i c, pr i vat e, or non- publ i c el ement ar y, mi ddl e, or
hi gh school at t ended by t he pet i t i oner , or der t hat t he
r espondent accept a change of pl acement or change of
pr ogr am, as det er mi ned by t he school di st r i ct or pr i vat e
or non- publ i c school , or pl ace r est r i ct i ons on t he
r espondent ' s movement s wi t hi n t he school at t ended by t he

r espondent ' s movement s wi t hi n t he school at t ended by t he
pet i t i oner . The r espondent bear s t he bur den of pr ovi ng
by a pr eponder ance of t he evi dence t hat a t r ansf er ,
change of pl acement , or change of pr ogr am of t he
r espondent i s not avai l abl e. The r espondent al so bear s
t he bur den of pr oduct i on wi t h r espect t o t he expense,
di f f i cul t y, and educat i onal di sr upt i on t hat woul d be
caused by a t r ansf er of t he r espondent t o anot her
school . A t r ansf er , change of pl acement , or change of
pr ogr am i s not unavai l abl e t o t he r espondent sol el y on
t he gr ound t hat t he r espondent does not agr ee wi t h t he
school di st r i ct ' s or pr i vat e or non- publ i c school ' s
t r ansf er , change of pl acement , or change of pr ogr am or
sol el y on t he gr ound t hat t he r espondent f ai l s or
r ef uses t o consent or ot her wi se does not t ake an act i on
r equi r ed t o ef f ect uat e a t r ansf er , change of pl acement ,
or change of pr ogr am. When a cour t or der s a r espondent
t o st ay away f r om t he publ i c, pr i vat e, or non- publ i c
school at t ended by t he pet i t i oner and t he r espondent
r equest s a t r ansf er t o anot her at t endance cent er wi t hi n
t he r espondent ' s school di st r i ct or pr i vat e or non-
publ i c school , t he school di st r i ct or pr i vat e or non-
publ i c school shal l have sol e di scr et i on t o det er mi ne
t he at t endance cent er t o whi ch t he r espondent i s
t r ansf er r ed. I n t he event t he cour t or der r esul t s i n a
t r ansf er of t he mi nor r espondent t o anot her at t endance
cent er , a change i n t he r espondent ' s pl acement , or a
change of t he r espondent ' s pr ogr am, t he par ent s,
guar di an, or l egal cust odi an of t he r espondent i s
r esponsi bl e f or t r anspor t at i on and ot her cost s
associ at ed wi t h t he t r ansf er or change.
( C) The cour t may or der t he par ent s, guar di an, or

l egal cust odi an of a mi nor r espondent t o t ake cer t ai n
act i ons or t o r ef r ai n f r om t aki ng cer t ai n act i ons t o
ensur e t hat t he r espondent compl i es wi t h t he or der . I n
t he event t he cour t or der s a t r ansf er of t he r espondent
t o anot her school , t he par ent s, guar di an, or l egal
cust odi an of t he r espondent i s r esponsi bl e f or
t r anspor t at i on and ot her cost s associ at ed wi t h t he
change of school by t he r espondent .
( 4) Counsel i ng. Requi r e or r ecommend t he r espondent

t o under go counsel i ng f or a speci f i ed dur at i on wi t h a
soci al wor ker , psychol ogi st , cl i ni cal psychol ogi st ,
psychi at r i st , f ami l y ser vi ce agency, al cohol or subst ance
abuse pr ogr am, ment al heal t h cent er gui dance counsel or ,
agency pr ovi di ng ser vi ces t o el der s, pr ogr am desi gned f or
domest i c vi ol ence abuser s or any ot her gui dance ser vi ce t he
cour t deems appr opr i at e. The Cour t may or der t he r espondent
i n any i nt i mat e par t ner r el at i onshi p t o r epor t t o an
I l l i noi s Depar t ment of Human Ser vi ces pr ot ocol appr oved
par t ner abuse i nt er vent i on pr ogr am f or an assessment and t o
f ol l ow al l r ecommended t r eat ment .
( 5) Physi cal car e and possessi on of t he mi nor chi l d.

I n or der t o pr ot ect t he mi nor chi l d f r omabuse, negl ect , or
unwar r ant ed separ at i on f r om t he per son who has been t he
mi nor chi l d' s pr i mar y car et aker , or t o ot her wi se pr ot ect
t he wel l - bei ng of t he mi nor chi l d, t he cour t may do ei t her
or bot h of t he f ol l owi ng: ( i ) gr ant pet i t i oner physi cal
or bot h of t he f ol l owi ng: ( i ) gr ant pet i t i oner physi cal
car e or possessi on of t he mi nor chi l d, or bot h, or ( i i )
or der r espondent t o r et ur n a mi nor chi l d t o, or not r emove
a mi nor chi l d f r om, t he physi cal car e of a par ent or per son
i n l oco par ent i s.
I f a cour t f i nds, af t er a hear i ng, t hat r espondent

has commi t t ed abuse ( as def i ned i n Sect i on 103) of a mi nor
chi l d, t her e shal l be a r ebut t abl e pr esumpt i on t hat
awar di ng physi cal car e t o r espondent woul d not be i n t he
mi nor chi l d' s best i nt er est .
( 6) Tempor ar y l egal cust ody. Awar d t empor ar y l egal

cust ody t o pet i t i oner i n accor dance wi t h t hi s Sect i on, t he
I l l i noi s Mar r i age and Di ssol ut i on of Mar r i age Act , t he
I l l i noi s Par ent age Act of 1984, and t hi s St at e' s Uni f or m
Chi l d- Cust ody J ur i sdi ct i on and Enf or cement Act .
I f a cour t f i nds, af t er a hear i ng, t hat r espondent

has commi t t ed abuse ( as def i ned i n Sect i on 103) of a mi nor
chi l d, t her e shal l be a r ebut t abl e pr esumpt i on t hat
awar di ng t empor ar y l egal cust ody t o r espondent woul d not be
i n t he chi l d' s best i nt er est .
( 7) Vi si t at i on. Det er mi ne t he vi si t at i on r i ght s, i f

any, of r espondent i n any case i n whi ch t he cour t awar ds
physi cal car e or t empor ar y l egal cust ody of a mi nor chi l d
t o pet i t i oner . The cour t shal l r est r i ct or deny
r espondent ' s vi si t at i on wi t h a mi nor chi l d i f t he cour t
f i nds t hat r espondent has done or i s l i kel y t o do any of
t he f ol l owi ng: ( i ) abuse or endanger t he mi nor chi l d dur i ng
vi si t at i on; ( i i ) use t he vi si t at i on as an oppor t uni t y t o
abuse or har ass pet i t i oner or pet i t i oner ' s f ami l y or
househol d member s; ( i i i ) i mpr oper l y conceal or det ai n t he
mi nor chi l d; or ( i v) ot her wi se act i n a manner t hat i s not
i n t he best i nt er est s of t he mi nor chi l d. The cour t shal l
not be l i mi t ed by t he st andar ds set f or t h i n Sect i on 607. 1
of t he I l l i noi s Mar r i age and Di ssol ut i on of Mar r i age Act .
I f t he cour t gr ant s vi si t at i on, t he or der shal l speci f y
dat es and t i mes f or t he vi si t at i on t o t ake pl ace or ot her
speci f i c par amet er s or condi t i ons t hat ar e appr opr i at e. No
or der f or vi si t at i on shal l r ef er mer el y t o t he t er m
" r easonabl e vi si t at i on" .
Pet i t i oner may deny r espondent access t o t he mi nor

chi l d i f , when r espondent ar r i ves f or vi si t at i on,
r espondent i s under t he i nf l uence of dr ugs or al cohol and
const i t ut es a t hr eat t o t he saf et y and wel l - bei ng of
pet i t i oner or pet i t i oner ' s mi nor chi l dr en or i s behavi ng i n
a vi ol ent or abusi ve manner .
I f necessar y t o pr ot ect any member of pet i t i oner ' s

f ami l y or househol d f r om f ut ur e abuse, r espondent shal l be
pr ohi bi t ed f r om comi ng t o pet i t i oner ' s r esi dence t o meet
t he mi nor chi l d f or vi si t at i on, and t he par t i es shal l
submi t t o t he cour t t hei r r ecommendat i ons f or r easonabl e
al t er nat i ve ar r angement s f or vi si t at i on. A per son may be
appr oved t o super vi se vi si t at i on onl y af t er f i l i ng an
af f i davi t accept i ng t hat r esponsi bi l i t y and acknowl edgi ng
account abi l i t y t o t he cour t .
( 8) Removal or conceal ment of mi nor chi l d. Pr ohi bi t

r espondent f r om r emovi ng a mi nor chi l d f r om t he St at e or
conceal i ng t he chi l d wi t hi n t he St at e.
( 9) Or der t o appear . Or der t he r espondent t o appear
( 9) Or der t o appear . Or der t he r espondent t o appear

i n cour t , al one or wi t h a mi nor chi l d, t o pr event abuse,
negl ect , r emoval or conceal ment of t he chi l d, t o r et ur n t he
chi l d t o t he cust ody or car e of t he pet i t i oner or t o per mi t
any cour t - or der ed i nt er vi ew or exami nat i on of t he chi l d or
t he r espondent .
( 10) Possessi on of per sonal pr oper t y. Gr ant

pet i t i oner excl usi ve possessi on of per sonal pr oper t y and,
i f r espondent has possessi on or cont r ol , di r ect r espondent
t o pr ompt l y make i t avai l abl e t o pet i t i oner , i f :
( i ) pet i t i oner , but not r espondent , owns t he
pr oper t y; or
( i i ) t he par t i es own t he pr oper t y j oi nt l y;

shar i ng i t woul d r i sk abuse of pet i t i oner by r espondent
or i s i mpr act i cabl e; and t he bal ance of har dshi ps f avor s
t empor ar y possessi on by pet i t i oner .
I f pet i t i oner ' s sol e cl ai mt o owner shi p of t he

pr oper t y i s t hat i t i s mar i t al pr oper t y, t he cour t may
awar d pet i t i oner t empor ar y possessi on t her eof under t he
st andar ds of subpar agr aph ( i i ) of t hi s par agr aph onl y i f a
pr oper pr oceedi ng has been f i l ed under t he I l l i noi s
Mar r i age and Di ssol ut i on of Mar r i age Act , as now or
her eaf t er amended.
No or der under t hi s pr ovi si on shal l af f ect t i t l e t o
pr oper t y.
( 11) Pr ot ect i on of pr oper t y. For bi d t he r espondent

f r om t aki ng, t r ansf er r i ng, encumber i ng, conceal i ng,
damagi ng or ot her wi se di sposi ng of any r eal or per sonal
pr oper t y, except as expl i ci t l y aut hor i zed by t he cour t , i f :
( i ) pet i t i oner , but not r espondent , owns t he
pr oper t y; or
( i i ) t he par t i es own t he pr oper t y j oi nt l y, and
t he bal ance of har dshi ps f avor s gr ant i ng t hi s r emedy.
I f pet i t i oner ' s sol e cl ai mt o owner shi p of t he

pr oper t y i s t hat i t i s mar i t al pr oper t y, t he cour t may
gr ant pet i t i oner r el i ef under subpar agr aph ( i i ) of t hi s
par agr aph onl y i f a pr oper pr oceedi ng has been f i l ed under
t he I l l i noi s Mar r i age and Di ssol ut i on of Mar r i age Act , as
now or her eaf t er amended.
The cour t may f ur t her pr ohi bi t r espondent f r om

i mpr oper l y usi ng t he f i nanci al or ot her r esour ces of an
aged member of t he f ami l y or househol d f or t he pr of i t or
advant age of r espondent or of any ot her per son.
( 11. 5) Pr ot ect i on of ani mal s. Gr ant t he pet i t i oner

t he excl usi ve car e, cust ody, or cont r ol of any ani mal
owned, possessed, l eased, kept , or hel d by ei t her t he
pet i t i oner or t he r espondent or a mi nor chi l d r esi di ng i n
t he r esi dence or househol d of ei t her t he pet i t i oner or t he
r espondent and or der t he r espondent t o st ay away f r om t he
ani mal and f or bi d t he r espondent f r om t aki ng, t r ansf er r i ng,
encumber i ng, conceal i ng, har mi ng, or ot her wi se di sposi ng of
t he ani mal .
( 12) Or der f or payment of suppor t . Or der r espondent
t o pay t empor ar y suppor t f or t he pet i t i oner or any chi l d i n
t he pet i t i oner ' s car e or cust ody, when t he r espondent has a
l egal obl i gat i on t o suppor t t hat per son, i n accor dance wi t h
t he I l l i noi s Mar r i age and Di ssol ut i on of Mar r i age Act ,
whi ch shal l gover n, among ot her mat t er s, t he amount of

whi ch shal l gover n, among ot her mat t er s, t he amount of
suppor t , payment t hr ough t he cl er k and wi t hhol di ng of
i ncome t o secur e payment . An or der f or chi l d suppor t may be
gr ant ed t o a pet i t i oner wi t h l awf ul physi cal car e or
cust ody of a chi l d, or an or der or agr eement f or physi cal
car e or cust ody, pr i or t o ent r y of an or der f or l egal
cust ody. Such a suppor t or der shal l expi r e upon ent r y of a
val i d or der gr ant i ng l egal cust ody t o anot her , unl ess
ot her wi se pr ovi ded i n t he cust ody or der .
( 13) Or der f or payment of l osses. Or der r espondent t o

pay pet i t i oner f or l osses suf f er ed as a di r ect r esul t of
t he abuse, negl ect , or expl oi t at i on. Such l osses shal l
i ncl ude, but not be l i mi t ed t o, medi cal expenses, l ost
ear ni ngs or ot her suppor t , r epai r or r epl acement of
pr oper t y damaged or t aken, r easonabl e at t or ney' s f ees,
cour t cost s and movi ng or ot her t r avel expenses, i ncl udi ng
addi t i onal r easonabl e expenses f or t empor ar y shel t er and
r est aur ant meal s.
( i ) Losses af f ect i ng f ami l y needs. I f a par t y i s

ent i t l ed t o seek mai nt enance, chi l d suppor t or pr oper t y
di st r i but i on f r om t he ot her par t y under t he I l l i noi s
Mar r i age and Di ssol ut i on of Mar r i age Act , as now or
her eaf t er amended, t he cour t may or der r espondent t o
r ei mbur se pet i t i oner ' s act ual l osses, t o t he ext ent t hat
such r ei mbur sement woul d be " appr opr i at e t empor ar y
r el i ef " , as aut hor i zed by subsect i on ( a) ( 3) of Sect i on
501 of t hat Act .
( i i ) Recover y of expenses. I n t he case of an

i mpr oper conceal ment or r emoval of a mi nor chi l d, t he
cour t may or der r espondent t o pay t he r easonabl e
expenses i ncur r ed or t o be i ncur r ed i n t he sear ch f or
and r ecover y of t he mi nor chi l d, i ncl udi ng but not
l i mi t ed t o l egal f ees, cour t cost s, pr i vat e i nvest i gat or
f ees, and t r avel cost s.
( 14) Pr ohi bi t i on of ent r y. Pr ohi bi t t he r espondent

f r om ent er i ng or r emai ni ng i n t he r esi dence or househol d
whi l e t he r espondent i s under t he i nf l uence of al cohol or
dr ugs and const i t ut es a t hr eat t o t he saf et y and wel l - bei ng
of t he pet i t i oner or t he pet i t i oner ' s chi l dr en.
( 14. 5) Pr ohi bi t i on of f i r ear mpossessi on.
( a) Pr ohi bi t a r espondent agai nst whoman or der

of pr ot ect i on was i ssued f r om possessi ng any f i r ear ms
dur i ng t he dur at i on of t he or der i f t he or der :
( 1) was i ssued af t er a hear i ng of whi ch such

per son r ecei ved act ual not i ce, and at whi ch such
per son had an oppor t uni t y t o par t i ci pat e;
( 2) r est r ai ns such per son f r omhar assi ng,

st al ki ng, or t hr eat eni ng an i nt i mat e par t ner of such
per son or chi l d of such i nt i mat e par t ner or per son,
or engagi ng i n ot her conduct t hat woul d pl ace an
i nt i mat e par t ner i n r easonabl e f ear of bodi l y i nj ur y
t o t he par t ner or chi l d; and
( 3) ( i ) i ncl udes a f i ndi ng t hat such per son

r epr esent s a cr edi bl e t hr eat t o t he physi cal saf et y
of such i nt i mat e par t ner or chi l d; or ( i i ) by i t s
t er ms expl i ci t l y pr ohi bi t s t he use, at t empt ed use,
or t hr eat ened use of physi cal f or ce agai nst such
or t hr eat ened use of physi cal f or ce agai nst such
i nt i mat e par t ner or chi l d t hat woul d r easonabl y be
expect ed t o cause bodi l y i nj ur y.
Any Fi r ear mOwner ' s I dent i f i cat i on Car d i n t he

possessi on of t he r espondent , except as pr ovi ded i n
subsect i on ( b) , shal l be or der ed by t he cour t t o be
t ur ned over t o t he l ocal l aw enf or cement agency. The
l ocal l aw enf or cement agency shal l i mmedi at el y mai l t he
car d t o t he Depar t ment of St at e Pol i ce Fi r ear m Owner ' s
I dent i f i cat i on Car d Of f i ce f or saf ekeepi ng. The cour t
shal l i ssue a war r ant f or sei zur e of any f i r ear mi n t he
possessi on of t he r espondent , t o be kept by t he l ocal
l aw enf or cement agency f or saf ekeepi ng, except as
pr ovi ded i n subsect i on ( b) . The per i od of saf ekeepi ng
shal l be f or t he dur at i on of t he or der of pr ot ect i on.
The f i r ear m or f i r ear ms and Fi r ear m Owner ' s
I dent i f i cat i on Car d, i f unexpi r ed, shal l at t he
r espondent ' s r equest , be r et ur ned t o t he r espondent at
t he end of t he or der of pr ot ect i on. I t i s t he
r espondent ' s r esponsi bi l i t y t o not i f y t he Depar t ment of
St at e Pol i ce Fi r ear mOwner ' s I dent i f i cat i on Car d Of f i ce.
( b) I f t he r espondent i s a peace of f i cer as

def i ned i n Sect i on 2- 13 of t he Cr i mi nal Code of 1961,
t he cour t shal l or der t hat any f i r ear ms used by t he
r espondent i n t he per f or mance of hi s or her dut i es as a
peace of f i cer be sur r ender ed t o t he chi ef l aw
enf or cement execut i ve of t he agency i n whi ch t he
r espondent i s empl oyed, who shal l r et ai n t he f i r ear ms
f or saf ekeepi ng f or t he dur at i on of t he or der of
pr ot ect i on.
( c) Upon expi r at i on of t he per i od of

saf ekeepi ng, i f t he f i r ear ms or Fi r ear m Owner ' s
I dent i f i cat i on Car d cannot be r et ur ned t o r espondent
because r espondent cannot be l ocat ed, f ai l s t o r espond
t o r equest s t o r et r i eve t he f i r ear ms, or i s not l awf ul l y
el i gi bl e t o possess a f i r ear m, upon pet i t i on f r om t he
l ocal l aw enf or cement agency, t he cour t may or der t he
l ocal l aw enf or cement agency t o dest r oy t he f i r ear ms,
use t he f i r ear ms f or t r ai ni ng pur poses, or f or any ot her
appl i cat i on as deemed appr opr i at e by t he l ocal l aw
enf or cement agency; or t hat t he f i r ear ms be t ur ned over
t o a t hi r d par t y who i s l awf ul l y el i gi bl e t o possess
f i r ear ms, and who does not r esi de wi t h r espondent .
( 15) Pr ohi bi t i on of access t o r ecor ds. I f an or der

of pr ot ect i on pr ohi bi t s r espondent f r om havi ng cont act wi t h
t he mi nor chi l d, or i f pet i t i oner ' s addr ess i s omi t t ed
under subsect i on ( b) of Sect i on 203, or i f necessar y t o
pr event abuse or wr ongf ul r emoval or conceal ment of a mi nor
chi l d, t he or der shal l deny r espondent access t o, and
pr ohi bi t r espondent f r om i nspect i ng, obt ai ni ng, or
at t empt i ng t o i nspect or obt ai n, school or any ot her
r ecor ds of t he mi nor chi l d who i s i n t he car e of
pet i t i oner .
( 16) Or der f or payment of shel t er ser vi ces. Or der

r espondent t o r ei mbur se a shel t er pr ovi di ng t empor ar y
housi ng and counsel i ng ser vi ces t o t he pet i t i oner f or t he
cost of t he ser vi ces, as cer t i f i ed by t he shel t er and
deemed r easonabl e by t he cour t .
deemed r easonabl e by t he cour t .
( 17) Or der f or i nj unct i ve r el i ef . Ent er i nj unct i ve

r el i ef necessar y or appr opr i at e t o pr event f ur t her abuse of
a f ami l y or househol d member or f ur t her abuse, negl ect , or
expl oi t at i on of a hi gh- r i sk adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es or t o
ef f ect uat e one of t he gr ant ed r emedi es, i f suppor t ed by t he
bal ance of har dshi ps. I f t he har m t o be pr event ed by t he
i nj unct i on i s abuse or any ot her har m t hat one of t he
r emedi es l i st ed i n par agr aphs ( 1) t hr ough ( 16) of t hi s
subsect i on i s desi gned t o pr event , no f ur t her evi dence i s
necessar y t hat t he har mi s an i r r epar abl e i nj ur y.
( c) Rel evant f act or s; f i ndi ngs.
( 1) I n det er mi ni ng whet her t o gr ant a speci f i c

r emedy, ot her t han payment of suppor t , t he cour t shal l
consi der r el evant f act or s, i ncl udi ng but not l i mi t ed t o t he
f ol l owi ng:
( i ) t he nat ur e, f r equency, sever i t y, pat t er n and

consequences of t he r espondent ' s past abuse, negl ect or
expl oi t at i on of t he pet i t i oner or any f ami l y or
househol d member , i ncl udi ng t he conceal ment of hi s or
her l ocat i on i n or der t o evade ser vi ce of pr ocess or
not i ce, and t he l i kel i hood of danger of f ut ur e abuse,
negl ect , or expl oi t at i on t o pet i t i oner or any member of
pet i t i oner ' s or r espondent ' s f ami l y or househol d; and
( i i ) t he danger t hat any mi nor chi l d wi l l be

abused or negl ect ed or i mpr oper l y r emoved f r om t he
j ur i sdi ct i on, i mpr oper l y conceal ed wi t hi n t he St at e or
i mpr oper l y separ at ed f r omt he chi l d' s pr i mar y car et aker .
( 2) I n compar i ng r el at i ve har dshi ps r esul t i ng t o t he

par t i es f r om l oss of possessi on of t he f ami l y home, t he
cour t shal l consi der r el evant f act or s, i ncl udi ng but not
l i mi t ed t o t he f ol l owi ng:
( i ) avai l abi l i t y, accessi bi l i t y, cost , saf et y,

adequacy, l ocat i on and ot her char act er i st i cs of
al t er nat e housi ng f or each par t y and any mi nor chi l d or
dependent adul t i n t he par t y' s car e;
( i i ) t he ef f ect on t he par t y' s empl oyment ; and
( i i i ) t he ef f ect on t he r el at i onshi p of t he

par t y, and any mi nor chi l d or dependent adul t i n t he
par t y' s car e, t o f ami l y, school , chur ch and communi t y.
( 3) Subj ect t o t he except i ons set f or t h i n par agr aph

( 4) of t hi s subsect i on, t he cour t shal l make i t s f i ndi ngs
i n an of f i ci al r ecor d or i n wr i t i ng, and shal l at a mi ni mum
set f or t h t he f ol l owi ng:
( i ) That t he cour t has consi der ed t he appl i cabl e

r el evant f act or s descr i bed i n par agr aphs ( 1) and ( 2) of
t hi s subsect i on.
( i i ) Whet her t he conduct or act i ons of

r espondent , unl ess pr ohi bi t ed, wi l l l i kel y cause
i r r epar abl e har mor cont i nued abuse.
( i i i ) Whet her i t i s necessar y t o gr ant t he

r equest ed r el i ef i n or der t o pr ot ect pet i t i oner or ot her
al l eged abused per sons.
( 4) For pur poses of i ssui ng an ex par t e emer gency

or der of pr ot ect i on, t he cour t , as an al t er nat i ve t o or as
a suppl ement t o maki ng t he f i ndi ngs descr i bed i n par agr aphs
( c) ( 3) ( i ) t hr ough ( c) ( 3) ( i i i ) of t hi s subsect i on, may use
( c) ( 3) ( i ) t hr ough ( c) ( 3) ( i i i ) of t hi s subsect i on, may use
t he f ol l owi ng pr ocedur e:
When a ver i f i ed pet i t i on f or an emer gency or der of

pr ot ect i on i n accor dance wi t h t he r equi r ement s of Sect i ons
203 and 217 i s pr esent ed t o t he cour t , t he cour t shal l
exami ne pet i t i oner on oat h or af f i r mat i on. An emer gency
or der of pr ot ect i on shal l be i ssued by t he cour t i f i t
appear s f r om t he cont ent s of t he pet i t i on and t he
exami nat i on of pet i t i oner t hat t he aver ment s ar e suf f i ci ent
t o i ndi cat e abuse by r espondent and t o suppor t t he gr ant i ng
of r el i ef under t he i ssuance of t he emer gency or der of
pr ot ect i on.
( 5) Never mar r i ed par t i es. No r i ght s or

r esponsi bi l i t i es f or a mi nor chi l d bor n out si de of mar r i age
at t ach t o a put at i ve f at her unt i l a f at her and chi l d
r el at i onshi p has been est abl i shed under t he I l l i noi s
Par ent age Act of 1984, t he I l l i noi s Publ i c Ai d Code,
Sect i on 12 of t he Vi t al Recor ds Act , t he J uveni l e Cour t Act
of 1987, t he Pr obat e Act of 1985, t he Revi sed Uni f or m
Reci pr ocal Enf or cement of Suppor t Act , t he Uni f or m
I nt er st at e Fami l y Suppor t Act , t he Expedi t ed Chi l d Suppor t
Act of 1990, any j udi ci al , admi ni st r at i ve, or ot her act of
anot her st at e or t er r i t or y, any ot her I l l i noi s st at ut e, or
by any f or ei gn nat i on est abl i shi ng t he f at her and chi l d
r el at i onshi p, any ot her pr oceedi ng subst ant i al l y i n
conf or mi t y wi t h t he Per sonal Responsi bi l i t y and Wor k
Oppor t uni t y Reconci l i at i on Act of 1996 ( Pub. L. 104- 193) ,
or wher e bot h par t i es appear ed i n open cour t or at an
admi ni st r at i ve hear i ng acknowl edgi ng under oat h or
admi t t i ng by af f i r mat i on t he exi st ence of a f at her and
chi l d r el at i onshi p. Absent such an adj udi cat i on, f i ndi ng,
or acknowl edgement , no put at i ve f at her shal l be gr ant ed
t empor ar y cust ody of t he mi nor chi l d, vi si t at i on wi t h t he
mi nor chi l d, or physi cal car e and possessi on of t he mi nor
chi l d, nor shal l an or der of payment f or suppor t of t he
mi nor chi l d be ent er ed.
( d) Bal ance of har dshi ps; f i ndi ngs. I f t he cour t f i nds t hat
t he bal ance of har dshi ps does not suppor t t he gr ant i ng of a
r emedy gover ned by par agr aph ( 2) , ( 3) , ( 10) , ( 11) , or ( 16) of
subsect i on ( b) of t hi s Sect i on, whi ch may r equi r e such
bal anci ng, t he cour t ' s f i ndi ngs shal l so i ndi cat e and shal l
i ncl ude a f i ndi ng as t o whet her gr ant i ng t he r emedy wi l l r esul t
i n har dshi p t o r espondent t hat woul d subst ant i al l y out wei gh t he
har dshi p t o pet i t i oner f r om deni al of t he r emedy. The f i ndi ngs
shal l be an of f i ci al r ecor d or i n wr i t i ng.
( e) Deni al of r emedi es. Deni al of any r emedy shal l not be
based, i n whol e or i n par t , on evi dence t hat :
( 1) Respondent has cause f or any use of f or ce, unl ess

t hat cause sat i sf i es t he st andar ds f or j ust i f i abl e use of
f or ce pr ovi ded by Ar t i cl e VI I of t he Cr i mi nal Code of 1961;
( 2) Respondent was vol unt ar i l y i nt oxi cat ed;
( 3) Pet i t i oner act ed i n sel f - def ense or def ense of

anot her , pr ovi ded t hat , i f pet i t i oner ut i l i zed f or ce, such
f or ce was j ust i f i abl e under Ar t i cl e VI I of t he Cr i mi nal
Code of 1961;
( 4) Pet i t i oner di d not act i n sel f - def ense or def ense
of anot her ;
( 5) Pet i t i oner l ef t t he r esi dence or househol d t o
( 5) Pet i t i oner l ef t t he r esi dence or househol d t o

avoi d f ur t her abuse, negl ect , or expl oi t at i on by
r espondent ;
( 6) Pet i t i oner di d not l eave t he r esi dence or

househol d t o avoi d f ur t her abuse, negl ect , or expl oi t at i on
by r espondent ;
( 7) Conduct by any f ami l y or househol d member excused

t he abuse, negl ect , or expl oi t at i on by r espondent , unl ess
t hat same conduct woul d have excused such abuse, negl ect ,
or expl oi t at i on i f t he par t i es had not been f ami l y or
househol d member s.
( Sour ce: P. A. 96- 701, ef f . 1- 1- 10; 96- 1239, ef f . 1- 1- 11; 97- 158,
ef f . 1- 1- 12; 97- 294, ef f . 1- 1- 12; 97- 813, ef f . 7- 13- 12; 97- 1131,
ef f . 1- 1- 13. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 215) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 15)
Sec. 215. Mut ual or der s of pr ot ect i on; cor r el at i ve separ at e or der s.
Mut ual or der s of pr ot ect i on ar e pr ohi bi t ed. Cor r el at i ve separ at e or der s of
pr ot ect i on under mi ne t he pur poses of t hi s Act and ar e pr ohi bi t ed unl ess bot h
par t i es have pr oper l y f i l ed wr i t t en pl eadi ngs, pr oved past abuse by t he
ot her par t y, gi ven pr i or wr i t t en not i ce t o t he ot her par t y unl ess excused
under Sect i on 217, sat i sf i ed al l pr er equi si t es f or t he t ype of or der and
each r emedy gr ant ed, and ot her wi se compl i ed wi t h t hi s Act . I n t hese cases,
t he cour t shal l hear r el evant evi dence, make f i ndi ngs, and i ssue separ at e
or der s i n accor dance wi t h Sect i ons 214 and 221. The f act t hat cor r el at i ve
separ at e or der s ar e i ssued shal l not be a suf f i ci ent basi s t o deny any
r emedy t o pet i t i oner or t o pr ove t hat t he par t i es ar e equal l y at f aul t or
equal l y endanger ed.
( Sour ce: P. A. 87- 1186. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 216) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 16)
Sec. 216. Account abi l i t y f or Act i ons of Ot her s. For t he pur poses of
i ssui ng an or der of pr ot ect i on, deci di ng what r emedi es shoul d be i ncl uded
and enf or ci ng t he or der , Ar t i cl e 5 of t he Cr i mi nal Code of 1961 shal l gover n
whet her r espondent i s l egal l y account abl e f or t he conduct of anot her per son.
( Sour ce: P. A. 84- 1305. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 217) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 17)
Sec. 217. Emer gency or der of pr ot ect i on.
( a) Pr er equi si t es. An emer gency or der of pr ot ect i on shal l i ssue i f
pet i t i oner sat i sf i es t he r equi r ement s of t hi s subsect i on f or one or mor e of
t he r equest ed r emedi es. For each r emedy r equest ed, pet i t i oner shal l
est abl i sh t hat :
( 1) The cour t has j ur i sdi ct i on under Sect i on 208;
( 2) The r equi r ement s of Sect i on 214 ar e sat i sf i ed; and
( 3) Ther e i s good cause t o gr ant t he r emedy,

r egar dl ess of pr i or ser vi ce of pr ocess or of not i ce upon
t he r espondent , because:
( i ) For t he r emedi es of " pr ohi bi t i on of abuse"
descr i bed i n Sect i on 214( b) ( 1) , " st ay away or der and
addi t i onal pr ohi bi t i ons" descr i bed i n Sect i on 214( b) ( 3) ,
" r emoval or conceal ment of mi nor chi l d" descr i bed i n
Sect i on 214( b) ( 8) , " or der t o appear " descr i bed i n
Sect i on 214( b) ( 9) , " physi cal car e and possessi on of t he
mi nor chi l d" descr i bed i n Sect i on 214( b) ( 5) , " pr ot ect i on

mi nor chi l d" descr i bed i n Sect i on 214( b) ( 5) , " pr ot ect i on
of pr oper t y" descr i bed i n Sect i on 214( b) ( 11) ,
" pr ohi bi t i on of ent r y" descr i bed i n Sect i on 214( b) ( 14) ,
" pr ohi bi t i on of f i r ear mpossessi on" descr i bed i n Sect i on
214( b) ( 14. 5) , " pr ohi bi t i on of access t o r ecor ds"
descr i bed i n Sect i on 214( b) ( 15) , and " i nj unct i ve r el i ef "
descr i bed i n Sect i on 214( b) ( 16) , t he har m whi ch t hat
r emedy i s i nt ended t o pr event woul d be l i kel y t o occur
i f t he r espondent wer e gi ven any pr i or not i ce, or
gr eat er not i ce t han was act ual l y gi ven, of t he
pet i t i oner ' s ef f or t s t o obt ai n j udi ci al r el i ef ;
( i i ) For t he r emedy of " gr ant of excl usi ve

possessi on of r esi dence" descr i bed i n Sect i on 214( b) ( 2) ,
t he i mmedi at e danger of f ur t her abuse of pet i t i oner by
r espondent , i f pet i t i oner chooses or had chosen t o
r emai n i n t he r esi dence or househol d whi l e r espondent
was gi ven any pr i or not i ce or gr eat er not i ce t han was
act ual l y gi ven of pet i t i oner ' s ef f or t s t o obt ai n
j udi ci al r el i ef , out wei ghs t he har dshi ps t o r espondent
of an emer gency or der gr ant i ng pet i t i oner excl usi ve
possessi on of t he r esi dence or househol d. Thi s r emedy
shal l not be deni ed because pet i t i oner has or coul d
obt ai n t empor ar y shel t er el sewher e whi l e pr i or not i ce i s
gi ven t o r espondent , unl ess t he har dshi ps t o r espondent
f r om excl usi on f r om t he home subst ant i al l y out wei gh
t hose t o pet i t i oner ;
( i i i ) For t he r emedy of " possessi on of per sonal

pr oper t y" descr i bed i n Sect i on 214( b) ( 10) , i mpr oper
di sposi t i on of t he per sonal pr oper t y woul d be l i kel y t o
occur i f r espondent wer e gi ven any pr i or not i ce, or
gr eat er not i ce t han was act ual l y gi ven, of pet i t i oner ' s
ef f or t s t o obt ai n j udi ci al r el i ef , or pet i t i oner has an
i mmedi at e and pr essi ng need f or possessi on of t hat
pr oper t y.
An emer gency or der may not i ncl ude t he counsel i ng, l egal
cust ody, payment of suppor t or monet ar y compensat i on r emedi es.
( b) Appear ance by r espondent . I f r espondent appear s i n cour t
f or t hi s hear i ng f or an emer gency or der , he or she may el ect t o
f i l e a gener al appear ance and t est i f y. Any r esul t i ng or der may
be an emer gency or der , gover ned by t hi s Sect i on. Not wi t hst andi ng
t he r equi r ement s of t hi s Sect i on, i f al l r equi r ement s of Sect i on
218 have been met , t he cour t may i ssue a 30- day i nt er i mor der .
( c) Emer gency or der s: cour t hol i days and eveni ngs.
( 1) Pr er equi si t es. When t he cour t i s unavai l abl e at

t he cl ose of busi ness, t he pet i t i oner may f i l e a pet i t i on
f or a 21- day emer gency or der bef or e any avai l abl e ci r cui t
j udge or associ at e j udge who may gr ant r el i ef under t hi s
Act . I f t he j udge f i nds t hat t her e i s an i mmedi at e and
pr esent danger of abuse t o pet i t i oner and t hat pet i t i oner
has sat i sf i ed t he pr er equi si t es set f or t h i n subsect i on ( a)
of Sect i on 217, t hat j udge may i ssue an emer gency or der of
pr ot ect i on.
( 1. 5) I ssuance of or der . The chi ef j udge of t he

ci r cui t cour t may desi gnat e f or each count y i n t he ci r cui t
at l east one j udge t o be r easonabl y avai l abl e t o i ssue
or al l y, by t el ephone, by f acsi mi l e, or ot her wi se, an
emer gency or der of pr ot ect i on at al l t i mes, whet her or not
t he cour t i s i n sessi on.
t he cour t i s i n sessi on.
( 2) Cer t i f i cat i on and t r ansf er . The j udge who i ssued

t he or der under t hi s Sect i on shal l pr ompt l y communi cat e or
convey t he or der t o t he sher i f f t o f aci l i t at e t he ent r y of
t he or der i nt o t he Law Enf or cement Agenci es Dat a Syst em by
t he Depar t ment of St at e Pol i ce pur suant t o Sect i on 302. Any
or der i ssued under t hi s Sect i on and any document at i on i n
suppor t t her eof shal l be cer t i f i ed on t he next cour t day t o
t he appr opr i at e cour t . The cl er k of t hat cour t shal l
i mmedi at el y assi gn a case number , f i l e t he pet i t i on, or der
and ot her document s wi t h t he cour t , and ent er t he or der of
r ecor d and f i l e i t wi t h t he sher i f f f or ser vi ce, i n
accor dance wi t h Sect i on 222. Fi l i ng t he pet i t i on shal l
commence pr oceedi ngs f or f ur t her r el i ef under Sect i on 202.
Fai l ur e t o compl y wi t h t he r equi r ement s of t hi s subsect i on
shal l not af f ect t he val i di t y of t he or der .
( Sour ce: P. A. 96- 701, ef f . 1- 1- 10; 96- 1241, ef f . 1- 1- 11. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 218) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 18)
Sec. 218. 30- Day i nt er i mor der of pr ot ect i on.
( a) Pr er equi si t es. An i nt er i m or der of pr ot ect i on shal l i ssue i f
pet i t i oner has ser ved not i ce of t he hear i ng f or t hat or der on r espondent , i n
accor dance wi t h Sect i on 211, and sat i sf i es t he r equi r ement s of t hi s
subsect i on f or one or mor e of t he r equest ed r emedi es. For each r emedy
r equest ed, pet i t i oner shal l est abl i sh t hat :
( 1) The cour t has j ur i sdi ct i on under Sect i on 208;
( 2) The r equi r ement s of Sect i on 214 ar e sat i sf i ed;
and
( 3) A gener al appear ance was made or f i l ed by or f or

r espondent ; or pr ocess was ser ved on r espondent i n t he
manner r equi r ed by Sect i on 210; or t he pet i t i oner i s
di l i gent l y at t empt i ng t o compl et e t he r equi r ed ser vi ce of
pr ocess.
An i nt er i mor der may not i ncl ude t he counsel i ng, payment of
suppor t or monet ar y compensat i on r emedi es, unl ess t he r espondent
has f i l ed a gener al appear ance or has been per sonal l y ser ved.
( b) Appear ance by r espondent . I f r espondent appear s i n cour t
f or t hi s hear i ng f or an i nt er i m or der , he or she may el ect t o
f i l e a gener al appear ance and t est i f y. Any r esul t i ng or der may
be an i nt er i m or der , gover ned by t hi s Sect i on. Not wi t hst andi ng
t he r equi r ement s of t hi s Sect i on, i f al l r equi r ement s of Sect i on
219 have been met , t he Cour t may i ssue a pl enar y or der of
pr ot ect i on.
( Sour ce: P. A. 87- 1186. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 219) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 19)
Sec. 219. Pl enar y or der of pr ot ect i on. A pl enar y or der of pr ot ect i on
shal l i ssue i f pet i t i oner has ser ved not i ce of t he hear i ng f or t hat or der on
r espondent , i n accor dance wi t h Sect i on 211, and sat i sf i es t he r equi r ement s
of t hi s Sect i on f or one or mor e of t he r equest ed r emedi es. For each r emedy
r equest ed, pet i t i oner must est abl i sh t hat :
( 1) t he cour t has j ur i sdi ct i on under Sect i on 208;
( 2) t he r equi r ement s of Sect i on 214 ar e sat i sf i ed;
( 3) a gener al appear ance was made or f i l ed by or f or

r espondent or pr ocess was ser ved on r espondent i n t he

r espondent or pr ocess was ser ved on r espondent i n t he
manner r equi r ed by Sect i on 210; and
( 4) r espondent has answer ed or i s i n def aul t .
( Sour ce: P. A. 95- 331, ef f . 8- 21- 07. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 220) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 20)
Sec. 220. Dur at i on and ext ensi on of or der s.
( a) Dur at i on of emer gency and i nt er i m or der s. Unl ess r e- opened or
ext ended or voi ded by ent r y of an or der of gr eat er dur at i on:
( 1) Emer gency or der s i ssued under Sect i on 217 shal l
be ef f ect i ve f or not l ess t han 14 nor mor e t han 21 days;
( 2) I nt er i mor der s shal l be ef f ect i ve f or up t o 30
days.
( b) Dur at i on of pl enar y or der s. Except as ot her wi se pr ovi ded
i n t hi s Sect i on, a pl enar y or der of pr ot ect i on shal l be val i d
f or a f i xed per i od of t i me, not t o exceed t wo year s.
( 1) A pl enar y or der of pr ot ect i on ent er ed i n

conj unct i on wi t h anot her ci vi l pr oceedi ng shal l r emai n i n
ef f ect as f ol l ows:
( i ) i f ent er ed as pr el i mi nar y r el i ef i n t hat

ot her pr oceedi ng, unt i l ent r y of f i nal j udgment i n t hat
ot her pr oceedi ng;
( i i ) i f i ncor por at ed i nt o t he f i nal j udgment i n

t hat ot her pr oceedi ng, unt i l t he or der of pr ot ect i on i s
vacat ed or modi f i ed; or
( i i i ) i f i ncor por at ed i n an or der f or i nvol unt ar y

commi t ment , unt i l t er mi nat i on of bot h t he i nvol unt ar y
commi t ment and any vol unt ar y commi t ment , or f or a f i xed
per i od of t i me not exceedi ng 2 year s.
( 2) A pl enar y or der of pr ot ect i on ent er ed i n

conj unct i on wi t h a cr i mi nal pr osecut i on shal l r emai n i n
ef f ect as f ol l ows:
( i ) i f ent er ed dur i ng pr e- t r i al r el ease, unt i l

di sposi t i on, wi t hdr awal , or di smi ssal of t he under l yi ng
char ge; i f , however , t he case i s cont i nued as an
i ndependent cause of act i on, t he or der ' s dur at i on may be
f or a f i xed per i od of t i me not t o exceed 2 year s;
( i i ) i f i n ef f ect i n conj unct i on wi t h a bond

f or f ei t ur e war r ant , unt i l f i nal di sposi t i on or an
addi t i onal per i od of t i me not exceedi ng 2 year s; no
or der of pr ot ect i on, however , shal l be t er mi nat ed by a
di smi ssal t hat i s accompani ed by t he i ssuance of a bond
f or f ei t ur e war r ant ;
( i i i ) unt i l expi r at i on of any super vi si on,

condi t i onal di schar ge, pr obat i on, per i odi c i mpr i sonment ,
par ol e or mandat or y super vi sed r el ease and f or an
addi t i onal per i od of t i me t her eaf t er not exceedi ng 2
year s; or
( i v) unt i l t he dat e set by t he cour t f or

expi r at i on of any sent ence of i mpr i sonment and
subsequent par ol e or mandat or y super vi sed r el ease and
f or an addi t i onal per i od of t i me t her eaf t er not
exceedi ng 2 year s.
( c) Comput at i on of t i me. The dur at i on of an or der of
pr ot ect i on shal l not be r educed by t he dur at i on of any pr i or
or der of pr ot ect i on.
( d) Law enf or cement r ecor ds. When a pl enar y or der of
( d) Law enf or cement r ecor ds. When a pl enar y or der of
pr ot ect i on expi r es upon t he occur r ence of a speci f i ed event ,
r at her t han upon a speci f i ed dat e as pr ovi ded i n subsect i on ( b) ,
no expi r at i on dat e shal l be ent er ed i n Depar t ment of St at e
Pol i ce r ecor ds. To r emove t he pl enar y or der f r om t hose r ecor ds,
ei t her par t y shal l r equest t he cl er k of t he cour t t o f i l e a
cer t i f i ed copy of an or der st at i ng t hat t he speci f i ed event has
occur r ed or t hat t he pl enar y or der has been vacat ed or modi f i ed
wi t h t he Sher i f f , and t he Sher i f f shal l di r ect t hat l aw
enf or cement r ecor ds shal l be pr ompt l y cor r ect ed i n accor dance
wi t h t he f i l ed or der .
( e) Ext ensi on of or der s. Any emer gency, i nt er i m or pl enar y
or der may be ext ended one or mor e t i mes, as r equi r ed, pr ovi ded
t hat t he r equi r ement s of Sect i on 217, 218 or 219, as
appr opr i at e, ar e sat i sf i ed. I f t he mot i on f or ext ensi on i s
uncont est ed and pet i t i oner seeks no modi f i cat i on of t he or der ,
t he or der may be ext ended on t he basi s of pet i t i oner ' s mot i on or
af f i davi t st at i ng t hat t her e has been no mat er i al change i n
r el evant ci r cumst ances si nce ent r y of t he or der and st at i ng t he
r eason f or t he r equest ed ext ensi on. An ext ensi on of a pl enar y
or der of pr ot ect i on may be gr ant ed, upon good cause shown, t o
r emai n i n ef f ect unt i l t he or der of pr ot ect i on i s vacat ed or
modi f i ed. Ext ensi ons may be gr ant ed onl y i n open cour t and not
under t he pr ovi si ons of subsect i on ( c) of Sect i on 217, whi ch
appl i es onl y when t he cour t i s unavai l abl e at t he cl ose of
busi ness or on a cour t hol i day.
( f ) Ter mi nat i on dat e. Any or der of pr ot ect i on whi ch woul d
expi r e on a cour t hol i day shal l i nst ead expi r e at t he cl ose of
t he next cour t busi ness day.
( g) St at ement of pur pose. The pr act i ce of di smi ssi ng or
suspendi ng a cr i mi nal pr osecut i on i n exchange f or t he i ssuance
of an or der of pr ot ect i on under mi nes t he pur poses of t hi s Act .
Thi s Sect i on shal l not be const r ued as encour agi ng t hat
pr act i ce.
( Sour ce: P. A. 95- 886, ef f . 1- 1- 09. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 221) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 21)
Sec. 221. Cont ent s of or der s.
( a) Any or der of pr ot ect i on shal l descr i be t he f ol l owi ng:
( 1) Each r emedy gr ant ed by t he cour t , i n r easonabl e

det ai l and not by r ef er ence t o any ot her document , so t hat
r espondent may cl ear l y under st and what he or she must do or
r ef r ai n f r om doi ng. Pr e- pr i nt ed f or m or der s of pr ot ect i on
shal l i ncl ude t he def i ni t i ons of t he t ypes of abuse,
negl ect , and expl oi t at i on, as pr ovi ded i n Sect i on 103.
Remedi es set f or t h i n pr e- pr i nt ed f or m or der s shal l be
number ed consi st ent l y wi t h and cor r espondi ng t o t he
numer i cal sequence of r emedi es l i st ed i n Sect i on 214 ( at
l east as of t he dat e t he f or mor der s ar e pr i nt ed) .
( 2) The r eason f or deni al of pet i t i oner ' s r equest f or
any r emedy l i st ed i n Sect i on 214.
( b) An or der of pr ot ect i on shal l f ur t her st at e t he
f ol l owi ng:
( 1) The name of each pet i t i oner t hat t he cour t f i nds

was abused, negl ect ed, or expl oi t ed by r espondent , and t hat
r espondent i s a member of t he f ami l y or househol d of each
such pet i t i oner , and t he name of each ot her per son
such pet i t i oner , and t he name of each ot her per son
pr ot ect ed by t he or der and t hat such per son i s pr ot ect ed by
t hi s Act .
( 2) For any r emedy r equest ed by pet i t i oner on whi ch

t he cour t has decl i ned t o r ul e, t hat t hat r emedy i s
r eser ved.
( 3) The dat e and t i me t he or der of pr ot ect i on was

i ssued, whet her i t i s an emer gency, i nt er i m or pl enar y
or der and t he dur at i on of t he or der .
( 4) The dat e, t i me and pl ace f or any schedul ed

hear i ng f or ext ensi on of t hat or der of pr ot ect i on or f or
anot her or der of gr eat er dur at i on or scope.
( 5) For each r emedy i n an emer gency or der of

pr ot ect i on, t he r eason f or ent er i ng t hat r emedy wi t hout
pr i or not i ce t o r espondent or gr eat er not i ce t han was
act ual l y gi ven.
( 6) For emer gency and i nt er i mor der s of pr ot ect i on,

t hat r espondent may pet i t i on t he cour t , i n accor dance wi t h
Sect i on 224, t o r e- open t hat or der i f he or she di d not
r ecei ve act ual pr i or not i ce of t he hear i ng, i n accor dance
wi t h Sect i on 211, and al l eges t hat he or she had a
mer i t or i ous def ense t o t he or der or t hat t he or der or any
of i t s r emedi es was not aut hor i zed by t hi s Act .
( c) Any or der of pr ot ect i on shal l i ncl ude t he f ol l owi ng
not i ce, pr i nt ed i n conspi cuous t ype: " Any knowi ng vi ol at i on of
an or der of pr ot ect i on f or bi ddi ng physi cal abuse, negl ect ,
expl oi t at i on, har assment , i nt i mi dat i on, i nt er f er ence wi t h
per sonal l i ber t y, wi l l f ul depr i vat i on, or ent er i ng or r emai ni ng
pr esent at speci f i ed pl aces when t he pr ot ect ed per son i s
pr esent , or gr ant i ng excl usi ve possessi on of t he r esi dence or
househol d, or gr ant i ng a st ay away or der i s a Cl ass A
mi sdemeanor . Gr ant of excl usi ve possessi on of t he r esi dence or
househol d shal l const i t ut e not i ce f or bi ddi ng t r espass t o l and.
Any knowi ng vi ol at i on of an or der awar di ng l egal cust ody or
physi cal car e of a chi l d or pr ohi bi t i ng r emoval or conceal ment
of a chi l d may be a Cl ass 4 f el ony. Any wi l l f ul vi ol at i on of any
or der i s cont empt of cour t . Any vi ol at i on may r esul t i n f i ne or
i mpr i sonment . "
( d) An emer gency or der of pr ot ect i on shal l st at e, " Thi s
Or der of Pr ot ect i on i s enf or ceabl e, even wi t hout r egi st r at i on,
i n al l 50 st at es, t he Di st r i ct of Col umbi a, t r i bal l ands, and
t he U. S. t er r i t or i es pur suant t o t he Vi ol ence Agai nst Women Act
( 18 U. S. C. 2265) . Vi ol at i ng t hi s Or der of Pr ot ect i on may subj ect
t he r espondent t o f eder al char ges and puni shment ( 18 U. S. C.
2261- 2262) . "
( e) An i nt er i m or pl enar y or der of pr ot ect i on shal l st at e,
" Thi s Or der of Pr ot ect i on i s enf or ceabl e, even wi t hout
r egi st r at i on, i n al l 50 st at es, t he Di st r i ct of Col umbi a, t r i bal
l ands, and t he U. S. t er r i t or i es pur suant t o t he Vi ol ence Agai nst
Women Act ( 18 U. S. C. 2265) . Vi ol at i ng t hi s Or der of Pr ot ect i on
may subj ect t he r espondent t o f eder al char ges and puni shment ( 18
U. S. C. 2261- 2262) . The r espondent may be subj ect t o f eder al
cr i mi nal penal t i es f or possessi ng, t r anspor t i ng, shi ppi ng, or
r ecei vi ng any f i r ear m or ammuni t i on under t he Gun Cont r ol Act
( 18 U. S. C. 922( g) ( 8) and ( 9) ) . "
( Sour ce: P. A. 93- 944, ef f . 1- 1- 05. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 222) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 22)
Sec. 222. Not i ce of or der s.
( a) Ent r y and i ssuance. Upon i ssuance of any or der of pr ot ect i on, t he
cl er k shal l i mmedi at el y, or on t he next cour t day i f an emer gency or der i s
i ssued i n accor dance wi t h subsect i on ( c) of Sect i on 217, ( i ) ent er t he or der
on t he r ecor d and f i l e i t i n accor dance wi t h t he ci r cui t cour t pr ocedur es
and ( i i ) pr ovi de a f i l e st amped copy of t he or der t o r espondent , i f pr esent ,
and t o pet i t i oner .
( b) Fi l i ng wi t h sher i f f . The cl er k of t he i ssui ng j udge shal l , or t he
pet i t i oner may, on t he same day t hat an or der of pr ot ect i on i s i ssued, f i l e
a cer t i f i ed copy of t hat or der wi t h t he sher i f f or ot her l aw enf or cement
of f i ci al s char ged wi t h mai nt ai ni ng Depar t ment of St at e Pol i ce r ecor ds or
char ged wi t h ser vi ng t he or der upon r espondent . I f t he or der was i ssued i n
accor dance wi t h subsect i on ( c) of Sect i on 217, t he cl er k shal l on t he next
cour t day, f i l e a cer t i f i ed copy of t he or der wi t h t he Sher i f f or ot her l aw
enf or cement of f i ci al s char ged wi t h mai nt ai ni ng Depar t ment of St at e Pol i ce
r ecor ds. I f t he r espondent , at t he t i me of t he i ssuance of t he or der , i s
commi t t ed t o t he cust ody of t he I l l i noi s Depar t ment of Cor r ect i ons or i s on
par ol e or mandat or y super vi sed r el ease, t he sher i f f or ot her l aw enf or cement
of f i ci al s char ged wi t h mai nt ai ni ng Depar t ment of St at e Pol i ce r ecor ds shal l
not i f y t he Depar t ment of Cor r ect i ons wi t hi n 48 hour s of r ecei pt of a copy of
t he or der of pr ot ect i on f r om t he cl er k of t he i ssui ng j udge or t he
pet i t i oner . Such not i ce shal l i ncl ude t he name of t he r espondent , t he
r espondent ' s I DOC i nmat e number , t he r espondent ' s dat e of bi r t h, and t he
LEADS Recor d I ndex Number .
( c) Ser vi ce by sher i f f . Unl ess r espondent was pr esent i n cour t when t he
or der was i ssued, t he sher i f f , ot her l aw enf or cement of f i ci al or speci al
pr ocess ser ver shal l pr ompt l y ser ve t hat or der upon r espondent and f i l e
pr oof of such ser vi ce, i n t he manner pr ovi ded f or ser vi ce of pr ocess i n
ci vi l pr oceedi ngs. I nst ead of ser vi ng t he or der upon t he r espondent ,
however , t he sher i f f , ot her l aw enf or cement of f i ci al , speci al pr ocess
ser ver , or ot her per sons def i ned i n Sect i on 222. 10 may ser ve t he r espondent
wi t h a shor t f or mnot i f i cat i on as pr ovi ded i n Sect i on 222. 10. I f pr ocess has
not yet been ser ved upon t he r espondent , i t shal l be ser ved wi t h t he or der
or shor t f or mnot i f i cat i on i f such ser vi ce i s made by t he sher i f f , ot her l aw
enf or cement of f i ci al , or speci al pr ocess ser ver . A si ngl e f ee may be char ged
f or ser vi ce of an or der obt ai ned i n ci vi l cour t , or f or ser vi ce of such an
or der t oget her wi t h pr ocess, unl ess wai ved or def er r ed under Sect i on 210.
( c- 5) I f t he per son agai nst whom t he or der of pr ot ect i on i s i ssued i s
ar r est ed and t he wr i t t en or der i s i ssued i n accor dance wi t h subsect i on ( c)
of Sect i on 217 and r ecei ved by t he cust odi al l aw enf or cement agency bef or e
t he r espondent or ar r est ee i s r el eased f r om cust ody, t he cust odi al l aw
enf or cement agent shal l pr ompt l y ser ve t he or der upon t he r espondent or
ar r est ee bef or e t he r espondent or ar r est ee i s r el eased f r om cust ody. I n no
event shal l det ent i on of t he r espondent or ar r est ee be ext ended f or hear i ng
on t he pet i t i on f or or der of pr ot ect i on or r ecei pt of t he or der i ssued under
Sect i on 217 of t hi s Act .
( d) Ext ensi ons, modi f i cat i ons and r evocat i ons. Any or der ext endi ng,
modi f yi ng or r evoki ng any or der of pr ot ect i on shal l be pr ompt l y r ecor ded,
i ssued and ser ved as pr ovi ded i n t hi s Sect i on.
( e) Not i ce t o school s. Upon t he r equest of t he pet i t i oner , wi t hi n 24
hour s of t he i ssuance of an or der of pr ot ect i on, t he cl er k of t he i ssui ng
j udge shal l send a cer t i f i ed copy of t he or der of pr ot ect i on t o t he day- car e
f aci l i t y, pr e- school or pr e- ki nder gar t en, or pr i vat e school or t he pr i nci pal
of f i ce of t he publ i c school di st r i ct or any col l ege or uni ver si t y i n whi ch
any chi l d who i s a pr ot ect ed per son under t he or der of pr ot ect i on or any
any chi l d who i s a pr ot ect ed per son under t he or der of pr ot ect i on or any
chi l d of t he pet i t i oner i s enr ol l ed as r equest ed by t he pet i t i oner at t he
mai l i ng addr ess pr ovi ded by t he pet i t i oner . I f t he chi l d t r ansf er s
enr ol l ment t o anot her day- car e f aci l i t y, pr e- school , pr e- ki nder gar t en,
pr i vat e school , publ i c school , col l ege, or uni ver si t y, t he pet i t i oner may,
wi t hi n 24 hour s of t he t r ansf er , send t o t he cl er k wr i t t en not i ce of t he
t r ansf er , i ncl udi ng t he name and addr ess of t he i nst i t ut i on t o whi ch t he
chi l d i s t r ansf er r i ng. Wi t hi n 24 hour s of r ecei pt of not i ce f r om t he
pet i t i oner t hat a chi l d i s t r ansf er r i ng t o anot her day- car e f aci l i t y, pr e-
school , pr e- ki nder gar t en, pr i vat e school , publ i c school , col l ege, or
uni ver si t y, t he cl er k shal l send a cer t i f i ed copy of t he or der t o t he
i nst i t ut i on t o whi ch t he chi l d i s t r ansf er r i ng.
( f ) Di scl osur e by school s. Af t er r ecei vi ng a cer t i f i ed copy of an or der
of pr ot ect i on t hat pr ohi bi t s a r espondent ' s access t o r ecor ds, nei t her a
day- car e f aci l i t y, pr e- school , pr e- ki nder gar t en, publ i c or pr i vat e school ,
col l ege, or uni ver si t y nor i t s empl oyees shal l al l ow a r espondent access t o
a pr ot ect ed chi l d' s r ecor ds or r el ease i nf or mat i on i n t hose r ecor ds t o t he
r espondent . The school shal l f i l e t he copy of t he or der of pr ot ect i on i n t he
r ecor ds of a chi l d who i s a pr ot ect ed per son under t he or der of pr ot ect i on.
When a chi l d who i s a pr ot ect ed per son under t he or der of pr ot ect i on
t r ansf er s t o anot her day- car e f aci l i t y, pr e- school , pr e- ki nder gar t en, publ i c
or pr i vat e school , col l ege, or uni ver si t y, t he i nst i t ut i on f r om whi ch t he
chi l d i s t r ansf er r i ng may, at t he r equest of t he pet i t i oner , pr ovi de, wi t hi n
24 hour s of t he t r ansf er , wr i t t en not i ce of t he or der of pr ot ect i on, al ong
wi t h a cer t i f i ed copy of t he or der , t o t he i nst i t ut i on t o whi ch t he chi l d i s
t r ansf er r i ng.
( g) Not i ce t o heal t h car e f aci l i t i es and heal t h car e pr act i t i oner s. Upon
t he r equest of t he pet i t i oner , t he cl er k of t he ci r cui t cour t shal l send a
cer t i f i ed copy of t he or der of pr ot ect i on t o any speci f i ed heal t h car e
f aci l i t y or heal t h car e pr act i t i oner r equest ed by t he pet i t i oner at t he
mai l i ng addr ess pr ovi ded by t he pet i t i oner .
( h) Di scl osur e by heal t h car e f aci l i t i es and heal t h car e pr act i t i oner s.
Af t er r ecei vi ng a cer t i f i ed copy of an or der of pr ot ect i on t hat pr ohi bi t s a
r espondent ' s access t o r ecor ds, no heal t h car e f aci l i t y or heal t h car e
pr act i t i oner shal l al l ow a r espondent access t o t he r ecor ds of any chi l d who
i s a pr ot ect ed per son under t he or der of pr ot ect i on, or r el ease i nf or mat i on
i n t hose r ecor ds t o t he r espondent , unl ess t he or der has expi r ed or t he
r espondent shows a cer t i f i ed copy of t he cour t or der vacat i ng t he
cor r espondi ng or der of pr ot ect i on t hat was sent t o t he heal t h car e f aci l i t y
or pr act i t i oner . Not hi ng i n t hi s Sect i on shal l be const r ued t o r equi r e
heal t h car e f aci l i t i es or heal t h car e pr act i t i oner s t o al t er pr ocedur es
r el at ed t o bi l l i ng and payment . The heal t h car e f aci l i t y or heal t h car e
pr act i t i oner may f i l e t he copy of t he or der of pr ot ect i on i n t he r ecor ds of
a chi l d who i s a pr ot ect ed per son under t he or der of pr ot ect i on, or may
empl oy any ot her met hod t o i dent i f y t he r ecor ds t o whi ch a r espondent i s
pr ohi bi t ed access. No heal t h car e f aci l i t y or heal t h car e pr act i t i oner shal l
be ci vi l l y or pr of essi onal l y l i abl e f or r el i ance on a copy of an or der of
pr ot ect i on, except f or wi l l f ul and want on mi sconduct .
( Sour ce: P. A. 96- 651, ef f . 1- 1- 10; 97- 50, ef f . 6- 28- 11; 97- 904, ef f . 1- 1-
13. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 222. 5)
Sec. 222. 5. Fi l i ng of an or der of pr ot ect i on i ssued i n anot her st at e.
( a) A per son ent i t l ed t o pr ot ect i on under an or der of pr ot ect i on i ssued
by t he cour t of anot her st at e, t r i be, or Uni t ed St at es t er r i t or y may f i l e a
cer t i f i ed copy of t he or der of pr ot ect i on wi t h t he cl er k of t he cour t i n a
j udi ci al ci r cui t i n whi ch t he per son bel i eves t hat enf or cement may be
j udi ci al ci r cui t i n whi ch t he per son bel i eves t hat enf or cement may be
necessar y.
( b) The cl er k shal l :
( 1) t r eat t he f or ei gn or der of pr ot ect i on i n t he same

manner as a j udgment of t he ci r cui t cour t f or any count y of
t hi s St at e i n accor dance wi t h t he pr ovi si ons of t he Uni f or m
Enf or cement of For ei gn J udgment s Act , except t hat t he cl er k
shal l not mai l not i ce of t he f i l i ng of t he f or ei gn or der t o
t he r espondent named i n t he or der ; and
( 2) on t he same day t hat a f or ei gn or der of

pr ot ect i on i s f i l ed, f i l e a cer t i f i ed copy of t hat or der
wi t h t he sher i f f or ot her l aw enf or cement of f i ci al s char ged
wi t h mai nt ai ni ng Depar t ment of St at e Pol i ce r ecor ds as set
f or t h i n Sect i on 222 of t hi s Act .
( c) Nei t her r esi dence i n t hi s St at e nor f i l i ng of a f or ei gn
or der of pr ot ect i on shal l be r equi r ed f or enf or cement of t he
or der by t hi s St at e. Fai l ur e t o f i l e t he f or ei gn or der shal l not
be an i mpedi ment t o i t s t r eat ment i n al l r espect s as an I l l i noi s
or der of pr ot ect i on.
( d) The cl er k shal l not char ge a f ee t o f i l e a f or ei gn or der
of pr ot ect i on under t hi s Sect i on.
( e) The sher i f f shal l i nf or mt he Depar t ment of St at e Pol i ce
as set f or t h i n Sect i on 302 of t hi s Act .
( Sour ce: P. A. 91- 903, ef f . 1- 1- 01. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 222. 10)
Sec. 222. 10. Shor t f or mnot i f i cat i on.
( a) I nst ead of per sonal ser vi ce of an or der of pr ot ect i on under Sect i on
222, a sher i f f , ot her l aw enf or cement of f i ci al , speci al pr ocess ser ver , or
per sonnel assi gned by t he Depar t ment of Cor r ect i ons t o i nvest i gat e t he
al l eged mi sconduct of commi t t ed per sons or al l eged vi ol at i ons of a par ol ee' s
or r el easee' s condi t i ons of par ol e or mandat or y super vi sed r el ease may ser ve
a r espondent wi t h a shor t f or m not i f i cat i on. The shor t f or m not i f i cat i on
must i ncl ude t he f ol l owi ng i t ems:
( 1) The r espondent ' s name.
( 2) The r espondent ' s dat e of bi r t h, i f known.
( 3) The pet i t i oner ' s name.
( 4) The names of ot her pr ot ect ed par t i es.
( 5) The dat e and count y i n whi ch t he or der of
pr ot ect i on was f i l ed.
( 6) The cour t f i l e number .
( 7) The hear i ng dat e and t i me, i f known.
( 8) The condi t i ons t hat appl y t o t he r espondent ,
ei t her i n checkl i st f or mor handwr i t t en.
( b) The shor t f or m not i f i cat i on must cont ai n t he f ol l owi ng
not i ce i n bol d pr i nt :
" The or der i s now enf or ceabl e. You must r epor t t o t he

of f i ce of t he sher i f f or t he of f i ce of t he ci r cui t cour t i n
( name of count y) Count y t o obt ai n a copy of t he or der . You
ar e subj ect t o ar r est and may be char ged wi t h a mi sdemeanor
or f el ony i f you vi ol at e any of t he t er ms of t he or der . "
( c) Upon ver i f i cat i on of t he i dent i t y of t he r espondent and
t he exi st ence of an unser ved or der agai nst t he r espondent , a
sher i f f or ot her l aw enf or cement of f i ci al may det ai n t he
r espondent f or a r easonabl e t i me necessar y t o compl et e and ser ve
t he shor t f or mnot i f i cat i on.
t he shor t f or mnot i f i cat i on.
( d) When ser vi ce i s made by shor t f or m not i f i cat i on under
t hi s Sect i on, i t may be pr oved by t he af f i davi t of t he per son
maki ng t he ser vi ce.
( e) The At t or ney Gener al shal l make t he shor t f or m
not i f i cat i on f or m avai l abl e t o l aw enf or cement agenci es i n t hi s
St at e.
( f ) A si ngl e shor t f or m not i f i cat i on f or m may be used f or
or der s of pr ot ect i on under t hi s Act , st al ki ng no cont act or der s
under t he St al ki ng No Cont act Or der Act , and ci vi l no cont act
or der s under t he Ci vi l No Cont act Or der Act .
( Sour ce: P. A. 97- 50, ef f . 6- 28- 11; 97- 1017, ef f . 1- 1- 13. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 223) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 23)
Sec. 223. Enf or cement of or der s of pr ot ect i on.
( a) When vi ol at i on i s cr i me. A vi ol at i on of any or der of pr ot ect i on,
whet her i ssued i n a ci vi l or cr i mi nal pr oceedi ng, shal l be enf or ced by a
cr i mi nal cour t when:
( 1) The r espondent commi t s t he cr i me of vi ol at i on of

an or der of pr ot ect i on pur suant t o Sect i on 12- 3. 4 or 12- 30
of t he Cr i mi nal Code of 1961, by havi ng knowi ngl y vi ol at ed:
( i ) r emedi es descr i bed i n par agr aphs ( 1) , ( 2) ,

( 3) , ( 14) , or ( 14. 5) of subsect i on ( b) of Sect i on 214 of
t hi s Act ; or
( i i ) a r emedy, whi ch i s subst ant i al l y si mi l ar t o

t he r emedi es aut hor i zed under par agr aphs ( 1) , ( 2) , ( 3) ,
( 14) , and ( 14. 5) of subsect i on ( b) of Sect i on 214 of
t hi s Act , i n a val i d or der of pr ot ect i on whi ch i s
aut hor i zed under t he l aws of anot her st at e, t r i be, or
Uni t ed St at es t er r i t or y; or
( i i i ) any ot her r emedy when t he act const i t ut es a

cr i me agai nst t he pr ot ect ed par t i es as def i ned by t he
Cr i mi nal Code of 1961.
Pr osecut i on f or a vi ol at i on of an or der of pr ot ect i on

shal l not bar concur r ent pr osecut i on f or any ot her cr i me,
i ncl udi ng any cr i me t hat may have been commi t t ed at t he
t i me of t he vi ol at i on of t he or der of pr ot ect i on; or
( 2) The r espondent commi t s t he cr i me of chi l d

abduct i on pur suant t o Sect i on 10- 5 of t he Cr i mi nal Code of
1961, by havi ng knowi ngl y vi ol at ed:
( i ) r emedi es descr i bed i n par agr aphs ( 5) , ( 6) or
( 8) of subsect i on ( b) of Sect i on 214 of t hi s Act ; or
( i i ) a r emedy, whi ch i s subst ant i al l y si mi l ar t o

t he r emedi es aut hor i zed under par agr aphs ( 5) , ( 6) , or
( 8) of subsect i on ( b) of Sect i on 214 of t hi s Act , i n a
val i d or der of pr ot ect i on whi ch i s aut hor i zed under t he
l aws of anot her st at e, t r i be, or Uni t ed St at es
t er r i t or y.
( b) When vi ol at i on i s cont empt of cour t . A vi ol at i on of any
val i d I l l i noi s or der of pr ot ect i on, whet her i ssued i n a ci vi l or
cr i mi nal pr oceedi ng, may be enf or ced t hr ough ci vi l or cr i mi nal
cont empt pr ocedur es, as appr opr i at e, by any cour t wi t h
j ur i sdi ct i on, r egar dl ess wher e t he act or act s whi ch vi ol at ed
t he or der of pr ot ect i on wer e commi t t ed, t o t he ext ent consi st ent
wi t h t he venue pr ovi si ons of t hi s Act . Not hi ng i n t hi s Act shal l
pr ecl ude any I l l i noi s cour t f r om enf or ci ng any val i d or der of
pr ecl ude any I l l i noi s cour t f r om enf or ci ng any val i d or der of
pr ot ect i on i ssued i n anot her st at e. I l l i noi s cour t s may enf or ce
or der s of pr ot ect i on t hr ough bot h cr i mi nal pr osecut i on and
cont empt pr oceedi ngs, unl ess t he act i on whi ch i s second i n t i me
i s bar r ed by col l at er al est oppel or t he const i t ut i onal
pr ohi bi t i on agai nst doubl e j eopar dy.
( 1) I n a cont empt pr oceedi ng wher e t he pet i t i on f or a

r ul e t o show cause set s f or t h f act s evi denci ng an i mmedi at e
danger t hat t he r espondent wi l l f l ee t he j ur i sdi ct i on,
conceal a chi l d, or i nf l i ct physi cal abuse on t he
pet i t i oner or mi nor chi l dr en or on dependent adul t s i n
pet i t i oner ' s car e, t he cour t may or der t he at t achment of
t he r espondent wi t hout pr i or ser vi ce of t he r ul e t o show
cause or t he pet i t i on f or a r ul e t o show cause. Bond shal l
be set unl ess speci f i cal l y deni ed i n wr i t i ng.
( 2) A pet i t i on f or a r ul e t o show cause f or vi ol at i on

of an or der of pr ot ect i on shal l be t r eat ed as an expedi t ed
pr oceedi ng.
( b- 1) The cour t shal l not hol d a school di st r i ct or pr i vat e
or non- publ i c school or any of i t s empl oyees i n ci vi l or
cr i mi nal cont empt unl ess t he school di st r i ct or pr i vat e or non-
publ i c school has been al l owed t o i nt er vene.
( b- 2) The cour t may hol d t he par ent s, guar di an, or l egal
cust odi an of a mi nor r espondent i n ci vi l or cr i mi nal cont empt
f or a vi ol at i on of any pr ovi si on of any or der ent er ed under t hi s
Act f or conduct of t he mi nor r espondent i n vi ol at i on of t hi s Act
i f t he par ent s, guar di an, or l egal cust odi an di r ect ed,
encour aged, or assi st ed t he r espondent mi nor i n such conduct .
( c) Vi ol at i on of cust ody or suppor t or der s. A vi ol at i on of
r emedi es descr i bed i n par agr aphs ( 5) , ( 6) , ( 8) , or ( 9) of
subsect i on ( b) of Sect i on 214 of t hi s Act may be enf or ced by any
r emedy pr ovi ded by Sect i on 611 of t he I l l i noi s Mar r i age and
Di ssol ut i on of Mar r i age Act . The cour t may enf or ce any or der f or
suppor t i ssued under par agr aph ( 12) of subsect i on ( b) of Sect i on
214 i n t he manner pr ovi ded f or under Par t s V and VI I of t he
( d) Act ual knowl edge. An or der of pr ot ect i on may be enf or ced
pur suant t o t hi s Sect i on i f t he r espondent vi ol at es t he or der
af t er t he r espondent has act ual knowl edge of i t s cont ent s as
shown t hr ough one of t he f ol l owi ng means:
( 1) By ser vi ce, del i ver y, or not i ce under Sect i on 210.
( 2) By not i ce under Sect i on 210. 1 or 211.
( 3) By ser vi ce of an or der of pr ot ect i on under
Sect i on 222.
( 4) By ot her means demonst r at i ng act ual knowl edge of
t he cont ent s of t he or der .
( e) The enf or cement of an or der of pr ot ect i on i n ci vi l or
cr i mi nal cour t shal l not be af f ect ed by ei t her of t he f ol l owi ng:
( 1) The exi st ence of a separ at e, cor r el at i ve or der ,
ent er ed under Sect i on 215.
( 2) Any f i ndi ng or or der ent er ed i n a conj oi ned
cr i mi nal pr oceedi ng.
( f ) Ci r cumst ances. The cour t , when det er mi ni ng whet her or
not a vi ol at i on of an or der of pr ot ect i on has occur r ed, shal l
not r equi r e physi cal mani f est at i ons of abuse on t he per son of
t he vi ct i m.
( g) Penal t i es.
( g) Penal t i es.
( 1) Except as pr ovi ded i n par agr aph ( 3) of t hi s

subsect i on, wher e t he cour t f i nds t he commi ssi on of a cr i me
or cont empt of cour t under subsect i ons ( a) or ( b) of t hi s
Sect i on, t he penal t y shal l be t he penal t y t hat gener al l y
appl i es i n such cr i mi nal or cont empt pr oceedi ngs, and may
i ncl ude one or mor e of t he f ol l owi ng: i ncar cer at i on,
payment of r est i t ut i on, a f i ne, payment of at t or neys' f ees
and cost s, or communi t y ser vi ce.
( 2) The cour t shal l hear and t ake i nt o account

evi dence of any f act or s i n aggr avat i on or mi t i gat i on bef or e
deci di ng an appr opr i at e penal t y under par agr aph ( 1) of t hi s
subsect i on.
( 3) To t he ext ent per mi t t ed by l aw, t he cour t i s
encour aged t o:
( i ) i ncr ease t he penal t y f or t he knowi ng

vi ol at i on of any or der of pr ot ect i on over any penal t y
pr evi ousl y i mposed by any cour t f or r espondent ' s
vi ol at i on of any or der of pr ot ect i on or penal st at ut e
i nvol vi ng pet i t i oner as vi ct i m and r espondent as
def endant ;
( i i ) i mpose a mi ni mumpenal t y of 24 hour s

i mpr i sonment f or r espondent ' s f i r st vi ol at i on of any
or der of pr ot ect i on; and
( i i i ) i mpose a mi ni mumpenal t y of 48 hour s

i mpr i sonment f or r espondent ' s second or subsequent
vi ol at i on of an or der of pr ot ect i on
unl ess t he cour t expl i ci t l y f i nds t hat an i ncr eased

penal t y or t hat per i od of i mpr i sonment woul d be mani f est l y
unj ust .
( 4) I n addi t i on t o any ot her penal t i es i mposed f or a

vi ol at i on of an or der of pr ot ect i on, a cr i mi nal cour t may
consi der evi dence of any vi ol at i ons of an or der of
pr ot ect i on:
( i ) t o i ncr ease, r evoke or modi f y t he bai l bond
on an under l yi ng cr i mi nal char ge pur suant t o Sect i on
110- 6 of t he Code of Cr i mi nal Pr ocedur e of 1963;
( i i ) t o r evoke or modi f y an or der of pr obat i on,

condi t i onal di schar ge or super vi si on, pur suant t o
Sect i on 5- 6- 4 of t he Uni f i ed Code of Cor r ect i ons;
( i i i ) t o r evoke or modi f y a sent ence of per i odi c

i mpr i sonment , pur suant t o Sect i on 5- 7- 2 of t he Uni f i ed
Code of Cor r ect i ons.
( 5) I n addi t i on t o any ot her penal t i es, t he cour t

shal l i mpose an addi t i onal f i ne of $20 as aut hor i zed by
Sect i on 5- 9- 1. 11 of t he Uni f i ed Code of Cor r ect i ons upon
any per son convi ct ed of or pl aced on super vi si on f or a
vi ol at i on of an or der of pr ot ect i on. The addi t i onal f i ne
shal l be i mposed f or each vi ol at i on of t hi s Sect i on.
( Sour ce: P. A. 96- 1551, ef f . 7- 1- 11; 97- 294, ef f . 1- 1- 12. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 223. 1) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 23. 1)
Sec. 223. 1. Or der of pr ot ect i on; st at us. Whenever r el i ef i s sought under
t hi s Act , t he cour t , bef or e gr ant i ng r el i ef , shal l det er mi ne whet her any
or der of pr ot ect i on has pr evi ousl y been ent er ed i n t he i nst ant pr oceedi ng or
any ot her pr oceedi ng i n whi ch any par t y, or a chi l d of any par t y, or bot h,
any ot her pr oceedi ng i n whi ch any par t y, or a chi l d of any par t y, or bot h,
i f r el evant , has been desi gnat ed as ei t her a r espondent or a pr ot ect ed
per son.
( Sour ce: P. A. 87- 743. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 224) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 24)
Sec. 224. Modi f i cat i on and r e- openi ng of or der s.
( a) Except as ot her wi se pr ovi ded i n t hi s Sect i on, upon mot i on by
pet i t i oner , t he cour t may modi f y an emer gency, i nt er i m, or pl enar y or der of
pr ot ect i on:
( 1) I f r espondent has abused pet i t i oner si nce t he

hear i ng f or t hat or der , by addi ng or al t er i ng one or mor e
r emedi es, as aut hor i zed by Sect i on 214; and
( 2) Ot her wi se, by addi ng any r emedy aut hor i zed by
Sect i on 214 whi ch was:
( i ) r eser ved i n t hat or der of pr ot ect i on;
( i i ) not r equest ed f or i ncl usi on i n t hat or der of
pr ot ect i on; or
( i i i ) deni ed on pr ocedur al gr ounds, but not on
t he mer i t s.
( b) Upon mot i on by pet i t i oner or r espondent , t he cour t may
modi f y any pr i or or der of pr ot ect i on' s r emedy f or cust ody,
vi si t at i on or payment of suppor t i n accor dance wi t h t he r el evant
pr ovi si ons of t he I l l i noi s Mar r i age and Di ssol ut i on of Mar r i age
Act . Each or der of pr ot ect i on shal l be ent er ed i n t he Law
Enf or cement Agenci es Dat a Syst emon t he same day i t i s i ssued by
t he cour t .
( c) Af t er 30 days f ol l owi ng ent r y of a pl enar y or der of
pr ot ect i on, a cour t may modi f y t hat or der onl y when changes i n
t he appl i cabl e l aw or f act s si nce t hat pl enar y or der was ent er ed
war r ant a modi f i cat i on of i t s t er ms.
( d) Upon 2 days' not i ce t o pet i t i oner , i n accor dance wi t h
Sect i on 211 of t hi s Act , or such shor t er not i ce as t he cour t may
pr escr i be, a r espondent subj ect t o an emer gency or i nt er i mor der
of pr ot ect i on i ssued under t hi s Act may appear and pet i t i on t he
cour t t o r e- hear t he or i gi nal or amended pet i t i on. Any pet i t i on
t o r e- hear shal l be ver i f i ed and shal l al l ege t he f ol l owi ng:
( 1) t hat r espondent di d not r ecei ve pr i or not i ce of

t he i ni t i al hear i ng i n whi ch t he emer gency, i nt er i m, or
pl enar y or der was ent er ed under Sect i ons 211 and 217; and
( 2) t hat r espondent had a mer i t or i ous def ense t o t he

or der or any of i t s r emedi es or t hat t he or der or any of
i t s r emedi es was not aut hor i zed by t hi s Act .
( e) I n t he event t hat t he emer gency or i nt er i mor der gr ant ed
pet i t i oner excl usi ve possessi on and t he pet i t i on of r espondent
seeks t o r e- open or vacat e t hat gr ant , t he cour t shal l set a
dat e f or hear i ng wi t hi n 14 days on al l i ssues r el at i ng t o
excl usi ve possessi on. Under no ci r cumst ances shal l a cour t
cont i nue a hear i ng concer ni ng excl usi ve possessi on beyond t he
14t h day, except by agr eement of t he par t i es. Ot her i ssues
r ai sed by t he pl eadi ngs may be consol i dat ed f or t he hear i ng i f
nei t her par t y nor t he cour t obj ect s.
( f ) Thi s Sect i on does not l i mi t t he means, ot her wi se
avai l abl e by l aw, f or vacat i ng or modi f yi ng or der s of
pr ot ect i on.
( Sour ce: P. A. 95- 331, ef f . 8- 21- 07. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 225) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 25)
Sec. 225. I mmuni t y f r om pr osecut i on. Any i ndi vi dual or or gani zat i on
act i ng i n good f ai t h t o r epor t t he abuse of any per son 60 year s of age or
ol der or t o do any of t he f ol l owi ng i n compl yi ng wi t h t he pr ovi si ons of t hi s
Act shal l not be subj ect t o cr i mi nal pr osecut i on or ci vi l l i abi l i t y as a
r esul t of such act i on: pr ovi di ng any i nf or mat i on t o t he appr opr i at e l aw
enf or cement agency, pr ovi di ng t hat t he gi vi ng of any i nf or mat i on does not
vi ol at e any pr i vi l ege of conf i dent i al i t y under l aw; assi st i ng i n any
i nvest i gat i on; assi st i ng i n t he pr epar at i on of any mat er i al s f or
di st r i but i on under t hi s Act ; or by pr ovi di ng ser vi ces or der ed under an or der
of pr ot ect i on.
Any i ndi vi dual , agency, or or gani zat i on act i ng i n good f ai t h t o r epor t
or i nvest i gat e al l eged abuse, negl ect , or expl oi t at i on of a hi gh- r i sk adul t
wi t h di sabi l i t i es, t o t est i f y i n any pr oceedi ng on behal f of a hi gh- r i sk
adul t wi t h di sabi l i t i es, t o t ake phot ogr aphs or per f or m an exami nat i on, or
t o per f or many ot her act i n compl i ance wi t h t he pr ovi si ons of t hi s Act shal l
not be t he subj ect of cr i mi nal pr osecut i on, ci vi l l i abi l i t y, or ot her
penal t y, sanct i on, r est r i ct i on, or r et al i at i on as a r esul t of such act i on.
( Sour ce: P. A. 86- 542; 87- 1186. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 226) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 26)
Sec. 226. Unt r ue st at ement s. Al l egat i ons and deni al s, made wi t hout
r easonabl e cause and f ound t o be unt r ue, shal l subj ect t he par t y pl eadi ng
t hem t o t he payment of r easonabl e expenses act ual l y i ncur r ed by t he ot her
par t y by r eason of t he unt r ue pl eadi ng, t oget her wi t h a r easonabl e
at t or ney' s f ee, t o be summar i l y t axed by t he cour t upon mot i on made wi t hi n
30 days of t he j udgment or di smi ssal , as pr ovi ded i n Supr eme Cour t Rul e 137.
The cour t may di r ect t hat a copy of an or der ent er ed under t hi s Sect i on be
pr ovi ded t o t he St at e' s At t or ney so t hat he or she may det er mi ne whet her t o
pr osecut e f or per j ur y. Thi s Sect i on shal l not appl y t o pr oceedi ngs hear d i n
Cr i mi nal Cour t or t o cr i mi nal cont empt of cour t pr oceedi ngs, whet her hear d
i n Ci vi l or Cr i mi nal Cour t .
( Sour ce: P. A. 87- 1186. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 227) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 27)
Sec. 227. Pr i vi l eged communi cat i ons bet ween domest i c vi ol ence counsel or s
and vi ct i ms.
( a) As used i n t hi s Sect i on:
( 1) " Domest i c vi ol ence pr ogr am" means any uni t of

l ocal gover nment , or gani zat i on, or associ at i on whose maj or
pur pose i s t o pr ovi de one or mor e of t he f ol l owi ng:
i nf or mat i on, cr i si s i nt er vent i on, emer gency shel t er ,
r ef er r al , counsel i ng, advocacy, or emot i onal suppor t t o
vi ct i ms of domest i c vi ol ence.
( 2) " Domest i c vi ol ence advocat e or counsel or " means

any per son ( A) who has under gone a mi ni mum of f or t y hour s
of t r ai ni ng i n domest i c vi ol ence advocacy, cr i si s
i nt er vent i on, and r el at ed ar eas, and ( B) who pr ovi des
ser vi ces t o vi ct i ms t hr ough a domest i c vi ol ence pr ogr am
ei t her on an empl oyed or vol unt eer basi s.
( 3) " Conf i dent i al communi cat i on" means any
communi cat i on bet ween an al l eged vi ct i m of domest i c
vi ol ence and a domest i c vi ol ence advocat e or counsel or i n
t he cour se of pr ovi di ng i nf or mat i on, counsel i ng, or

t he cour se of pr ovi di ng i nf or mat i on, counsel i ng, or
advocacy. The t er m i ncl udes al l r ecor ds kept by t he
advocat e or counsel or or by t he domest i c vi ol ence pr ogr am
i n t he cour se of pr ovi di ng ser vi ces t o an al l eged vi ct i m
concer ni ng t he al l eged vi ct i m and t he ser vi ces pr ovi ded.
The conf i dent i al nat ur e of t he communi cat i on i s not wai ved
by t he pr esence at t he t i me of t he communi cat i on of any
addi t i onal per sons, i ncl udi ng but not l i mi t ed t o an
i nt er pr et er , t o f ur t her expr ess t he i nt er est s of t he
domest i c vi ol ence vi ct i m or by t he advocat e' s or
counsel or ' s di scl osur e t o such an addi t i onal per son wi t h
t he consent of t he vi ct i m when r easonabl y necessar y t o
accompl i sh t he pur pose f or whi ch t he advocat e or counsel or
i s consul t ed.
( 4) " Domest i c vi ol ence vi ct i m" means any per son who

consul t s a domest i c vi ol ence counsel or f or t he pur pose of
secur i ng advi ce, counsel i ng or assi st ance r el at ed t o one or
mor e al l eged i nci dent s of domest i c vi ol ence.
( 5) " Domest i c vi ol ence" means abuse as def i ned i n t he
I l l i noi s Domest i c Vi ol ence Act .
( b) No domest i c vi ol ence advocat e or counsel or shal l
di scl ose any conf i dent i al communi cat i on or be exami ned as a
wi t ness i n any ci vi l or cr i mi nal case or pr oceedi ng or i n any
l egi sl at i ve or admi ni st r at i ve pr oceedi ng wi t hout t he wr i t t en
consent of t he domest i c vi ol ence vi ct i mexcept ( 1) i n accor dance
wi t h t he pr ovi si ons of t he Abused and Negl ect ed Chi l d Repor t i ng
Act or ( 2) i n cases wher e f ai l ur e t o di scl ose i s l i kel y t o
r esul t i n an i mmi nent r i sk of ser i ous bodi l y har m or deat h of
t he vi ct i mor anot her per son.
( c) A domest i c vi ol ence advocat e or counsel or who knowi ngl y
di scl oses any conf i dent i al communi cat i on i n vi ol at i on of t hi s
Act commi t s a Cl ass A mi sdemeanor .
( d) When a domest i c vi ol ence vi ct i mi s deceased or has been
adj udged i ncompet ent by a cour t of compet ent j ur i sdi ct i on, t he
guar di an of t he domest i c vi ol ence vi ct i m or t he execut or or
admi ni st r at or of t he est at e of t he domest i c vi ol ence vi ct i m may
wai ve t he pr i vi l ege est abl i shed by t hi s Sect i on, except wher e
t he guar di an, execut or or admi ni st r at or of t he est at e has been
char ged wi t h a vi ol ent cr i me agai nst t he domest i c vi ol ence
vi ct i mor has had an Or der of Pr ot ect i on ent er ed agai nst hi mor
her at t he r equest of or on behal f of t he domest i c vi ol ence
vi ct i m or ot her wi se has an i nt er est adver se t o t hat of t he
domest i c vi ol ence vi ct i m wi t h r espect t o t he wai ver of t he
pr i vi l ege. I n t hat case, t he cour t shal l appoi nt an at t or ney f or
t he est at e of t he domest i c vi ol ence vi ct i m.
( e) A mi nor may knowi ngl y wai ve t he pr i vi l ege est abl i shed by
t hi s Sect i on. Wher e a mi nor i s, i n t he opi ni on of t he cour t ,
i ncapabl e of knowi ngl y wai vi ng t he pr i vi l ege, t he par ent or
guar di an of t he mi nor may wai ve t he pr i vi l ege on behal f of t he
mi nor , except wher e such par ent or guar di an has been char ged
wi t h a vi ol ent cr i me agai nst t he mi nor or has had an Or der of
Pr ot ect i on ent er ed agai nst hi mor her on r equest of or on behal f
of t he mi nor or ot her wi se has any i nt er est adver se t o t hat of
t he mi nor wi t h r espect t o t he wai ver of t he pr i vi l ege. I n t hat
case, t he cour t shal l appoi nt an at t or ney f or t he mi nor chi l d
who shal l be compensat ed i n accor dance wi t h Sect i on 506 of t he
( f ) Not hi ng i n t hi s Sect i on shal l be const r ued t o l i mi t i n
any way any pr i vi l ege t hat mi ght ot her wi se exi st under st at ut e
or common l aw.
( g) The asser t i on of any pr i vi l ege under t hi s Sect i on shal l
not r esul t i n an i nf er ence unf avor abl e t o t he St at e' s cause or
t o t he cause of t he domest i c vi ol ence vi ct i m.
( Sour ce: P. A. 87- 1186. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 227. 1) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2312- 27. 1)
Sec. 227. 1. Ot her pr i vi l eged i nf or mat i on. Except as ot her wi se pr ovi ded
i n t hi s Sect i on, no cour t or admi ni st r at i ve or l egi sl at i ve body shal l compel
any per son or domest i c vi ol ence pr ogr am t o di scl ose t he l ocat i on of any
domest i c vi ol ence pr ogr amor t he i dent i t y of any domest i c vi ol ence advocat e
or counsel or i n any ci vi l or cr i mi nal case or pr oceedi ng or i n any
admi ni st r at i ve or l egi sl at i ve pr oceedi ng. A cour t may compel di scl osur e of
t he l ocat i on of a domest i c vi ol ence pr ogr am or t he i dent i t y of a domest i c
vi ol ence advocat e or counsel or i f t he cour t f i nds, f ol l owi ng a hear i ng, t hat
t her e i s cl ear and convi nci ng evi dence t hat f ai l ur e t o di scl ose woul d be
l i kel y t o r esul t i n an i mmi nent r i sk of ser i ous bodi l y har m or deat h t o a
domest i c vi ol ence vi ct i m or anot her per son. I f t he cour t makes such a
f i ndi ng, t hen di scl osur e shal l t ake pl ace i n camer a, under a r est r i ct i ve
pr ot ect i ve or der t hat does not f r ust r at e t he pur poses of compel l i ng t he
di scl osur e, and t he i nf or mat i on di scl osed shal l not be made a par t of t he
wr i t t en r ecor d of t he case.
( Sour ce: P. A. 87- 1186. )

( 750 I LCS 60/ Ar t . I I I headi ng)
ARTI CLE I I I
LAWENFORCEMENT RESPONSI BI LI TI ES
( 750 I LCS 60/ 301) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2313- 1)
Sec. 301. Ar r est wi t hout war r ant .
( a) Any l aw enf or cement of f i cer may make an ar r est wi t hout war r ant i f
t he of f i cer has pr obabl e cause t o bel i eve t hat t he per son has commi t t ed or
i s commi t t i ng any cr i me, i ncl udi ng but not l i mi t ed t o vi ol at i on of an or der
of pr ot ect i on, under Sect i on 12- 3. 4 or 12- 30 of t he Cr i mi nal Code of 1961,
even i f t he cr i me was not commi t t ed i n t he pr esence of t he of f i cer .
( b) The l aw enf or cement of f i cer may ver i f y t he exi st ence of an or der of
pr ot ect i on by t el ephone or r adi o communi cat i on wi t h hi s or her l aw
enf or cement agency or by r ef er r i ng t o t he copy of t he or der pr ovi ded by t he
pet i t i oner or r espondent .
( c) Any l aw enf or cement of f i cer may make an ar r est wi t hout war r ant i f
t he of f i cer has r easonabl e gr ounds t o bel i eve a def endant at l i ber t y under
t he pr ovi si ons of subdi vi si on ( d) ( 1) or ( d) ( 2) of Sect i on 110- 10 of t he Code
of Cr i mi nal Pr ocedur e of 1963 has vi ol at ed a condi t i on of hi s or her bai l
bond or r ecogni zance.
( Sour ce: P. A. 96- 1551, ef f . 7- 1- 11. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 301. 1) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2313- 1. 1)
Sec. 301. 1. Law enf or cement pol i ci es. Ever y l aw enf or cement agency shal l
devel op, adopt , and i mpl ement wr i t t en pol i ci es r egar di ng ar r est pr ocedur es
f or domest i c vi ol ence i nci dent s consi st ent wi t h t he pr ovi si ons of t hi s Act .
f or domest i c vi ol ence i nci dent s consi st ent wi t h t he pr ovi si ons of t hi s Act .
I n devel opi ng t hese pol i ci es, each l aw enf or cement agency i s encour aged t o
consul t wi t h communi t y or gani zat i ons and ot her l aw enf or cement agenci es wi t h
exper t i se i n r ecogni zi ng and handl i ng domest i c vi ol ence i nci dent s.
( Sour ce: P. A. 87- 1186. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 302) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2313- 2)
Sec. 302. Dat a mai nt enance by l aw enf or cement agenci es.
( a) Al l sher i f f s shal l f ur ni sh t o t he Depar t ment of St at e Pol i ce, on t he
same day as r ecei ved, i n t he f or mand det ai l t he Depar t ment r equi r es, copi es
of any r ecor ded emer gency, i nt er i m, or pl enar y or der s of pr ot ect i on i ssued
by t he cour t , and any f or ei gn or der s of pr ot ect i on f i l ed by t he cl er k of t he
cour t , and t r ansmi t t ed t o t he sher i f f by t he cl er k of t he cour t pur suant t o
subsect i on ( b) of Sect i on 222 of t hi s Act . Each or der of pr ot ect i on shal l be
ent er ed i n t he Law Enf or cement Agenci es Dat a Syst em on t he same day i t i s
i ssued by t he cour t . I f an emer gency or der of pr ot ect i on was i ssued i n
accor dance wi t h subsect i on ( c) of Sect i on 217, t he or der shal l be ent er ed i n
t he Law Enf or cement Agenci es Dat a Syst em as soon as possi bl e af t er r ecei pt
f r omt he cl er k.
( b) The Depar t ment of St at e Pol i ce shal l mai nt ai n a compl et e and
syst emat i c r ecor d and i ndex of al l val i d and r ecor ded or der s of pr ot ect i on
i ssued pur suant t o t hi s Act . The dat a shal l be used t o i nf or m al l
di spat cher s and l aw enf or cement of f i cer s at t he scene of an al l eged i nci dent
of abuse, negl ect , or expl oi t at i on or vi ol at i on of an or der of pr ot ect i on of
any r ecor ded pr i or i nci dent of abuse, negl ect , or expl oi t at i on i nvol vi ng t he
abused, negl ect ed, or expl oi t ed par t y and t he ef f ect i ve dat es and t er ms of
any r ecor ded or der of pr ot ect i on.
( c) The dat a, r ecor ds and t r ansmi t t al s r equi r ed under t hi s Sect i on shal l
per t ai n t o any val i d emer gency, i nt er i m or pl enar y or der of pr ot ect i on,
whet her i ssued i n a ci vi l or cr i mi nal pr oceedi ng or aut hor i zed under t he
l aws of anot her st at e, t r i be, or Uni t ed St at es t er r i t or y.
( Sour ce: P. A. 95- 331, ef f . 8- 21- 07. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 303) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2313- 3)
Sec. 303. Repor t s by l aw enf or cement of f i cer s.
( a) Ever y l aw enf or cement of f i cer i nvest i gat i ng an al l eged i nci dent of
abuse, negl ect , or expl oi t at i on bet ween f ami l y or househol d member s shal l
make a wr i t t en pol i ce r epor t of any bona f i de al l egat i on and t he di sposi t i on
of such i nvest i gat i on. The pol i ce r epor t shal l i ncl ude t he vi ct i m' s
st at ement s as t o t he f r equency and sever i t y of pr i or i nci dent s of abuse,
negl ect , or expl oi t at i on by t he same f ami l y or househol d member and t he
number of pr i or cal l s f or pol i ce assi st ance t o pr event such f ur t her abuse,
negl ect , or expl oi t at i on.
( b) Ever y pol i ce r epor t compl et ed pur suant t o t hi s Sect i on shal l be
r ecor ded and compi l ed as a domest i c cr i me wi t hi n t he meani ng of Sect i on 5. 1
of t he Cr i mi nal I dent i f i cat i on Act .
( Sour ce: P. A. 86- 542; 87- 1186. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 304) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2313- 4)
Sec. 304. Assi st ance by l aw enf or cement of f i cer s.
( a) Whenever a l aw enf or cement of f i cer has r eason t o bel i eve t hat a
per son has been abused, negl ect ed, or expl oi t ed by a f ami l y or househol d
member , t he of f i cer shal l i mmedi at el y use al l r easonabl e means t o pr event
f ur t her abuse, negl ect , or expl oi t at i on, i ncl udi ng:
( 1) Ar r est i ng t he abusi ng, negl ect i ng and expl oi t i ng
( 1) Ar r est i ng t he abusi ng, negl ect i ng and expl oi t i ng
par t y, wher e appr opr i at e;
( 2) I f t her e i s pr obabl e cause t o bel i eve t hat

par t i cul ar weapons wer e used t o commi t t he i nci dent of
abuse, subj ect t o const i t ut i onal l i mi t at i ons, sei zi ng and
t aki ng i nvent or y of t he weapons;
( 3) Accompanyi ng t he vi ct i mof abuse, negl ect , or

expl oi t at i on t o hi s or her pl ace of r esi dence f or a
r easonabl e per i od of t i me t o r emove necessar y per sonal
bel ongi ngs and possessi ons;
( 4) Of f er i ng t he vi ct i mof abuse, negl ect , or

expl oi t at i on i mmedi at e and adequat e i nf or mat i on ( wr i t t en i n
a l anguage appr opr i at e f or t he vi ct i m or i n Br ai l l e or
communi cat ed i n appr opr i at e si gn l anguage) , whi ch shal l
i ncl ude a summar y of t he pr ocedur es and r el i ef avai l abl e t o
vi ct i ms of abuse under subsect i on ( c) of Sect i on 217 and
t he of f i cer ' s name and badge number ;
( 5) Pr ovi di ng t he vi ct i mwi t h one r ef er r al t o an
accessi bl e ser vi ce agency;
( 6) Advi si ng t he vi ct i mof abuse about seeki ng

medi cal at t ent i on and pr eser vi ng evi dence ( speci f i cal l y
i ncl udi ng phot ogr aphs of i nj ur y or damage and damaged
cl ot hi ng or ot her pr oper t y) ; and
( 7) Pr ovi di ng or ar r angi ng accessi bl e t r anspor t at i on

f or t he vi ct i m of abuse ( and, at t he vi ct i m' s r equest , any
mi nor s or dependent s i n t he vi ct i m' s car e) t o a medi cal
f aci l i t y f or t r eat ment of i nj ur i es or t o a near by pl ace of
shel t er or saf et y; or , af t er t he cl ose of cour t busi ness
hour s, pr ovi di ng or ar r angi ng f or t r anspor t at i on f or t he
vi ct i m ( and, at t he vi ct i m' s r equest , any mi nor s or
dependent s i n t he vi ct i m' s car e) t o t he near est avai l abl e
ci r cui t j udge or associ at e j udge so t he vi ct i m may f i l e a
pet i t i on f or an emer gency or der of pr ot ect i on under
subsect i on ( c) of Sect i on 217. When a vi ct i m of abuse
chooses t o l eave t he scene of t he of f ense, i t shal l be
pr esumed t hat i t i s i n t he best i nt er est s of any mi nor s or
dependent s i n t he vi ct i m' s car e t o r emai n wi t h t he vi ct i m
or a per son desi gnat ed by t he vi ct i m, r at her t han t o r emai n
wi t h t he abusi ng par t y.
( b) Whenever a l aw enf or cement of f i cer does not exer ci se
ar r est power s or ot her wi se i ni t i at e cr i mi nal pr oceedi ngs, t he
of f i cer shal l :
( 1) Make a pol i ce r epor t of t he i nvest i gat i on of any

bona f i de al l egat i on of an i nci dent of abuse, negl ect , or
expl oi t at i on and t he di sposi t i on of t he i nvest i gat i on, i n
accor dance wi t h subsect i on ( a) of Sect i on 303;
( 2) I nf or mt he vi ct i mof abuse negl ect , or

expl oi t at i on of t he vi ct i m' s r i ght t o r equest t hat a
cr i mi nal pr oceedi ng be i ni t i at ed wher e appr opr i at e,
i ncl udi ng speci f i c t i mes and pl aces f or meet i ng wi t h t he
St at e' s At t or ney' s of f i ce, a war r ant of f i cer , or ot her
of f i ci al i n accor dance wi t h l ocal pr ocedur e; and
( 3) Advi se t he vi ct i mof t he i mpor t ance of seeki ng

medi cal at t ent i on and pr eser vi ng evi dence ( speci f i cal l y
i ncl udi ng phot ogr aphs of i nj ur y or damage and damaged
cl ot hi ng or ot her pr oper t y) .
( c) Except as pr ovi ded by Sect i on 24- 6 of t he Cr i mi nal Code
( c) Except as pr ovi ded by Sect i on 24- 6 of t he Cr i mi nal Code
of 1961 or under a cour t or der , any weapon sei zed under
subsect i on ( a) ( 2) shal l be r et ur ned f or t hwi t h t o t he per son f r om
whom i t was sei zed when i t i s no l onger needed f or evi dent i ar y
pur poses.
( Sour ce: P. A. 87- 1186; 88- 498. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 305) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2313- 5)
Sec. 305. Li mi t ed l aw enf or cement l i abi l i t y. Any act of omi ssi on or
commi ssi on by any l aw enf or cement of f i cer act i ng i n good f ai t h i n r ender i ng
emer gency assi st ance or ot her wi se enf or ci ng t hi s Act shal l not i mpose ci vi l
l i abi l i t y upon t he l aw enf or cement of f i cer or hi s or her super vi sor or
empl oyer , unl ess t he act i s a r esul t of wi l l f ul or want on mi sconduct .
( Sour ce: P. A. 84- 1305. )
( 750 I LCS 60/ 306) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2313- 6)
Sec. 306. ( Repeal ed) .
( Sour ce: Repeal ed by i nt er nal r epeal er , ef f . 9- 1- 94. )

( 750 I LCS 60/ Ar t . I V headi ng)
ARTI CLE I V
HEALTH CARE PROVI DERS
( 750 I LCS 60/ 401) ( f r omCh. 40, par . 2314- 1)
Sec. 401. Any per son who i s l i censed, cer t i f i ed or ot her wi se aut hor i zed
by t he l aw of t hi s St at e t o admi ni st er heal t h car e i n t he or di nar y cour se of
busi ness or pr act i ce of a pr of essi on shal l of f er t o a per son suspect ed t o be
a vi ct i m of abuse i mmedi at e and adequat e i nf or mat i on r egar di ng ser vi ces
avai l abl e t o vi ct i ms of abuse.
Any per son who i s l i censed, cer t i f i ed or ot her wi se aut hor i zed by t he l aw
of t hi s St at e t o admi ni st er heal t h car e i n t he or di nar y cour se of busi ness,
or pr act i ce of a pr of essi on and who i n good f ai t h of f er s t o a per son
suspect ed t o be a vi ct i m of abuse i nf or mat i on r egar di ng ser vi ces avai l abl e
t o vi ct i ms of abuse shal l not be ci vi l l y l i abl e f or any act or omi ssi on of
t he agency pr ovi di ng t hose ser vi ces t o t he vi ct i ms of abuse or f or t he
i nadequacy of t hose ser vi ces pr ovi ded by t he agency.
( Sour ce: P. A. 87- 436. )
Top
Home | Legislation & Laws | House | Senate | My Legislation | Disclaimers | Email

This site is maintained for the Illinois General Assembly by the
Legislative Information System, 705 Stratton Building, Springfield, Illinois 62706
217-782-3944 217-782-2050 (TTY)

FATHERING
2007. All Rights Reserved

FATHERING AFTER VIOLENCE:
Working with Abusive Fathers
in Supervised Visitation

Written by Juan Carlos Aren
with contributions by Fernando Mederos

In consultation with:
Jennifer Rose, Laura Connelly,
Melissa Scaia, Beth McNamara, and Tracee Parker

Edited by:
Michael Burke

This project is supported by grant #2004-WT-AX-K046 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women,
Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view in this document are those of the
authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

2007 by Family Violence Prevention Fund. All Rights Reserved.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS4

II. INTRODUCTION...6

III. PROJECT BACKGROUND8

IV. ACCOUNTABILITY AND CONNECTION WITH FATHERS.......13

V. MAKING THE CONNECTION TO SAFETY FOR WOMEN
AND CHILDREN16

VI. ORGANIZATIONAL READINESS...18

VII. CULTURAL CONTEXT.22

VIII. ASSESSMENT..27

IX. COMMUNICATION WITH MOTHERS.33

X. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS..35

XI. CONTINUUM OF PRACTICES IN ENGAGING ABUSIVE MEN.37

XII. CONCLUSION.....52

XIII. APPENDICES...53

3

I. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF) is extremely grateful to the many people who
made this publication possible. In particular, we extend our deepest gratitude to the Safe
Havens Supervised Visitation Program Fathering After Violence Learning Communities,
who took a chance and partnered with us to explore new paths of engagement and service
delivery with men who have used violence in their families. Staff from the Advocates for
Family Peace in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, the City of Kent Supervised Visitation Center in
Washington State, the San Mateo County Family Visitation Center in California, the Walnut
Avenue Womens Center in Santa Cruz, California, and the YWCA Visitation Centers in
Springfield and Northampton, Massachusetts, made great contributions to this emerging
field of work. Special thanks go to Dee OBrien, Ramn Sandoval, Bruce Hopson, John
Downing, Jackie Hunt, Nancy Chang, Barbara Loh, Brenda Douglas, and Chris OConnor.

This guide is truly a collaboration of thought and effort. Several authors came together to
produce a practical document that pulls from both research and practice wisdom. Fernando
Mederos generously offered his thinking and conceptualization on the accountability and
connection approach to working with abusive fathers, and also developed an important
framework for approaching the delicate topic of assessment. Tracee Parker, Beth
McNamara, Jennifer Rose, Melissa Scaia, and Laura Connellyall leaders in the field of
supervised visitation and domestic violenceworked tirelessly to develop and test ideas at
their centers and offered their on the ground expertise. This project would not have
happened without their leadership.

Recognition also goes to Ricardo Carillo, Rosario Navarrete, and Jerry Tello for generously
sharing their talent, skills, and experience to support the work of the California sites.

We also want to thank the many additional national advisors and reviewers who helped
shape our work over the last five years and synthesize the learnings for production of this
document: Maren Hansen, Jeremy Nevilles-Sorell, Johnny Rice II, Jeffrey Edleson, Oliver
Williams, Derek Gordon, David Pate, John Badalament, Carmen Del Rosario, Barbara Hart,
4
Betsy Groves, the Honorable Bill Jones, David Mathews, Shelia Hankins, Anne Menard,
Maureen Sheeran, Sandra Stith, and Chris Sullivan.

Lastly, the FVPF extends deep appreciation to our partners and funders at the Office on
Violence Against Women. Special thanks go to Michelle Dodge, Krista Blakeney-Mitchell,
Corrin Ferber, Regina Madison, Nadine Neufville, and Neelam Patel.

Lonna Davis and Juan Carlos Aren
Project Directors

5
II. INTRODUCTION
This guide is intended to assist the grantees of the Safe Havens: Supervised Visitation and
Safe Exchange Grant Program (Supervised Visitation Program or SVP) that want to enhance
the safety and well-being of women and children by working more deliberately with abusive
fathers who use the centers to visit their children. Although fathers are not always the
visiting parents and, in fact, in some centers mothers make up almost half of the visiting
caseload, this document was designed to target in particular visiting fathers who have been
violent with their intimate partners.

This publication takes as a point of departure the minimum practice standards outlined in
the Guiding Principles of the Supervised Visitation Program (Guiding Principles or GP)
1

and builds upon that document to propose a continuum of more advanced interventions for
the engagement of abusive fathers in visitation centers. These interventions are based on the
learnings from the Fathering After Violence Initiative,
2
developed by the Family Violence
Prevention Fund (FVPF) and five current and past SVP grantees with funding from the
Office of Violence Against Women (OVW).

Fathering After Violence is a national initiative that aims to
help end violence against women by motivating men to
renounce their abuse and become better fathers (or father
figures) and more supportive parenting partners using
fatherhood as a leading approach.

The work described in this guide is grounded on two key
premises: Men who use violence can be held accountable for their behavior and
simultaneously be encouraged to change it; and women and children can benefit from this
approach.
Men who use violence
can be held
accountable for their
behavior and
simultaneously be
encouraged to change
it; and women and
children can benefit
from this approach.

1
Office on Violence Against Women, US Department of Justice. Guiding Principles. Safe Havens:
Supervised Visitation and Safe Exchange Grant Program (2007). Washington, DC.
2
For more information, see http://www.endabuse.org/programs/display.php3?DocID=342.
6
What is accountability in supervised visitation?
Accountability is a concept frequently used in the domestic violence field, and yet there is a
dearth of definitions in the literature. One noteworthy definition by Brenda Hill appears in
Domestic Violence Awareness: Actions for Social Change:

Batterers accountability means that perpetrators take responsibility for violence in all its forms. This
requires honest self-examination, and directly, openly owning violent behaviors. It includes acknowledging the
impact their violence has on partners or other victims, children and other relatives. True accountability
requires accepting the consequences of their behavior, and making significant changes in their belief systems
and behaviors based upon non-violence and respect for women and all other relatives.
3

In the context of the criminal justice system, accountability often means being subjected to
the consequences imposed by the system, such as arrest, imprisonment, probation,
compliance with mandated treatment, and restitution to the victims.

Although supervised visitation is not directly related to systemic accountability relative to
criminal justice, it can be a clear consequence for someones abusive behavior and visitation
centers must hold abusive parents accountable to the programs policies and procedures and
the court order. Perpetrators need to know in no uncertain terms that if the centers rules or
the court order are broken, they might lose the right to see their children.

However, it is not a prerequisite to start or continue supervised visitation that abusive
parents take responsibility for their past behavior, acknowledge the impact of their violence
on their families, or even take steps to change outside the visiting time.

For this reason, it is imperative that visitation centers work not in isolation, but as part of a
larger system that holds abusive men accountable and guarantees safety for the children and
adult victims. Supervised visitation centers that are part of a functional coordinated
community response have much greater means to achieve these goals.

Due to the limitations that visitation centers have in creating a traditional framework of
accountability, developing significant relationships with the visiting fathers can enable staff
to clearly communicate the legal and non-legal consequences that continued abusive
behavior can produce.

3
Domestic Violence Awareness Project (2005). Domestic Violence Awareness: Actions for Social
Change. Harrisburg, PA: National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, p. 79. Retrieved February 23,
2007, from http://new.vawnet.org/Assoc_Files_VAWnet/ActionForSocialChange.pdf.

7
III. PROJECT BACKGROUND
Supervised visitation centers have traditionally served the function of providing a safe space
for children who have experienced physical or sexual abuse from their parents and/or have
witnessed domestic violence (DV). Under close observation, the visiting parent can see,
interact, and play with the children in a way that minimizes the possibility of creating further
harm.

According to Campbell, Gordon, and McAlister-Groves
4
, the first supervised visitation
program in the United States was founded in Denver in 1970 to provide services for
families involved with child protection cases. Other programs with the same goals
appeared across the country in the 1970s and 80s. But it was not until the last decade of the
twentieth century that supervised visitation centers started to proliferate, due in large part
to custody and visitation issues between separated parents.
5

In the early 1990s, attention shifted to the development of supervised visitation for families
in which there had been domestic violence. This happened in conjunction with increased
pressure on the courts and other providers to gain a better understanding of the unique
safety needs to be considered in these cases in order to keep mothers and their children
safe.
6

In 2000, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA 2000) directed the Office of Violence
Against Women to establish the Safe Havens: Supervised Visitation and Safe Exchange
Grant Program, which provides an opportunity for communities to support supervised
visitation and safe exchange of children, by and between parents, in situations involving
domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, or stalking.
7

4
Campbell, J., Gordon, D. and McAlister-Groves, B. (2007) Beyond Observation: Considerations for
Advancing Practice in Domestic Violence Supervised Visitation Centers. San Francisco, CA: Family
Violence Prevention Fund.
5
Ibid.
6
Ibid.
7
Office of Violence Against Women, United States Department of Justice. Safe Havens: Supervised
Visitation and Safe Exchange Grant Program. Retrieved September 29, 2006, from
http://www.usdoj.gov/ovw/safehaven_desc.htm.
8
From 2002 to date, the Supervised Visitation Program has funded more than one hundred
grantee communities, with the central goal of helping the SV centers make their highest
priority the safety of both the children and the adult victim.
8

The Supervised Visitation Program has created a series of guiding principles, developed in
consultation with a National Steering Committee comprising recognized leaders in the field,
SVP grantees, and technical assistance providers. The guiding principles include, among
others, the above-mentioned equal regard for the safety of children and adult victims;
valuing multiculturalism and diversity; and respectful and fair interaction with everyone using
the center.

When working with abusive fathers, part of the latter principle
is based on the idea that responses to battering behavior
need to be accomplished in a manner that does not
dehumanize the batterer. If a batterer has a positive reaction
to using the visitation center, safety for child(ren) and adult
victims may be enhanced.
9

responses to
battering behavior
need to be
accomplished in a
manner that does not
dehumanize the
batterer.

Furthermore, the Steering Committee recommended practices that include working with
visiting fathers to help them prepare for the visits and, when safe and appropriate,
supporting conversations between the visiting parent and the children about what brought
them to the center.

8
See supra note 1, p. V.
9
See supra note 1, p. 19.
9
What about neutrality?
According to the Standards for Supervised Visitation Practice developed by the Supervised
Visitation Network, neutrality as used in the context of supervised visitation means
maintaining an unbiased, objective, and balanced environment, and when providing the
service, not taking a position between the parents in providing the service. The Standards
add that [b]eing neutral does not mean providers disregard behaviors such as abuse or
violence of any kind.
10

The expansion of safeguards to include adult victims and the deeper understanding of the
dynamics of domestic violence require further examination of the concept of neutrality. The
Safe Havens Supervised Visitation Program has established that grantees should treat all
parties with fairness and respect, with the recognition that the perpetrator is the only
person responsible for the violence. SVP centers can create a neutral environment for
parents to visit with their children, but they cannot remain neutral toward the actual
violence, whether it is perpetrated against children or adult victims.

The Safe Havens Supervised Visitation Program Learning Communities
The FVPF received two grants from OVW to look at the possible application of the
Fathering After Violence framework in the context of supervised visitation and to provide
targeted technical assistance (TA) to four SVP visitation centers across the United States.
The four sites chosen were Advocates for Family Peace in Grand Rapids, Minnesota; the
City of Kent Supervised Visitation Center in Washington State; the San Mateo County
Family Visitation Center in California; and the Walnut Avenue Womens Center in Santa
Cruz, California. The YWCA Visitation Centers in Springfield and Northampton,
Massachusetts, were originally part of the collaborative and contributed important lessons to
this project.

The goal of the TA has been to enhance the safety of victims of DV and their children by
developing strategies for working with non-custodial fathers who use the centers.

10
Supervised Visitation Network (2006). Standards for Supervised Visitation Practice. Retrieved February
23, 2007, from http://www.svnetwork.net/Standards.html.

10

Many abusive fathers who use visitation centers have neither been involved with the criminal
justice system nor attended a batterers intervention program (BIP). Therefore, visitation
centers might be the only institutions available to begin a process of accountability for their
behavior and offer them the possibility to renounce their abuse. By focusing on the fathers
abuse and its impact on their children, the centers can create opportunities to assess their
violence and control, as well as their potential for change. Giving abusive fathers (and all
men) more opportunities for change and healing is an essential component of ending
violence against women and children.

In the last three years, in collaboration with our partners, we have been able to design,
redesign, and test innovative implementation plans for working
with fathers, including the use of universal messages, orientation
sessions, nonviolence groups, and a multicultural mentoring
project.

Some of the main lessons that have emerged include the
importance of always keeping the safety of victims and
accountability of perpetrators in the forefront; the significance of
supporting mothers who use the centers; the need to understand
organizational readiness to carry out this work; the consequence of using effective
assessment tools for families; the relevance of having a solid domestic violence and cultural
analysis; and the value of undertaking community mapping and creating true collaborations
with other providers.
By focusing on
the fathers abuse
and its impact on
their children, the
centers can create
opportunities to
assess their
violence and
control, as well as
their potential for
change.

Guiding Principles of the Fathering After Violence Initiative
The working collaborative behind the Fathering After Violence Initiative developed the
following guiding principles to inform its work:
The safety of women and children is always our first priority;
This initiative must be continually informed and guided by the experiences of battered
women and their children;
11
This initiative does not endorse or encourage automatic contact between the offending
fathers and their children or parenting partners;
In any domestic violence intervention, there must be critical awareness of the cultural
context in which parenting happens;
Violence against women and children is a tool of domination and control used primarily
by men and rooted in sexism and male entitlement;
Abuse is a deliberate choice and a learned behavior and therefore can be unlearned;
Some men choose to change their abusive behavior and heal their relationships, while
others continue to choose violence;
Working with fathers is an essential piece of ending violence against women and
children; and
Fathers who have used violence need close observation to mitigate unintended harm.

FAV Poster
12
IV. ACCOUNTABILITY AND CONNECTION WITH FATHERS
The first key premise of this guidethat men who use violence can be held accountable for
their behavior and simultaneously be encouraged to change itcomes, in part, from the
lessons of more than thirty years of work with men in nonviolence programs (commonly
known as batterers intervention programs or BIPs). Although the
research on the outcomes of BIPs is mixed
11
, most researchers agree
that, at the very least, programs have a modest positive effect on
men who batter. Some serious research conducted by Edward
Gondolf suggests that, in fact, the long-term positive effects of BIPs
can be very significant. For forty-eight months, he studied 840 men
who completed BIPs and found that 52 percent did not re-assault
their partners and an additional 26 percent re-assaulted their partners
once over the four-year follow-up period.
12

Most researchers
will agree that
BIPs are an
important part of
the system to
keep women and
children safe,
provided that
they dont work
in isolation.

The discrepancies in outcome measures of BIPs in the more than seventy studies that have
been conducted to date might have more to do with research methodologies than with actual
program effectiveness.
13
However, most researchers will agree that BIPs are an important
part of the system to keep women and children safe, provided that they dont work in
isolation. Rather, they ought to be an active part of the coordinated community response.
Furthermore, it is essential that courts monitor both the men who batter and the BIPs and
that noncompliance with the program rules be followed by swift judicial sanctions.

Research on BIPs effectiveness is made more complicated by the fact that the philosophies
and designs of the programs can vary widely. On one hand, they can range from purely
educational to almost totally process-oriented, and on the other, from models based on
heavy confrontation to designs guided by compassion for the participants.
14

11
Aldarondo, E. (2002). Evaluating the Efficacy of Interventions with Men Who Batter. In Aldarondo, E.
and Mederos, F. (Eds.). Programs for Men Who Batter. Kingston, NJ: Civic Research Institute, pp. 3-1 to
3-20.
12
Gondolf, E. W. (2002). Batterers Intervention Systems. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
13
Gondolf, E. W. (2004). Evaluating batterer counseling programs. Aggression and Violent Behavior 9, pp.
605631.
14
For more information on BIP models, see Aldarondo, E. and Mederos, F. (Eds.). (2002). Programs for
Men who Batter. Kingston, NJ: Civic Research Institute.
13
Many BIP practitioners with vast experience working with men who batter have concluded
that the best approach might be to strike a balance between confrontation and support for
change, and between pedagogical and counseling methodologies. Although there are some
mainstream BIPs that have pioneered this approach,
15
a balance between accountability for
the abuse and assistance in renouncing it has been almost universally practiced by the few
programs started and led by providers of color.
16
This suggests that a cultural analysis can
help programs achieve an equilibrium that might be effective in engaging men who batter
and enhancing the safety of their victims.

Likewise, it seems that many programs for men who batter outside the United States have
adopted variations on this approach. In one instance, Einat Peled and Guy Perel from Israel
have proposed the concept of Duality in Practice. Their methodology implies a
condemnation of the harm the fathers cause to the children and the childrens mother and
strives to put a stop to the abuse, while also being attentive to the fathers distress and
providing them with support.
17

Fernando Mederos and the Massachusetts Department of Social Services Domestic Violence
Unit have proposed a similar approach when working with men who batter in the context of
child protection services.
18
Based on this framework, which Mederos and his colleagues
have named Accountability and Connection, the FVPF has been exploring for some years
the concept of using fatherhood as a leading approach to engage abusive men in renouncing
their violence. The Fathering After Violence Initiative
19
has been looking at ways to help
abusive fathers understand the effects of witnessing and experiencing domestic violence on

15
A partial list of programs includes the Mens Resource Center for Change in Amherst, Mass., the
Domestic Abuse Project in Minneapolis, Menergy in Philadelphia, Christians Addressing Family Abuse in
Eugene, Oregon, and Men Overcoming Violence in San Francisco.
16
A partial list of programs includes Caminar Latino in Atlanta, EVOLVE in Connecticut, CECEVIM in
San Francisco, the National Compadres Network, the Institute for Family Service in New Jersey , and the
Batterer Education Program for Incarcerated African-Americans.
17
Peled, E. and Perel G. (2007). A Conceptual Framework for Intervening in the Parenting of Men Who
Batter. In Edleson, J. and Williams O. (Eds.). Fathering by Men Who Batter. New York: Oxford
University Press, p. 90.
18
Mederos, F. et al. (2004) Accountability and Connection with Men Who Batter. San Francisco: Family
Violence Prevention Fund.
19
Aren, J. C. and Davis, L. (2007). Working with Fathers in Batterer Intervention Programs: Lessons from
the Fathering After Violence Project. In Edleson, J. and Williams O. (Eds.). Fathering by Men Who Batter.
New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 118130.
14
children, and therefore create an impact that might persuade them to renounce their
violence.

This idea has come in part from the experience of many BIP providers, who have observed
that abusive fathers seem to be able to develop empathy toward their children more easily
than toward their partners and that this pathway to empathy can help some men reflect upon
and change abusive and violent conduct.

FAV Poster
15
V. MAKING THE CONNECTION TO SAFETY FOR WOMEN AND
CHILDREN
The second key premise of this documentthat women and children can benefit from the
approach in working with abusive men described aboveis based on research, practice
wisdom, and common sense.

Domestic violence practitioners and activists have pointed out that many women in abusive
intimate partnerships want the abuse to end but not necessarily the relationships. In other
words, they want their partners to change for the better. Even after the intimate relationship
has ended, some mothers who have experienced violence still want their ex-partners to
change and become better fathers for their children.

As part of the Fathering After Violence Initiative, the FVPF conducted a series of focus
groups with mothers who had experienced violence. Though the
sample was small (thirty-two participants), most of the women
expressed that they wanted their children to have contact with their
fathers, if it could be done in a safe way.
20
Recent research by
Carolyn Tubbs and Oliver Williams points to similar conclusions.
Their findings from focus groups with African-American mothers
who had suffered abuse indicated that shared parenting was
perceived as a necessary obligation of parenting, even with
heightened concerns about ones own and ones childrens
safety.
21

Even after the
intimate
relationship has
ended, some
mothers who have
experienced
violence still want
their ex-partners
to change and
become better
fathers for their
children.

It seems logical that if supervised visitation centers have the opportunity to take steps
toward the goal of helping abusive men become better fathers and ex-partners, they might
want to explore such a possibility. Any improvement in the fathers positive interactions

20
Atchison, G., Autry, A., Davis, L., & Mitchell-Clark, K. (2002). Conversations with Women of Color
Who Have Experienced Domestic Violence Regarding Working with Men to End Domestic Violence. San
Francisco: Family Violence Prevention Fund.
21
Tubbs, C. and Williams, O. (2007). Shared Parenting After Abuse: Battered Mothers Perspectives on
Parenting After Dissolution of a Relationship. In Edleson, J. and Williams O. (Eds.) Fathering by Men Who
Batter. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 40.
16
with the children is likely to be welcomed by most mothers. Furthermore, a comprehensive
response in conjunction with batterers intervention might assist fathers in renouncing their
violence and other forms of abuse and therefore enhance the safety and well-being of their
children and ex-partners. In the study mentioned above by Gondolf, the majority of women
partners of the men who completed the BIPs studied expressed that they were better off or
felt safer than before the intervention.
22

Supervised visitation centers that choose to remain completely silent about mens abusive
behavior may be unintentionally colluding with the batterers and going along with their
avoidance. By not challenging the visiting fathers abusive behavior, they can send the
implicit message that the problem is not serious enough and that the victim shares some of
the responsibility for the abuse. Using the accountability and connection approach,
visitation center staff can be truthful and direct with the fathers and at the same time show
that they care about them. This might help defuse escalations and make it easier to share
advice and model positive parenting.

22
17
VI. ORGANIZATIONAL READINESS
Visitation centers that want to engage visiting fathers, even at a basic level, need to look at
their readiness in various areas, including understanding domestic violence dynamics,
characteristics and tactics of men who batter, effects of violence on children, and positive
engagement of fathers. Centers need to pay attention to staff training and buy-in, physical
space, and connection to local resources.

Organizational preparedness should not be taken lightly. In the words of one center director
who implemented advanced strategies for the engagement of fathers, dont do it if you
dont think you are ready.

Understanding Fathers Who Batter
Before attempting to do any work with abusive fathers, every supervised visitation
practitioner needs to have a solid understanding of the characteristics, tactics, and parenting
styles of men who batter. An excellent source for understanding domestic violence
dynamics within the family is the book The Batterer as Parent by Lundy Bancroft and Jay
Silverman.

Bancroft and Silverman offer the following definition of a batterer:
A batterer is a person who exercises a pattern of coercive control in a partner relationship, punctuated by one
or more acts of intimidating physical violence, sexual assault, or credible threat of physical violence. This
pattern of control and intimidation may be predominantly psychological, economic, or sexual in nature or may
rely primarily on the use of physical violence.
23

Another great resource is the aforementioned Accountability and Connection with Abusive Men by
Fernando Mederos and colleagues. The authors emphasize that determining whether
someone is a batterer is a behavioral, and not a clinical decision. It is not a diagnosis of a
psychological disorder, but an assessment based on reviewing information provided by
collateral sources, by the alleged abuser, by victims and/or children and by observing and

23
Bancroft, L. and Silverman, J. (2002). The Batterer as Parent. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications,
p. 3.

18
documenting abusive or coercive conduct that appears with social workers and other CPS
personnel.
24

Mederos goes on to list some key characteristics of abusers, including intimidation,
psychological abuse, an inflated sense of self-entitlement, and physical abuse.
25
Bancroft and
Silverman mention these additional characteristics: control, selfishness, superiority,
possessiveness, confusion of love and abuse, externalization of responsibility, denial,
minimization and victim blaming, and serial battering.
26

In specifically describing abusive mens parenting styles, Bancroft and Silverman include the
following traits: authoritarianism, under-involvement, neglect and irresponsibility,
undermining of the mothers parenting and authority, self-centeredness, manipulativeness,
and ability to perform under observation.
27

On the one hand, understanding the unique characteristics of men who batter and their
potential to continue harming their family members ought to be the baseline from which any
strategies of engagement are developed.

On the other hand, it is important not to create rigid stereotypes from these characteristics.
Stereotyping and over-generalizing could hinder the possibility of change for men who
might be willing and ready to start modifying their behavior.

Staff Training
All the staff (including administrators) can benefit from specialized training in how to work
with abusive men. Part of this training must include a process of buy-in from the staff at
all levels, including personnel who dont work directly in the visitation center. The
implementation of enhanced engagement strategies for abusive fathers can only be
successful if a majority of the staff understand and embrace such an approach.

24
25
Ibid., p. 7.
26
See supra note 23, pp. 519.
27
Ibid., pp. 2937.
19
The City of Kent, Washington, one of the SVP demonstration sites and one of the FVPF
Learning Communities, implemented a series of half-day trainings that included topics such
as the impact of violence on children, tactics of fathers who use violence, positive
engagement with men who batter, using culture to work with fathers, de-escalation of
potentially dangerous situations, and motivational interviewing.

As they opened a brand-new center, staff members benefited from the trainings and regular
debriefings and, according to the director, were able to be very intentional about working to
build relationships with the parents using the center. They found that not all men were
interested in changing, but were able to offer support and compassion for those who
were.
28

All the staff
(including
administrators)
can benefit
from specialized
training in how
to work with
abusive men.
Advanced strategies to engage abusive fathers logically require a higher degree of
organizational preparedness, particularly concerning staff training and buy-in and community
partnerships. As stated before, the dual approach of holding men accountable for their
violence and supporting them in renouncing it has been practiced by a
number of BIP providers across the country and abroad. However, it
is not a simple approach to apply and it should not be required of all
the staff at the center.

For a myriad of reasons, some visitation center staff members might
feel that they dont want to establish further relationships with the
visiting fathers. It might be because of their personal experience or belief system, or because
of fear of being manipulated or appearing insincere in their interventions. For whatever
reason, and especially after receiving basic training on working with abusive men, staff
should be able to opt out of utilizing this approach.

Staff who show interest in further engaging visiting fathers should receive specialized
training, preferably from a BIP provider that espouses the accountability and connection
approach, or if this is not an option, from an out-of-town consultant with experience in this

28
Private communication with Tracee Parker, director of the City of Kent Supervised Visitation Center.
20
methodology. Ideally, visitation center staff should participate in a comprehensive training
for facilitating batterers groups, even if their goal is not to actually become facilitators.

Centers that are committed to further engaging men might consider evaluating new hires on
their interest and potential to work with fathers as well as recruiting male monitors.
Although women can clearly master the accountability and connection approach, there are
advantages to having some male staff. In a focus group of visiting fathers conducted in
Minnesota by the FVPF, a chief complaint of the participants was that there were no male
staff at the center.

Hiring male staff has its own challenges, as in general, male practitioners tend to collude with
men who batter more than women, both consciously and unconsciously. Special attention
has to be given to the accountability (and support) of male staff, and it is imperative that the
male monitors be open to constructive criticism and to being transparent in front of their
female coworkers.

Physical Surroundings
Another area of basic preparedness involves paying attention to the physical appearance of
the centers. Beyond the necessary issues involving security, it is important to consider
whether the physical space is inviting for all members of the family, including fathers. Its
important to ask: Will men (as well as women and children) feel welcome in this space?

A simple change that all centers can accomplish is to provide
literature and posters that address men specifically. If reading
materials are available, some should reflect the fathers interests, such
as sports and home improvement magazines. There could also be
newsletters, brochures, books, and local resource information that
address issues of positive fathering, violence prevention, and
masculinity.
29
It goes without saying that publications that glorify negative stereotypes of
masculinity should be avoided.
Its important to
ask: Will men
(as well as
women and
children) feel
welcome in this
space?

29
Examples of recommended publications include Voice Male, the magazine of the Mens Resource Center
for Change, and CONNECT, a mini-magazine produced by the FVPF.
21
VII. CULTURAL CONTEXT
Some of the most important basic practices and standards for doing effective cross-cultural
work in visitation centers are clearly spelled out in the SVP Guiding Principles, under their
second principle, Valuing Multiculturalism and Diversity. Particularly important are the
concepts that [f]ailure to understand the social and cultural context of those who use
visitation centers can lead to decisions that increase the risks to child(ren) and adult victims
and reduce the usefulness of services; and that [i]ncorporating multiculturalism and
diversity into center practice can enhance safety and lead to better outcomes for children,
adult victims, and batterers.
30

The idea of fully valuing cultural differences and considering culture an asset for healing
families affected by violence constitutes a clear paradigm shift in the provision of services
for such families. Historically, culture has been almost exclusively seen as an obstacle to
designing effective interventions and/or as the source of negative role models and
oppressive representations of masculinity. It is important to credit the hard and incessant
work of activists of color for helping move the field to a more holistic approach.
31

It is also relevant to point out that organizations in the
domestic violence arena have had an easier (though not easy)
time applying this framework to their work with women and
children. Agencies that work with men who batter (such as
BIPs and visitation centers) are still struggling to understand
the value of using culture to help men renounce their violence.
In fact, because many men use their culture as an excuse for
their abuse, there is a generalized fear that validating cultural considerations and
acknowledging racism and oppression could provide abusive men with further justification
for their violence.
Practitioners can
simultaneously
challenge the concept
of culture as
justification for
violence and use
culture as an agent
for change.

30
See supra note 1, pp. 9-10.
31
A list of individuals doing this work is beyond the scope of this guide. However, we want to recognize
the collective work of the Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community, the
National Latino Alliance to Eliminate Domestic Violence, the Women of Color Network, INCITE, Sacred
Circle, and the Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence.
22
However, practitioners who espouse a cultural approach for working with abusive men have
shown that one can simultaneously challenge the concept of culture as justification for
violence and use culture as an agent for change.

Here are some examples of cultural-based statements that SV staff can use to
encourage self-reflection and change in fathers who batter:
I know that not all men in your culture believe that its acceptable to use violence in the
family.
Do you know any men from your culture who do not use violence in their families?
Why do you think some men in your culture choose not to use violence in their families?
Every culture has men who choose to use violence and men who refuse to do it,
including my own culture (give concrete examples).
Do you want your children to believe that it is acceptable to use violence in your culture?
How will this affect them?

The Guiding Principles spell out basic practices for making supervised visitation centers
more culturally competent, but clearly, much more can be done. Some of the important
basic practices recommended by the Steering Committee include allowing extended families
to participate in visits, facilitating families in using their primary language, providing
interpretation services and forms and literature in different languages, and allowing clients to
bring their traditional food, music, and religious traditions into the centers.

The Committee goes on to recommend that centers hire multilingual, culturally diverse staff,
promote ongoing internal discussions about diversity, and provide culturally relevant, up-
to-date, practical training to staff. These recommendations are essential for doing cross-
cultural work, especially when they include an understanding of the nature of power
imbalances, social oppression, prejudice, and discrimination.
32

It is important to point out that multicultural training and internal discussions often shy
away from dealing with some hard issues, especially naming racism, classism, heterosexism,

32
23
and other forms of oppression when they happen at the center and in the community.
Instead, training and conversations on culture tend to gravitate toward cultural differences
and misunderstandings.
33
It is essential that staff at visitation centers (and other agencies)
find ways to move beyond these superficial approaches and delve into the more difficult
issues, but not without skillful facilitation.
34

Likewise, it is not uncommon for domestic violence agencies to try to fulfill their
responsibility for having diverse, multilingual staff by hiring individuals from different
cultures and then not adequately supporting them in navigating systems and organizations
governed by dominant-culture norms. It is often very difficult for these individuals to find
their voices and their power within their agencies, especially when the management positions
are almost exclusively filled by people from the dominant culture.

Staff who come from different cultures should not carry the full burden of adapting to the
dominant culture of the agency. Organizations also have the responsibility of creating a
flexible working environment and providing training to all the staff in cross-cultural issues.
Ultimately, for an organization to achieve authentic cultural competence, there has to be
real power sharing, with diverse staff represented at every level, including in the governance
of the agency.

It is strongly contraindicated that supervised visitation centers (or any other organization)
adopt advanced strategies for working with fathers cross-culturally if they have not
integrated a cultural framework and received basic training in cultural competency. Without
the proper internal work and self-reflection, working with men, women, and children across
cultures is likely to be ineffective, if not counterproductive and possibly unsafe.

When the foundational work has been achieved and an organization is moving toward
providing truly culturally relevant services, culture can become an important tool in the

33
For a critique of this approach, see Aren, J. C. Beyond Cultural Competence. Available at
http://toolkit.endabuse.org/Resources/Beyond/view?searchterm=competence.
34
For a roadmap on how to approach this work, see Cross-Cultural Solidarity. Available at
http://toolkit.endabuse.org/BuildPartnerships/Cross-Cultural/.
24
engagement of fathers. As it has been eloquently articulated by ALIANZA, the National
Latino Alliance for the Elimination of Domestic Violence, la cultura cura, or culture heals.

Proponents of this approach when working with men who batter
have emphasized that it is particularly important that interventions
be based on values from within, rather than without, the given
culture. If men of color are court-mandated to use centers run
generally by white women, it will be easy for them to dismiss any
intervention (and challenge) as one more imposition from an
oppressive dominant culture. If, on the other hand, a center reflects the diversity of the
communities it serves throughout its structure and philosophy, and the staff are skillful at
using culture as a tool of engagement, the chances of creating a meaningful connection and
enforcing effective accountability will significantly increase.
Ultimately, for an
organization to
achieve authentic
cultural
competence,
there has to be real
power sharing.

FAV Poster, created in collaboration
with Mending the Sacred Hoop
25
Culture and DV 101
Here are some key concepts to understand when working cross-culturally in domestic
violence, as presented by Fernando Mederos in Accountability and Connection with Men Who
Batter:
35

Domestic violence occurs in heterosexual, gay, and lesbian intimate relationships,
among all ethnic and racial groups, and at all socioeconomic and educational levels.
Poverty is associated with higher reported levels of violence for all racial and ethnic
groups.
The association between poverty and higher reported levels of intimate partner
violence suggests that there is a positive connection between employment, vocational
stability, and the capacity to resist engaging in or escalating violent behavior in a
relationship.
Race and ethnicity are not associated with higher reported levels of domestic
violence, but certain racial and ethnic groups are disproportionately impacted by
higher levels of economic disadvantage and adverse life circumstances. These factors
can act as an additional stressor for men and can complicate the change process for
them.
In each culture, there are values, traditions, and practices that facilitate abusive and
coercive relationships, and there are also values, traditions, and practices that support
and promote functional and respectful relationships. It is important for SV staff to
become knowledgeable about these aspects of different cultures and be able to use
protective resources of diverse cultures in their interventions with men and with
families in general.
With respect to physically abusive men of color, it is important for SV staff to take
care to separate the mens culturally based explanations or justifications for violent
conduct from assessments of dangerousness. Culturally based explanations or
excuses for violent behavior should not be used as primary indicators of
dangerousness or of capacity to change, since cultural origin is not a predictor of
capacity for violence. Racial and cultural differences in how men and women
experience, explain, or justify domestic violence challenge social workers to become
aware of their own culturally based assumptions about domestic violence and to
avoid applying these assumptions in practice with diverse populations.

35
For an extended discussion of these concepts, see Mederos, F. et al. (2004) Accountability and
Connection with Men Who Batter. San Francisco: Family Violence Prevention Fund. www.endabuse.org
26
VIII. ASSESSMENT
Deepening the work with fathers who batter requires good assessment at many different
levels. Assessments have to be multifaceted and ongoing to capture the complexities of a
persons life and needs. Some aspects of assessment can be based
on formal instruments, but others need to be less formal, based
on observation and common sense.

Assessment at the onset of visitation will look different from
evaluations during later periods. Some of the key considerations
for initial assessments must include determining the appropriateness of a referral, the level of
intervention, and the level of risk.
Assessments have
to be multifaceted
and ongoing to
capture the
complexities of a
persons life and
needs.

Assessing Risk
There are two types of risk that should be considered: risks of traumatization and
intimidation of children and partners that stem from the abusers coercive control of his
family, and safety risks that stem from the abusers violent behaviors. Coercive control is a
pattern of psychological abuse, intimidation, and some form of entitlement (exaggerated
and/or intrusive sense of what one deserves) that men who batter use to establish power
over their families. Understanding these behaviors is important because they can have a
traumatic and intimidating impact on the custodial spouse and the children, and because
these behaviors often continue after separation and during visitation. If visitation personnel
understand the preexisting pattern of coercive control, they can stop or limit new behaviors
during visitation and mitigate their impact. It is also important to understand these
behaviors because visiting parents may utilize different forms of coercive control with
visitation center staff. In visitation settings, these behaviors can take the form of threatening,
intimidating, or disrespectful behavior with children and/or visitation center staff, attempts
to unilaterally control visitation schedules, constant anger coupled with the expectation that
people will work hard to placate and accommodate the visiting parent, attempts to control
the mother through messages given to the child, and so on.

27
Some of the assessment risk issues are:
What is the level of the abusers pattern of coercive control?
What is the past level and history of violence and injury?
Is he willing to stop such behaviors once they are pointed out?
Alternatively, is he willing to get help (e.g. attend a batterers intervention program) to
change his behavior?
Has there been direct abuse to the children?
What is the impact of his behavior on the child(ren)? On his partner? On staff?
If the behavior continues, should visitation be terminated or limited? Should the matter
be referred back to the court?

For a comprehensive article discussing some of these issues, see Assessing Risk to Children
from Batterers by Lundy Bancroft and Jay Silverman.
36

Assessing Dangerousness and Lethality
37

Assessing risk with respect to dangerousness is complex. Some key questions include:
Is the abuser moderately violent and more likely to change or moderate his behavior?
Is he an ongoing assaulter?
Is he potentially lethal?

Moderately violent men have low levels of coercive control and have less frequent violent
behaviors that do not cause physical injury. Ongoing assaulters are abusers whose violent
behavior and patterns of severe coercive control may continue despite treatment and other
interventions. Their violence may not be highly injurious, but their refusal to stop magnifies
the fear and traumatic impact of their behavior and suggests that continuing precautions are
critical. Ongoing assaulters usually have a history of prior assaults marked by arrest or police
intervention; they may have attended treatment previously with little impact; assaults may be
accompanied by substance abuse (particularly binge drinking); and they may have a history
of recent unemployment. Though some potentially lethal abusers have never been violent

36
Bancroft, L. and Silverman, J. (2002). Assessing Risk to Children from Batterers. Retrieved February 23, 2007,
from http://www.vawnet.org/DomesticViolence/ServicesAndProgramDev/ServiceProvAndProg/RiskToChildren.pdf.
37
For a validated danger assessment tool by Jacqueline Campbell, go to www.dangerassessment.org.
28
prior to a lethal assault, most have a pattern of recently escalating and injurious violence (in
addition to a past history of violence) and a pattern of stalking or following/monitoring a
spouse along with threats or abusive behaviors. They have usually made threats to harm the
partner and the children; have access to weapons such as guns; and
may be escalated by triggers such as the partners filing for divorce,
filing for custody of children, getting a job or better education, dating
another man, or showing any sign of becoming more autonomous.
Potentially lethal men may also have become unemployed or unstable recently and may have
ongoing problems with substance abuse or recently worsening problems with substance
abuse.
Dangerousness,
in many
instances, is not
static.

It is also important to consider visitation-specific risks: Has the abuser threatened to abduct
child(ren)? Has he threatened to hurt children? Specific risks like these must be addressed
carefully in conversations with the visiting parent and taken into account in decisions about
visitation supervision.

It should be apparent that there is some overlap between all the categories of assaulters.
Whether the abuser appears moderately violent or not, it is critical to be aware that trigger
events may escalate violent behavior suddenly. Dangerousness/risk assessment is helpful
and essential, but not always definitive or certain. Dangerousness, in many instances, is not
static. For that reason, it is important to consider this type of assessment an ongoing task.
As people work with an abuser and his partner in visitation over a period of time, more
information may become available and the visitation centers staffs perception of risk may
change.

Most men who are moderately violent and many ongoing assaulters may be appropriate for
visitation with appropriate supervision, adequate safety planning for partners, and careful
attention to substance abuse issues. Most potentially lethal men will not be appropriate since
they are too volatile and the risk for custodial parents and children is too severe. The
appropriate action with potentially lethal men may be to focus on safety planning for the
spouse and to encourage the man to attend a batterers intervention program before engaging
in visitation.
29

Once the basic topics of assessment have been covered, programs will benefit from adding
other evaluation topics such as parental capacity, motivation, and life background issues.

Assessing Parental Capacity
This evaluation has to do with the basic building blocks of parenting. The underlying issues
are empathy with a child, capacity to connect, tolerance for opposition or non-
responsiveness, and capacity to set limits and discipline appropriately.

The following questions can guide the parental capacity assessment:
Can the visiting parent play with the child and do age-appropriate activities?
Can he tolerate the childs different moods, including fear, lack of interest, and refusal to
agree with suggestions?
Does he engage genuinely with the child?
Can he shift activities with a child as s/he becomes bored or wants to do something
else?
Is he somewhat sensitive to the childs needs and moods?
Is there some capacity to follow the childs pace?
Does he show interest in the childs world?
Can he set limits and discipline appropriately?
Does he confuse fear and respect?

Assessing Motivation
A specific area that should be addressed in an advanced visitation assessment is the mans
experience of being fathered, either by a father, stepfather, mothers boyfriend, uncle, older
brother, or other paternal figure. A positive vision of fatherhood may provide a gateway for
setting aside anger at a partner or at the courts and focusing on children (who are considered
innocent and blameless by most men). For this reason it is very important to explore these
issues and help the man connect with and/or put together a positive, functional, nurturing,
and non-coercive model of fatherhood.

30
Questions to consider when assessing a mans motivation:
What was his experience of being fathered, either by a father or by a father figure?
What messages did he get about himself and about being a father?
Does he have a positive vision or ideal of fatherhood?
Is this a motivating factor for him?
How would he like to be remembered by his child(ren)?
Did he get exposed to good fatherhood skills?
Does he have some good models of fatherhood from his culture?

This exploration calls for identifying, encouraging, and building upon strength and
experience; it establishes the basis for positive change. It is also an opportunity to bring to
the surface fatherhood ideals and models that are coercive, neglectful, or deeply
authoritarian. If no sense of a positive vision of fatherhood can be elicited and attempts to
help the man develop such a vision are unsuccessful, this may be the basis for concern with
respect to the motivation for fatherhood.

Considering Life Background
Life background has to do with issues that have a strong impact on a persons life and
parenting capacity. They do not cause violence, but they can act as obstacles for change
or they can destabilize the change process. It is important to address them, that is, to
identify different issues that may be a factor for the man and to have a referral process that
directs the man to helping and supportive resources.

31
Life background issues are very wide-ranging, as the following questions illustrate:
Is there trauma associated with witnessing abuse or violence or with being the victim of
violence in childhood or later?
Is there a history of oppression related to race, class, ethnicity, or other factors?
Are there issues or concerns related to poverty or risk of poverty, such as a history of
unemployment, low educational achievement, the need to upgrade job skills, or the need
to learn English?
Are there mental health issues for which there has been inadequate treatment?
Are there problems with immigration status or with the adjustment process for
immigrants?

If any of these issues are present, they should be followed by rapid referrals. Again,
providing support and referrals for these problems can improve the chances of long-term
change.

Finally, as one looks back at the issues that have been addressed in this assessment
framework, it is important to remember that it is a work in progress. It will change as
practitioners gain more experience. Nevertheless, as this process moves forward and the
framework becomes more comprehensive, it will be important to avoid assessment models
with rigid benchmarks. Assessment should be an ongoing practice.

Men who batter can change. Situational factors (such as the partners becoming more clearly
autonomous in some fashion) may trigger threatening behaviors that increase concern about
risk and safety. Conversely, positive participation in treatment coupled with consistent and
positive behavior change may signal a lessening of risk. The factors that influence judgments
are too complex and diverse to be encapsulated in a model with rigid benchmarks.

32
IX. COMMUNICATION WITH MOTHERS
The SVP Guiding Principles do an excellent job of establishing basic practices and standards
in creating meaningful communication with custodial mothers who use the center. These
include informing adult victims and children of the safety features in the facilities, checking
in with the victim to make sure the batterer is complying with center policies, encouraging
the victim to check in with the center about the batterers compliance with center policies
and the visitation/exchange plan, performing a comprehensive intake and/or orientation,
offering support during transitions, and understanding the needs of the mother to provide
adequate referrals and safety planning.

It is important that centers also inform custodial mothers about their scope of work with
visiting fathers. Mothers need to understand what to expect and not expect from the centers
and the visits, and especially they need to be helped not to develop false hopes regarding the
role of supervised visitation in helping the men become better fathers. To help visitation
centers to inform mothers on this and other issues, the FVPF has prepared a guide for
mothers who have experienced abuse and use the centers.
38

If a center is planning to implement any kind of targeted intervention that goes beyond the
basic practices and universal messages, it is imperative that they talk with the custodial
mothers first. There might be safety concerns that have not been revealed until the mother
is asked her opinion about working with the father to improve his parenting skills. It is
important that the mothers understand the exact scope of the work planned and the fact that
such work will not necessarily improve the skills and change the behaviors of the father.
Talking to mothers about any work with their abusive ex-partners can also alleviate any
unnecessary worries they may have. For example, some mothers have expressed concern
that their abusive ex-partners have tried to fool visitation staff into believing they have
changed their behavior when they have not. This could be particularly troublesome in the
context of fathers trying to get unsupervised visits or shared custody arrangements from the
courts.

38
Davies, J. (2007) Supervised Visitation Programs. Information for Mothers Who Have Experienced
Abuse. San Francisco: Family Violence Prevention Fund.
33
Research has shown that many mothers who have suffered violence want their ex-partners
to be involved in their childrens lives and become better fathers, if it can be done in a safe
way.
39
Other mothers do not want their children to continue to have contact with their
fathers, but have been mandated by the courts to allow visitation. In either case, the voices
of custodial mothers and children should always guide the process and should be taken very
seriously, especially with respect to safety.

Guide for mothers who use visitation programs

39
See supra notes 19 and 20.
34
X. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
Once again, the Guiding Principles provide an excellent starting point for establishing basic
partnerships. Under the Community Collaboration principle, they establish the
importance of having both core partnership (state, tribal, or local unit of government,
visitation centers, courts, and domestic violence or sexual assault programs) and a
community collaborative (other community members and services).
40

Basic practices in working with fathers who batter require that local batterers intervention
programs be part of the community collaborative. If there is an especially good relationship,
they could even be invited to participate in the core partnership. Every member of the
coalition would benefit from the others expertise, cross-referrals, and cross-training.

As stated earlier, supervised visitation centers need to rely on strong partnerships to fully
operationalize accountability for men who batter. Visitation centers are only one part of a
larger puzzle designed to keep children and adult victims safe. Clearly, SVP sites that have
developed strong partnerships with their local courts and other DV providers are able to
better create a strong accountability framework from which advanced strategies for the
engagement of abusive men can be developed.

Visitation centers should also consider the possibility of establishing a dialogue and a
relationship with local responsible fathering programs. These programs are different from
so-called fathers rights groups and can offer expertise and materials on positive father
engagement and often on culturally appropriate practice. Most of these programs could also
clearly benefit from receiving training to advance their
understanding of domestic violence dynamics.
Supervised visitation
centers need to rely
on strong
partnerships to fully
operationalize
accountability for
men who batter.

As the work with fathers becomes more involved, centers need
to increase their efforts to create stronger partnerships with BIPs
and fathering programs. BIPs can be an important source of
expertise regarding work with men who batter, both for staff

40
See supra note 1, p.23.
35
training and case consultation. In some cases, it might be possible and desirable that trained
facilitators at a BIP become monitors at the visitation center.

Some centers might want to use referrals beyond batterers intervention, fathering, and
substance abuse services. In that case, it might be helpful to do some research in advance to
find out what resources are available in the community and how helpful they might be.
Valuable nontraditional collaborations might include cultural-affinity organizations,
antipoverty agencies, and family resource centers.

As an example, a BIP in New Mexico was able to develop a relationship with a local
antipoverty agency that operated a food pantry and offered free clothes for indigent
members of the community. The BIP solicited and accepted donations of clothes and food
on behalf of the other agency, and the agency gladly accepted referrals of indigent clients
from the BIP.

FAV Poster
36
XI. CONTINUUM OF PRACTICES IN ENGAGING ABUSIVE MEN
The SVP Steering Committee recommended as part of their Respectful and Fair
Interaction guiding principle that visitation centers offer various levels and types of
monitoring and select a level in consultation with the victim parent that meets the safety
needs of the parent and children, yet is the least intrusive as possible. They went on to say
that [c]enters should periodically re-assess the safety needs of child9ren) and adult victims
and transition families through various levels or types of monitoring as needed...
41

Under the same principle, it was recommended that monitors get training to lessen the
impact of their presence during the visit by engaging with the visiting parent and children
only when necessary to redirect the visiting parents conversation, when asked to do so by
the parent or children, or to provide supportive assistance to the parent and/or children.
42

Within the framework of this guide, there is also a continuum of possible interventions with
non-custodial fathers, mainly outside the visiting times. As with the levels of monitoring,
these interventions should be chosen in careful consultation with the custodial parent and
always putting the safety and well-being of the children and adult victims in the forefront.

Basic Practices for Working with Abusive Fathers
Basic practices in working with fathers who batter are those that every Supervised Visitation
Program grantee can do and should consider doing. Some of them are outlined in the SVP
Guiding Principles, especially under the Respectful and Fair Interaction principle already
discussed in this document. For instance, the Guiding Principles state that [f]air and
respectful treatment of all individuals, while not ignoring the circumstances that bring
families to the center, promotes the overall goal of the centerensuring the safety of
child(ren) and adult victims of domestic violence and holding batterers accountable for their
actions..
43
In fact, this also holds true when visiting fathers are offered the opportunity to
look at their abusive behavior and encouraged to change it.

41
Ibid, p.20.
42
Ibid, p.20.
43
Ibid, p.19.
37
Other important basic practices described in the Guiding Principles include providing access
to meaningful referrals, performing comprehensive intake/orientation, offering support
during transitions, discussing interactions, and preparing the visiting parent.

Respectful Limit-Setting
It is important to point out that positive engagement of abusive fathers does not mean that
limits, boundaries, policies, and procedures are ignored. In fact, many years of practice with
men who are abusive have clearly established that they need very clear limits and rules, and
in general, visitation centers do a good job of developing and implementing such regulations.
Many abusive men also respond better to limit-setting when they feel that the rule enforcer
respects them, cares about them, and genuinely wants to assist them.
Fernando Mederos has written about the rules of respectful limit-setting when working with
abusive men:
Clearly point out specific behavior or specific rule that is being broken
Define unintended impact
Ask for it to change
Describe what the different, appropriate behavior should be
Reaffirm interest and connection
Avoid the following situations:
Getting into arguments, debates, and power struggles
Pressing too hard; hostile confrontation
Interpreting all anger as intimidation and threatening behavior; getting overly reactive to
an abusive mans anger

Initial Contacts with Abusive Fathers
The intake and/or orientation with the visiting father is an important opportunity to begin
establishing a relationship of respect, clear boundaries, and, if appropriate, connection with
the client. It is desirable to give fathers the chance to tell their stories. Visitation center staff
can practice listening without agreeing with or validating fathers point of view.

38
In reviewing the intake forms of some of the partner centers in this project, it became clear
that they were missing the opportunity to use the intake as the first chance to use fathering
as an engagement tool. Most of the questions connected with parenting (if any) seemed to
have negative overtones.

The framework of engagement in this publication proposes that centers include in their
intakes with fathers exploratory and open-ended questions that would invite them to think
about their legacy to their children and the effects of their violence on them.

Examples of questions that can be used during intake:
What kind of relationship do you currently have with your children?
What kind of relationship do you want to have?
What are you worried about?
What do you think your children are worried about?
How do you think violence at home affects your children?
Complete the following sentences:
I am a good father because
I could be a better father by
This is what I want my children to remember about me
This is what I dont want them to remember about me

Engagement Around the Visits
Offering fathers support during transitions, preparing them for the visits, and discussing
interactions afterward can be done in many different ways. One style that seems to be
effective is to always begin with a positive statement, such as an affirmation of something
they did right or the recognition that they want to do well by their children. Creating a
relationship with the fathers that includes constructive statements, encouragement, and
building on their strengths will make redirection and rule enforcement go much more
smoothly.

39
For example, monitors could say: I can see that you really care about your children. There
are ways in which your parenting is really good, such as (give a
concrete example). I also think theres room for
improvement. For instance, (give a concrete example and
alternative behavior).

Another way to develop a relationship of trust with the fathers
is to provide them with truly meaningful referrals that go
beyond the immediate issue of dealing with the abuse, without
going along with mens avoidance and denial. Clearly, the first and foremost referral that
visitation centers can do for abusive fathers is batterers intervention and substance abuse
services, but by not stopping there, staff can send the message to the fathers that they
genuinely care about their well-being and that of their families.
Creating a relationship
with the fathers that
includes constructive
statements,
encouragement, and
building on their
strengths will make
redirection and rule
enforcement go much
more smoothly.

Providing meaningful referrals requires that staff get to know the visiting fathers and their
particular situations and needs. Some obvious referrals beyond BIPs and substance abuse
might include mental health services, parenting classes, and fathering programs. But some
clients might have more basic needs that could be interfering with their visits and fathering
style, such as finding housing, food, clothing, or medical care.

In the YWCA of Northampton, Massachusetts, one of our learning communities, a monitor
had noticed that a visiting father had had a toothache for several weeks, which was getting
worse and interfering with his visits. The client had not taken care of the problem because
he had limited resources. A simple phone call from the monitor located a low-cost dentist,
and the referral noticeably improved the relationship with the father, who was thereafter
more open to accept the monitors redirection and advice. Because more trust was formed,
harder issues could be discussed, and limits and redirection were more readily accepted by
the father.

In addition to the basic practices discussed above, this document proposes to include the use
of universal messages to engage men in renouncing their violence. These universal
messages include any literature, materials, or visuals at the center that send a clear
40
nonviolence communication to visiting fathers. It is not unusual for visitation centers to
have such materials targeting the adult victims of domestic violence, commonly literature
developed by local battered womens organizations. But, partly because of scarcity,
programs seldom display similar messages directed toward men.

To support the use of positive universal messages directed toward visiting fathers, the FVPF
developed a series of posters and a short documentary that invite fathers to think about the
impact of their behavior on their children and the legacy they want to leave for them.

Universal messages do not need to be passive and limited to posters or other
literature. Staff members can regularly convey universal messages to all visiting fathers
before, after, and during visits, as well as during the intake and/or orientation. Here are
some examples of statements they can make:
Fathers are important for children. You are really important to your children.
Your behavior has a lifelong impact on your children. Its never too late to turn it
around.
You have the power to change things for them.
How do you want your children to remember you?
They will carry memories of you and your actions forever.
You are an example for your children in everything you do.
What kind of emotional legacy do you want to leave for them?
Its never too late to change your behavior.
When you hurt your partner, you also hurt your children.
If you disrespect your childrens mother or undermine her parenting, you are hurting
your childrens capacity to respect adults in general and women in particular.

41
Deepening Practice with Fathers Who Use Violence
Supervised visitation centers staff have noticed that a substantial
number of visiting fathers who use visitation centers are interested
in their childrens well-being.
44
Furthermore, some fathers who
have used violence seem to be able to develop empathy toward
their children more readily than toward their partners or ex-
partners. Even though there is no empirical evidence to support
this claim, there is a wealth of practice wisdom from BIPs and
visitation providers that points in this direction. Some BIPs have used fathering as a
successful strategy to recruit participants into their groups without a court or CPS mandate.
Some have even developed fathering programs or groups to attain this goal.
45

Fathers who have
used violence seem
to be able to
develop empathy
toward their
children more
readily than toward
their partners or
ex-partners.

Other BIPs have reported integrating exercises on fathering in their core curriculum to
motivate participants to change their behavior by helping them understand the impact they
have had on their children.
46

Supervised visitation centers have a unique opportunity to use
positive fathering as a strategy to engage men and invite them
to look at their behavior. This could be done in a formal,
systematic way or through more informal interactions. Formal
strategies to engage men can include expanded conversations
during intake and subsequent check-in meetings, as well as an
individual or group orientation for visiting parents. Informal
interventions would include any interaction that the center staff might have with visiting
fathers, providing the opportunity to further develop a relationship of accountability and
connection.
Supervised visitation
centers have a unique
opportunity to use
positive fathering as a
strategy to engage
men and invite them
to look at their
behavior.

As stated earlier, the intake with the visiting father is the first opportunity that providers
have to start developing a meaningful connection with their clients. The previous section

44
Private communication with Barbara Loh, director of the YWCA Supervised Visitation Centers in
Western Massachusetts.
45
Examples include CORIAC in Mexico City, EVOLVE in Connecticut, and EMERGE in Boston.
46
See supra note 2.
42
included suggestions on questions that can invite fathers to think about their role and impact
on their families. An example of further engagement would be to have an open
conversation with the client praising his desire to be a good father without colluding with his
abuse, communicating that the visitation center staff is ready to help him become a better
father and reminding him that maintaining constructive and consistent interactions with his
children and showing respect to their mother, regardless of his feelings about her, are likely
to have a positive effect in the long run.

A constructive conversation about fathering during the intake can
also serve as a means to establish a set of values about parenting
generated by the client and not the center staff. Later on, when
monitors need to intervene during a visit or debrief about it with
the visiting father, they can use this baseline of parenting values to
hold the man accountable and to support him to change within his
own belief system. This is a particularly important strategy when
working cross-culturally, as described below.
The intake with
the visiting father
is the first
opportunity that
providers have to
start developing a
meaningful
connection with
their clients.

As an example, if during the intake (or later) a man states that he thinks he is a good father
because he cares about his children or that he could become a better father by giving more
intentional attention to the children, the monitor can use those statements as the basis to
redirect the man or offer parenting suggestions. If the father breaks a center rule (like asking
the children about his ex-partner), the monitor can redirect him by framing the issue as one
that adversely affects the children. After the visit, the monitor can say: Remember how you
told me that you really care about the well-being of your children? Well, asking them about
their mother is not only against the rules, but it puts the children in a difficult position,
which is not good for them. I know you want to do better and Im here to help you do that.

Some centers use the waiting time after the visit to check with visiting parents about how it
went. This is a great opportunity for the monitor to make connections between the mans
beliefs about fathering and his actual performance at the visit. As stated before, suggestions
for improvement are often more effective when preceded by some kind of acknowledgment
or praise for a fathers positive behaviors or beliefs. For example, the monitor can say, I
43
have noticed how you are trying to be the best father you can be during the visits and clearly
your child is benefiting from that. May I make a suggestion?

Working with fathers using their own parenting values as a basis for engagement is
particularly important when working cross-culturally. Parenting practices can be heavily
informed by cultural values, and members of diverse
communities often feel very strongly about such values and
practices. Since cultures are neither static nor monolithic, it is
important to allow fathers to self-define their own positive
parenting values rather than assuming them from the staffs
knowledge, or even from the perspective of members of the
same culture.
Working with fathers
using their own
parenting values as a
basis for engagement
is particularly
important when
working cross-
culturally.

For example, if a father has identified respect as an important value in their family,
the monitor can use this value to work with the father during and around visits. The
monitor can ask open-ended questions, such as:
How do you think your children learn about respect?
Do you think they learn from you?
Do you think your modeling respect toward their mother is important for them to learn?
Do you think your being respectful with your children is important for them to learn?
Do you think respect should be based on fear or love?

Another example of a formal enhanced intervention would be requiring parents who use the
center to attend an orientation session, either individually or, preferably, as a group. The
orientation could be two or three hours long, and in addition to all the logistical and
regulatory information concerning the center, it could incorporate some education segments
about the effects of violence on children. Some of the materials developed by FVPF could
be used here, such as the Fathering After Violence Empathy Exercise
47
originally designed
for use in BIPs and/or the film Something My Father Would Do, a short documentary produced
by the FVPF.

47
See supra note 2.
44

A major challenge of conducting group orientation sessions is that in
most centers, some (if not many) of the visiting parents are mothers.
In that case, it would be desirable to segregate the orientations by
gender, and appropriate materials would need to be developed for
the visiting mothers, some of whom might be in fact victims, rather
than perpetrators, of domestic violence. Likewise, for the sake of
fairness and equal treatment, orientation sessions would need to be implemented for
custodial parents, again preferably divided by gender and with gender- and custodial status
specific content.
Implementing
the duality of
accountability
and connection
is easier said
than done.

Implementing the duality of accountability and connection is easier said than done. The
staff using this approach need to be very well trained and must constantly walk a fine line to
avoid, on one hand, an open confrontation with the father that might backfire, and on the
other, collusion with his abuse, which could compromise the safety of the children, the ex-
partner, and the staff.

Exploring New Directions of Engagement
This section delves deeper into some of the premises and ideas presented in this guide by
introducing case studies developed and implemented by three of our FAV partners. It
describes strategies of engagement with visiting fathers that require a level of expertise,
involvement, and commitment that most centers have not yet achieved. Furthermore, these
case studies describe ongoing work, and it is important not to draw definitive conclusions or
form generalizations based on this preliminary information. In particular, this section
explores the use of educational groups for visiting fathers and the creation of a multicultural
mentoring initiative using men from the community.

The Minnesota Experience
As part of the FAV initiative, Advocates for Family Peace (AFP) decided to begin offering
educational groups to fathers who use their visitation center. The purpose of the groups was
to help them improve their parenting skills, develop empathy for their children, and think
about the legacy they wanted to leave for them as fathers.
45

AFP is located in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, a community small
enough that the agency is able to offer a one-stop center for all
domestic violence services, including a hotline; advocacy,
emergency and transitional housing for battered women; batterers
intervention; and supervised visitation and safe exchanges, among
others. AFP also has a strong relationship with the three local
judges and other court personnel, as well as with many other
community organizations.
From the
beginning, AFP
decided that if
fathers were to
participate in their
new fathering
groups, they
needed to
complete first
their Intervention
Group for Men.

These circumstances allowed this agency to implement a comprehensive program for fathers
who were ordered to use the visitation center. From the beginning, AFP decided that if
fathers were to participate in their new fathering groups, they needed to complete first their
Intervention Group for Men (a BIP). Judges who wanted to mandate men to the fathers
group understood and agreed that the offenders had to go through a process that included a
comprehensive intake, twenty sessions of batterers intervention, one individual aftercare
session, a second intake for the fathers group, eight sessions on parenting, and an exit
interview.

As a result of this progression, the facilitators observed that most men who participated in
the fathers group had overcome the initial denial of their abusive behavior and were able to
discuss the deepest fears and desires in their lives. Some were able to talk about their painful
childhoods for the first time. This created an emotional opening that the facilitators could
use sometimes to deepen their relationships with the men and to help them make the
connection between the abuse they suffered in their own childhoods and the violence they
were inflicting on their own families.

Furthermore, the group leaders were able to corroborate the FAV thesis that abusive men
can be more empathetic as fathers than as intimate partners or ex-partners. In one case, one
of the group participants who had been violent both with his partner and with his son was
able to feel great remorse and take some important reparative steps with his child, while
remaining minimally empathetic toward his partner.
46

AFP had already integrated some of the Fathering After Violence exercises in their BIP
curriculum, as part of their comprehensive approach. The fathers group built upon these
exercises, covering topics such as defining healthy fatherhood, domestic violence and
fatherhood, and expanding on the reparative process.

To implement this project, AFP made the commitment to hire a man, who helped develop
the curriculum for the fathers group and co-facilitated it with an experienced female staff
member. The new hire had had a long-standing relationship with AFP, was strongly
committed to advocacy of women and children, and was a very well regarded member of the
community, having done violence prevention work with youth. Although he was one of
only two men in the agency, he was able to be integrated without any problems.

The California Experience
A multicultural mentoring program was piloted by our project partners in California, the San
Mateo County Family Visitation Center and the Walnut Avenue Womens Center (WAWC)
in Santa Cruz. Both organizations serve a significant percentage of Latino families, and the
original idea behind the project was to train Latino men from the community to serve as
informal mentors for the visiting fathers who use the center. The mentors would sit in the
visiting parents waiting room before and after the visit and maybe even observe some of the
visits. The goal was to offer the visiting fathers role models from their own community,
with whom they could develop relationships of trust and responsibility.

The implementation of this project was more complicated than originally anticipated. The
initial idea was to invite men from the community as volunteers,
but this proved impractical because it became clear that the
mentors would need extensive training and supervision.
Eventually, both agencies decided to hire men (one each) as part-
time employees, who would also serve as monitors.
The goal was to
offer the visiting
fathers role models
from their own
community, with
whom they could
develop
relationships of
trust and
responsibility.

The next challenge was to figure out how to find the right men
from the local Latino communities, given that both sites were
47
agencies managed and governed largely by European-American women. Previous
experience has shown that it is not very effective to seek qualified personnel from diverse
cultures just by placing an ad in the paper (even in culture-specific papers) or circulating a
notice among the usual networks of colleagues. Instead, agencies have to make an effort to
directly recruit workers by developing connections with cultural community organizations or
informal community networks.

In the case of this project, the sites hired Ricardo Carrillo, a consultant with extensive
experience in issues of domestic violence and culture and strong connections with the Latino
communities of Northern California. Through his longtime relationships with local groups
and individuals, Carrillo was able to find men in both San Mateo and Santa Cruz who were
interested in working as mentors and monitors at the centers. The sites also retained Carrillo
as a trainer and advisor for the project.

Having found the men, the centers had to negotiate the obstacle of integrating Latino men
from the community into professional agencies where most of the staff were European-
American women. An obvious solution was to provide extensive training to the new hires
on domestic violence. However, it was as important to develop legitimate buy-in for the
project from staff members at every level of the organizations. To achieve this, the sites
received technical assistance and training from consultants and the FVPF on cross-cultural
work, working with Latino men who batter, utilizing the accountability and connection
approach, and using fatherhood as a means to engage men.

Once both men had received the appropriate training, they started serving their dual
function of monitors and mentors. The traditional tasks of the monitor, including making
sure that the center rules are followed and observing the visits, were enhanced by the mens
role of informal mentors.

As mentors, they were able to use the pre- and post-visit waiting times to develop
supportive relationships with the visiting fathers without compromising the safety of the
children and their mothers. This clearly required developing strong skills in the
accountability and connection model. Although neither of the men had ever worked with
48
abusive men before, both of them were able to develop their own style of intervention that
balanced supporting the fathers with challenging their negative behaviors.

Here is a good example of how positive engagement can enhance the center staffs safety: A
visiting father arrived to a visit with a pocketknife, clearly breaking a major safety rule. He
could be seen as a stereotypical scary man, large, gruff, and covered in tattoos. Instead of
calling the police, the receptionist decided to ask the monitor/mentor to deal with the man
directly. The monitor/mentor recognized the man from living in the community and was
able to peacefully and skillfully ask him for the weapon and work with him in understanding
why it was inappropriate to bring it to the center. Although this particular visit was
cancelled, the father was much more amenable to receiving feedback from the
monitor/mentor in subsequent visits after this incident.

More involved
interventions
require a higher
degree of
preparation,
especially in the
context of cross-
cultural work.
The California sites eventually decided to run educational groups for
visiting Latino fathers, with the mentors/monitors co-facilitating the
groups. For this purpose, they worked again with Carrillo, who put
together an eight-session curriculum for Latino fathers adapted from
the Padre Nobles manual developed by Jerry Tello
48
, complemented
by the exercises from the FVPFs Fathering After Violence Initiative.

Unlike Advocates for Family Peace in Minnesota, the California sites did not have the
infrastructure and court relationships to make the group mandatory for the fathers using the
center, nor could they require that they attend a BIP prior to going to the fathers group.
Since attendance was voluntary, the centers had to rely on the relationships that the mentors
had developed with certain fathers to exhort them to come to the group. The mentors
engaged some of the visiting fathers by suggesting that the group would improve their
fathering skills and, initially, they received a commitment from a number of the Latino men
using the centers. The Santa Cruz mentor was able to recruit two fathers and the San Mateo
mentor enlisted four.

48
Jerry Tello is the director of the National Latino Fatherhood and Family Institute.
49
In spite of low attendance in the groups, some important lessons were learned, including
that some men are willing to attend fathering groups voluntarily and that these groups can
provide an opportunity to invite them to think about the effects of their actions on their
children. In fact, the groups became intensive mentoring situations for the participants and
helped develop deeper relationships with the facilitators, which in turn were used during
visits to enhance the accountability and responsibility of the fathers.

The implementation of these two projects underlines some of the key points that we have
made previously in this document. More involved interventions require a higher degree of
preparation, especially in the context of cross-cultural work. Advocates for Family Peace
operates in a largely racially homogeneous area of Minnesota (except for an adjacent Native-
American community) and did not encounter major problems in incorporating the new male
staff member. In the California sites, cultural issues clearly created challenges, many of
which were remedied with appropriate training and intervention.

SVP sites that might be considering more advanced projects to engage visiting fathers will
need to pay attention to cultural issues (including race, ethnicity, gender, class, and sexual
orientation) and provide extensive proactive training to all staff, including administrators.

When hiring new staff to implement innovative projects, centers need to try to think in
advance about what kinds of issues might arise, how to handle them, and how to support all
the staff involved. As centers try to operationalize accountability with male staff, they need
to realize that the agencies also need to be accountable to the communities they serve and be
open to transparency and constructive criticism from members of those communities,
including staff.
50
XII. CONCLUSION
Supervised visitation centers are in a unique position in the domestic violence field. They
are the only service providers that consistently have access to the whole family. On the one
hand, they play a key role in the coordinated community response by enhancing the safety of
children and adult victims. On the other, they have the opportunity to work directly with
the perpetrators, who might otherwise receive no services.

By using the accountability and connection approach,
supervised visitation staff can both challenge the visiting fathers
abusive behavior and support their process of change, without
compromising the safety of the children and adult victims.
Furthermore, center staff can take advantage of the desire many
men have to be good fathers and use it to encourage them to
renounce their violence.

This approach can improve the lives of women and children in
various ways, but its implementation is complex and it requires
ongoing organizational preparation, staff buy-in, and staff training in key areas, such as
domestic violence dynamics, characteristics and tactics of men who batter, effects of
violence on children, positive engagement of fathers, and culturally relevant services.
By using the
accountability and
connection
approach, supervised
visitation staff can
both challenge the
visiting fathers
abusive behavior
and support their
process of change,
without
compromising the
safety of the children
and adult victims.

51
XIII. APPENDICES

APPENDIX A:
CURRICULA AND MATERIALS ON FATHERHOOD AND DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE

Crager, M. and Anderson, L. (1997). Helping Children Who Witness Domestic Violence: A Guide
for Parents. Seattle (unpublished). For more information, contact the authors at
megcrager@comcast.net or lily.anderson@metrokc.gov.

Crooks, C., Francis, K., Kelly, T., and Scott, K. (2006). Caring Dads: Helping Fathers Value
Their Children. Victoria, British Columbia, Canada: Trafford Publishing.

Donnelly, D., Mederos, F., Nyquist, D., Williams, O. J., and Wilson, S. G. (2000). Connecticuts
EVOLVE Program: A 26 & 52 week culturally competent, broad-based, skill-building, psycho-
educational curriculum for male domestic violence offenders with female victims. State of Connecticut
Judicial Branch: Rocky Hill, Connecticut. For more information, contact Sarah Wilson at
860-721-9474 or Sarah.Wilson@jud.state.ct.us.

Fleck-Henderson, A. and Aren, J. C. (2004). Breaking the Cycle: Fathering After Violence.
Curriculum Guidelines and Tools for Batterer Intervention Programs. San Francisco: Family Violence
Prevention Fund.

Mandel, D. (2003). Being Connected: A Group for Fathers. Middletown, Connecticut
(unpublished). For more information, contact David Mandel at 860-347-8220 or
www.endingviolence.com.

Mathews, D. J. (2003). Restorative Parenting: A Curriculum for Parents in the Aftermath of Violence in
the Home. St. Paul, Minnesota (unpublished). For more information, contact David Mathews
at the Domestic Abuse Project, 204 West Franklin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55409. 612-
874-7063 x 210 or dmathews@mndap.org.

All the Family Violence Prevention Fund materials cited in this document are
available, free of charge, at: www.endabuse.org/store

52
APPENDIX B:
NATIONAL RESOURCES

SAFE HAVENS SVP TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS

Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF)
www.endabuse.org

Praxis International
www.praxisinternational.org

National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges
www.ncjfcj.org

Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community
www.dvinstitute.org

Duluth Family Visitation Center
www.duluth-model.org/dfvchistory

OTHER RESOURCES

Department of Justices Office of Violence Against Women
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vwr

Center for Family Policy and Practice
www.cffpp.org

National Latino Alliance to Eliminate Domestic Violence (ALIANZA)
www.dvalianza.org

Mending the Sacred Hoop Technical Assistance Project
www.msh-ta.org

National Latino Fatherhood and Family Institute
www.nlffi.org

National Compadres Network
www.nationalcompadresnetwork.com

Mens Resources International
www.mensresourcesinternational.org

53
54
FATHERING AFTER VIOLENCE LEARNING COMMUNITIES

Advocates for Family Peace
www.stopdomesticabuse.org

City of Kent Supervised Visitation Center
www.ci.kent.wa.us/humanservices/safehavens.asp

San Mateo County Family Visitation Center
www.familyserviceagency.org/programs_services/childFamilyVisitationCenter

Walnut Avenue Womens Center
www.wawc.org

YWCA Visitation Centers in Western Massachusetts
www.ywworks.org/serve

OTHER ORGANIZATIONS MENTIONED IN THIS DOCUMENT

Caminar Latino (Atlanta)
www.caminarlatino.org

CECEVIM (Training Center to Eradicate Masculine Intra-Family Violence, San
Francisco)
www.cecevim.org

Christians Addressing Family Abuse (Eugene, Oregon)
www.users.myexcel.com/yabgirl/index

Domestic Abuse Project (St. Paul, Minnesota)
www.mndap.org

EMERGE (Boston)
www.emergedv.com

Institute for Family Services (Somerset, New Jersey)
www.instituteforfamilyservices.com

Menergy (Philadelphia)
www.menergy.org

Mens Resource Center for Change (Amherst, Massachusetts)
www.mrcforchange.org

DomesticViolenceOutreach

Article1
WhoAretheVictims?

1
TwentyfivepercentofAmericanwomenandeightpercentofAmericanmenwillexperience
domesticviolenceatsomepointintheirlives.Childrenareveryoftenwitnessesandvictims
themselves.
Thisstatisticdoesnotincludethevastnumberofunreportedincidentsofviolence.
Thereisnoevidencethattheprevalenceofdomesticviolenceisanylowerwithinfaithcommunities.
WhatisDomesticViolence?
2
Domesticviolence(alsoknownasspouseabuse,partnerviolence,intimatepartnerviolence,battering,andnumerousotherterms)
isapatternofcoercionusedbyonepersontoexertpowerandcontroloveranotherpersoninthecontextofadating,family,or
householdrelationship.Thespectrumofdomesticviolenceincludesmuchmorethanphysicalassault.Domesticviolence
encompassesaconstellationofcontrollingbehaviorsthatinclude:
Actualorthreatenedphysicalharm,psychologicalabuse,andforcedsexualcontact;
Economiccontrol;
Socialisolation;
Destructionofavictimsproperty,keepsakes,orpersonalpossessions;
Abuseofanimals/pets;
Misuseofdivinebeingsorreligiousbeliefs,practices,teachingsandtraditionsaswellasassertingmalesuperiorityand
attributingabusivebehaviortoculturaltraditions.
Thesebehaviorscanoccurinanycombination,sporadicallyorchronically,overaperiodofuptoseveraldecades.
Mostvictimsofdomesticviolencearewomeninheterosexualrelationships.Meninheterosexualrelationshipscanalsobevictimsof
domesticviolence,inadditiontobothwomenandmeninsamesexrelationships.Regardlessofculture,race,religion,orsocio
economicclass,approximately90percentofreporteddomesticviolencecasesinvolvemenwhoabusewomen.
UpcomingArticles
WhataretheCausesofDomesticViolence?
MythsandFactsaboutDomesticViolence
WhoisatGreatestRisk?andCharacteristicsofAbusers
1
ElaineJ.Alpert,etal.RespondingtoDomesticViolence:AnInterfaithGuidetoPreventionandIntervention,TheChicagoMetropolitanBatteredWomensNetwork,
2005
2
CausesofDomesticViolence,www.allaboutlifechanges.org
3
Rev.JoyceGalvin,DomesticViolencePresentationsatSt.RaymondJuly2010

Domestic Violence Outreach

How long have you known me?

I can barely speak about what goes on in my home. Well, its not really my home. At
their insistence I moved in with my son and his wife. They thought I was unsafe in my
old home and they wanted me here. What could I say? It seemed generous on their
part. How was I to know it would come to this? It all began as I moved slower and
slower. They seemed so impatient with me. They would tell me, get a move on, we
dont have all day. But I just couldnt move as fast as they wanted. They began saying
other mean things to me, then they began pushing me to get me to move faster. I
dont know what overcame them. Finally, she pushed me and I fell. Oh, then things
really began to happen. They couldnt get me up, and finally had to call for help. When
the ambulance came, they told them I was walking and just fell down. At the
emergency room the doctor wondered why I had those finger marks on my arms, but I
didnt tell him. After all, where would I live if someone arrested my children for hurting
me?
1

MYTH: Domestic Violence can occur in older women, but it is quite rare.
FACT: Approximately half of all elder abuse in women is thought to be domestic
violence grown old. Older battered women are less likely to seek and receive help.
2

You are not alone!

In an emergency, dial 911 or call the National Domestic Violence 24- Hour Hotline at
800- 799- 7233.

1
Carrol A. M. Smith, PhD, RN, faculty of UIC. The Many Faces of Interpersonal Violence.

2
The Family Violence Prevention Fund, Chapter 1, What is Domestic Violence?


Heres my secret.

I am a married man with four great children. My story, too, is very hard to tell. My wife
and I had a picture- book wedding, we were so in love. The babies started coming
pretty fast. I was working very hard to keep up with the expenses and my wife was
getting a little bogged down with all the childcare and laundry. But she is a good
mother. After baby number three she said shed had it. We used a more reliable kind of
birth control and were able to keep the fourth from coming so soon. But with the
fourth baby she had a lot of problems, and he had to be born by C- section. The
recovery was hard, especially since no family members could come to help out. I took
as much time off work as I dared, but it wasnt enough. Gina began getting more and
more crabby. Seems like she hated the children and me. Finally she began sniping at
me all the time. Before I knew it, she started throwing things at me. Not little things,
either. I know this sounds like a cartoon of the beleaguered husband and his shrewish
wife, but she means business. She has hurt me badly, but I NEVER seek medical help
because I am so ashamed. Imagine, a husband that lets his wife abuse him.
1

MYTH: Men do not get abused by women.
FACT: Women can be violent in relationships also. Approximately 8%of men
experience Domestic Violence in their lifetimes.
2

You are not alone!

800- 799- 7233.

1

2

St. Raymond Domestic Violence Outreach

Heres what I dont want people to know about me.

I am an abuser. I am male, female, gay, straight, educated or not, wealthy, poor, or in
the middle. I represent every ethnic and racial group possible. I may or may not have
been abused as a child or adult myself. I do not necessarily dabble in alcohol or other
drugs, but I may. I am a Christian, Muslim, and a Jew from any and all religious
persuasions. I dont like myself very much, but I dont seem to be able to stop what I
am doing. I may be more abusive when I am angry, and I seem to react strongly when I
think a situation is getting out of my control. Sometimes my violence is physical, but
not always. I also abuse people verbally, psychologically, and sexually. Sometimes I am
so subtle, people dont even know its happened until much later when they feel bad.
1

MYTH: Most of the time, domestic violence is not really that serious.
FACT: Domestic violence is an illegal act in the U.S. and is considered a crime with
serious repercussions. Although there are aspects of domestic violence (e.g. emotional,
psychological, spiritual, financial abuse) that may not be considered criminal in a legal
sense, serious and long- lasting physical, emotional and spiritual harms can, and often
do, occur. Each and every act of domestic violence needs to be taken seriously.
2

You are not alone!

800- 799- 7233.

1

2
Article2
Whatarethecausesofdomesticviolence?
1
Domesticviolenceislearned,purposefulbehaviorandisamanifestationoftheabusersneedtoachieveandmaintainpowerand
controloverthevictim.Abusivebehaviorislearnedandreinforced:
Throughobservation
Throughexperience
Incultureandinsociety
Inthefamily
Incommunities,includingschoolsandpeergroups
Infaith,religious,andspiritualinstitutions
Throughourfailuretoholdbatterersaccountablefortheiractions.
2
Thesinglemostinfluentialfactorofdomesticviolenceinadulthoodisdomesticviolenceinthehouseholdinwhichthepersonwas
reared.Childrenwhogrowupinanenvironmentwherecontrolismaintainedthroughverbalthreatsandintimidationandconflicts
escalateintophysicalviolence,aremorelikelytoresorttothesamemethodsofabuseasadults.
3
Thereare,however,anumberofpredictorsthatmayleadtodomesticviolence.
Anenvironmentwhereviolenceiseithertaught,byexample,oracceptedas"normal"willimprintuponachild'spsyche.
Domesticviolenceisoftenlinkedtopoorselfesteem,isolationfromsocialsupport,amanipulativenature,andadesirefor
powerandcontrol.
Drugand/oralcoholabusemaybeaprecursortodomesticviolence.Substanceabuseleadstooutofcontrolbehavior.The
numberonecommonalitywithinthedynamicsofmostalcoholicfamiliesispooremotionalhealth.
Domesticviolenceismorefrequentwhereindividualsexperiencelossofphysicalhealthand/orwageearningpower.
Domesticviolenceisnotcausedby
3
:
Illness
Geneticsorbiology
Alcoholanddrugs
Outofcontrolbehavior
Anger
Stress
Thevictimsbehaviororactions
Problemsintherelationship
Childrenorpets
Satan,demons,orevilinfluences
Simplyput,Thereisnoexcusefordomesticviolence.
UpcomingArticles
MythsandFactsaboutDomesticViolence
WhoisatGreatestRisk?CharacteristicsofAbusers
1
ElaineJ.Alpert,etal.RespondingtoDomesticViolence:AnInterfaithGuidetoPreventionandIntervention,TheChicagoMetropolitanBatteredWomensNetwork,
2005
2
CausesofDomesticViolence,www.allaboutlifechanges.org
3
Rev.JoyceGalvin,DomesticViolencePresentationsatSt.RaymondJuly2010

ARTICLE 3 - Myths and Facts about Domestic Violence
1

Myth: Domestic violence is a private family matter.
Fact: Domestic violence is everyones business. Keeping domestic
violence secret helps no one, has been shown to harm children, incurs
substantial costs to society, and serves to perpetuate abuse through
learned patterns of behavior.

Myth: Most of the time, domestic violence is not really that serious.
Fact: Domestic violence is an illegal act in the U.S. and is considered a
crime with serious repercussions. Although there are aspects of
domestic violence (e.g., emotional, psychological, spiritual abuse) that
may not be considered criminal in a legal sense, serious and long-lasting
physical, emotional and spiritual harms can, and often do, occur. Each
and every act of domestic violence needs to be taken seriously.

Myth: Anger management programs are briefer, more cost effective
than, and just as successful as certified batterer intervention programs.
Fact: Although briefer and less expensive than certified batterer
intervention programs, anger management programs are not effective
to address the deep-rooted issues of batterers.

Myth: Domestic violence is an impulse control or anger management
problem.
Fact: Abusers act deliberately and with forethought. Abusers choose
whom to abuse. For example, an abuser will selectively batter his wife
but not his boss.

Myth: Victims provoke their partners violence.
Fact: Whatever problems exist in a relationship, the use of violence is
never justifiable or acceptable. There is NO EXCUSE for domestic
violence.

Myth: Domestic violence is bad, but it happens elsewhere. It doesnt
happen in my community, my neighborhood, my culture, my religion or
my congregation.
Fact: Domestic violence happens to people of every educational and
socio-economic level. Domestic violence happens in all races, religions
and age groups. Domestic violence occurs in both heterosexual and
same-sex relationships.

Myth: It is easy for a victim to leave her abuser, so if she doesnt leave, it
means she likes the abuse or is exaggerating how bad it is.
Fact: Fear, lack of safe options, and inability to survive economically
prevent many women from leaving abusive relationships. Threats of
harm, including death to the victim and/or children, keep many battered
women trapped in abusive situations. The most dangerous time for a
battered woman is when she attempts to leave the relationship, or
when the abuser discovers that she has made plans to leave.

Myth: No one would beat his pregnant wife or girlfriend.
Fact: Domestic violence may begin or
escalate during pregnancy.
Homicide is the single most frequent
cause of maternal death during
pregnancy and in the first year after
giving birth.

Myth: Children generally are neither aware of, nor affected by, their
mothers abuse.
Fact: Nearly 90% of children who live in homes in which there is
domestic violence will see or hear the abuse. Children as young as
toddlers can suffer from the effects of exposure to abuse. Children
exposed to violence and other forms of trauma may have permanent
alterations in brain structure, chemistry, and function.

Myth: Domestic violence can occur in older women, but it is quite rare.
Fact: Approximately half of all elder abuse in women is thought to be
domestic violence grown old. Older battered women are less likely to
seek and receive help.

Myth: Since domestic violence is a problem in the relationship, marriage
or couple-focused pastoral counseling is key to restoring tranquility in
the family or relationship.
Fact: This type of counseling often increases the risk of violence to the
victim. Faith and religious community representatives can promote
safety and restore personal integrity and self-esteem to the victim, and
can suggest batterer intervention services for the abuser, but should not
engage in couples counseling unless the long-term safety of the survivor,
and of staff, can be assured.

Myth: Services for victims are staffed by people angry at traditional
society who want to break up the family unit.
Fact: Programs that help battered women and their children, and
counselors who provide assistance, are concerned first and foremost
with the safety of the survivor and her dependent children. The goal of
counseling and other survivor services is not to break up the family unit
but to preserve the safety of all its members. Achieving this goal,
unfortunately, may mean that some relationships may need to end.

Myth: Since our religion doesnt condone divorce, an abusive man should
speak with the religious leader to mend his ways.
Fact: Although some religions do frown on divorce, no religion
advocates abuse. Some abusers misinterpret or intentionally misuse
religious writings to justify violence against their partners and children
or to prevent a marriageeven one wracked by violence and abuse
from dissolving. Helpful conversations with a batterer, even if
conducted carefully by a religious leader, may bring short-term relief,
but cannot take the place of qualified batterer intervention services, and
may even pose a safety risk for the victim and her children.

Upcoming Article - Who is at Greatest Risk and Characteristics of Abusers
1
Elaine J. Alpert, et al. Responding to Domestic Violence: An Interfaith Guide to Prevention and Intervention, The Chicago Metropolitan Battered Womens Network,
2005

ARTICLE 4

Who Is at Greatest Risk?
1

Any person, anywhere, can be a victim of abuse. Domestic violence affects both women and men, and
cuts across all age, racial, ethnic, religious, educational, and socioeconomic strata. Available research, however, indicates that
domestic violence does appear to be more prevalent in certain groups:
women, including those who are single, separated, married or divorced;
teens and young adults;
women who lack access to their own financial resources;
women who abuse alcohol or other drugs, or whose partners do;
women who are pregnant and have been previously abused; and
individuals whose partners are excessively jealous or possessive.

There is no universal profile of an abuser. Perpetrators of domestic violence can be young or old, male or female, professional or
unskilled, educated or illiterate, rich or poor, religious or secular, or of any race or ethnicity. Abusers run the gamut of psychological
diagnoses, ranging from perfectly normal to psychotic. However, abusers tend to:
objectify their partners (i.e., treat them as a category or object, not as a full human being);
feel entitled to get their needs met without regard to the needs or feelings of their partners;
use power (be it physical, emotional, political, economic or spiritual) to make sure their agenda is accomplished;
feel that coercion is an effective and acceptable way to get their needs met;
have the opportunity to be abusive without being held fully accountable; and
behave abusively with a particular victim.

Consciously or unconsciously, most batterers assume a sense of privilege, which is used to gain and maintain power, or the upper
hand in the relationship. They tend to believe their behavior is completely justified and necessary to fulfill their role in the
relationship, as the one who is in charge, in control, is the provider and is king of the castle. They feel they have attained or have
been endowed with privilege to behave the way they do, and do not believe what they are doing is wrong in any way. They believe
the role of their partner is to do what she is told, and to further and support the batterers agenda and needs. Examples of privilege
used as justification by batterers include: being male; being physically stronger; being heterosexual, or alternatively being a more
experienced gay or lesbian; being white; being a U.S. citizen or being documented (if an immigrant); being the wage earner, or
earning more money if both are employed; being more highly educated; being able-bodied; and being more religious or observant,
among others.

In addition, the following characteristics are often seen in abusers:
Often, abusers will not clearly acknowledge that their behavior is abusive or even hurtful, even if they have been arrested and
convicted of a violent crime. For example, an abuser may tend to focus on what she said that made him act in a way that he
considers to be justified and not at all wrong. It often takes years for abusers to move through a process of healing within
themselves.
Following a discrete abusive incident, some perpetrators may be truly sorry for their actions. Some batterers are horrified that
they have hit their wives or girlfriends, are overcome with remorse, and genuinely want to change. They may apologize profusely
and shower their partners with gifts and extra attention. Unfortunately, without professional help from a certified batterer
intervention program, the cycle of violence usually begins anew, often with more dangerous consequences in future assaults.
Abuse is likely to continue and to progressively escalate if abusers do not address their violent behavior. Voluntary or court-
appointed professional help is almost always necessary for a perpetrator to change his behavior. Certified batterer intervention
programs take between one and two years to complete.
Some abusers blame their violent acts on external factors such as their partners behavior or provocation, being drunk, coping with
a medical or psychological illness, or simply having a bad day. Experts in batterer intervention are quick
to remind clients that they themselves must take responsibility for their own behavior. There is no excuse for domestic violence.

1
Elaine J. Alpert, et al. Responding to Domestic Violence: An Interfaith Guide to Prevention and Intervention, The Chicago Metropolitan Battered Womens Network,
2005

ARTICLE 5 Domestic Violence WHY?
1

A Statement of the U.S. Catholic Bishops

AN OVERVIEW OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Domestic Violence is any kind of behavior that a person uses to control a partner through fear and intimidation.
It includes physical, sexual, psychological, verbal and economic abuse.
Examples include battering, name calling and insults, threats to kill or harm ones partner or children, marital rape, or
forced abortion.

WHY MEN BATTER
Men who abuse generally share some common characteristics.
o They tend to be jealous, possessive and easily angered.
o They hold a view of women as inferior
o Many believe that men are meant to dominate and control women.
o Many try to isolate their partners by limiting their contact with family and friends.
Alcohol and Drugs are often associated with domestic violence, but they do not cause it.
Men who batter learn to abuse through observation, experience, and reinforcement. They believe that they have a right to
use violence. Their behavior gives them power and control over their partner.
Typically, abusive men deny that the abuse is happening, or they minimize it. They often blame their abusive behavior on
someone or something other than themselves. They tell their partner, "You made me do this."

WHY WOMEN STAY
Fear: Fear for themselves, fear for their children, fear that they cannot support themselves
Disbelief: Women often are incredulous when a violent act first occurs. She many believe her abuser when he apologizes
and promises that it will not happen again. When the abuse happens again - many women believe that if they just act
differently they can stop the abuse.
Shame: Women may be ashamed to admit that the man they love is terrorizing them. Some cannot admit or realize that
they are battered women.

REMEMBER: Some battered women run a risk of facing more violence when they leave their abuser or seek help from the legal
system. It is important to be honest with women about the risks involved. If a woman decides to leave, she needs to have a
safety plan, including the names and phone numbers of shelters and programs. Some victims may choose to stay at this time
because it seems safer. Ultimately, abused women must make their own decisions about staying or leaving.

Prayer For Those Affected By Domestic Violence:
God of peace, there are many places and many people who do not experience Your peace. Right now there are many
women and children who live under the dark weight of the fear of violence right in their own homes. We pray for Your
protection, and for wisdom for friends and officials to help bring the right protection to them. We pray for the many men
who themselves feel powerless and confused about their relationships. We ask that You help them find healthy ways to
work out their frustrations and to find hope without resorting to destructive impulses. God, we ask for your perfect peace.
Amen.

1
When I Call For Help A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence Against Women, A Statement of the U.S. Catholic Bishops.

ARTICLE 6 Religion and Domestic Violence
1

A Statement of the U.S. Catholic Bishops

The Church Responds to Domestic Violence
Religion can be either a resource or a roadblock for battered women. As a resource, it encourages women to resist mistreatment. As a
roadblock, its misinterpretation can contribute to the victim's self-blame and suffering and to the abuser's rationalizations.
Abused women often say, "I can't leave this relationship. The Bible says it would be wrong." Abusive men often say, "The Bible says
my wife should be submissive to me." They take the biblical text and distort it to support their right to batter.
The church condemns the use of the Bible to support abusive behavior in any form. A correct reading of Scripture leads people to an
understanding of the equal dignity of men and women and to relationships based on mutuality and love. Beginning with Genesis,
Scripture teaches that women and men are created in God's image. Jesus himself always respected the human dignity of women.
Men who abuse can take Scripture out of context to justify their behavior, but Scripture refers to the mutual submission of husband
and wife out of love for Christ. Husbands should love their wives as they love their own body, as Christ loves the Church.
Men who batter may also cite Scripture to insist that their victims forgive them. Forgiveness, however, does not mean forgetting the
abuse or pretending that it did not happen. Forgiveness is not permission to repeat the abuse. Rather, forgiveness means that the
victim decides to let go of the experience and move on with greater insight and conviction not to tolerate abuse of any kind again.
An abused woman may see her suffering as just punishment for a past deed for which she feels guilty. She may try to explain suffering
by saying that it is "God's will" or "part of God's plan for my life" or "God's way of teaching me a lesson." However, God is a kind,
merciful, and loving God. Jesus went out of his way to help suffering women. God promises to be present to us in our suffering, even
when it is unjust.
The church emphasizes that no person is expected to stay in an abusive marriage. Some abused women believe that church teaching
on the permanence of marriage requires them to stay in an abusive relationship. They may hesitate to seek a separation or divorce
and fear that they cannot re-marry in the Church. Violence and abuse, not divorce, break up a marriage.
First Responders: Priests, Deacons, and Lay Ministers
Church ministers have three goals, in the following order:
Safety for the victim and children
Accountability for the abuser
Restoration of the relationship (if possible), or mourning over the loss of the relationship.

Church ministers are also encouraged to see themselves as "first responders" who
Listen to and believe the victim's story,
Help her to assess the danger to herself and her children, and
Refer her to counseling and other specialized services.

Church ministers should become familiar with and follow the reporting requirements of their state. Many professionals who deal with
vulnerable people are required to report suspected crimes, which may include domestic abuse.

In dealing with people who abuse, church ministers need to hold them accountable for their behavior. They can support the abusive
person as he seeks counseling to change his abusive behavior. Couple counseling is not appropriate and can endanger the victim's safety.

1
When I Call For Help A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence Against Women, A Statement of the U.S. Catholic Bishops.
ARTICLE7DomesticViolenceThereIsHelp!
1
AStatementoftheU.S.CatholicBishops
HelpForAbusedWomen
Begintobelievethatyouarenotaloneandthathelpisavailableforyouandyourchildren.
Talkinconfidencetosomeoneyoutrust:arelative,friend,parishpriest,deacon,religioussisterorbrother,orlayminister.
Ifyouchoosetostayinthesituation,atleastfornow,setupaplanofactiontoensureyoursafety.Thisincludeshidingacarkey,
personaldocuments,andsomemoneyinasafeplaceandlocatingsomewheretogoinanemergency.
Findoutaboutresourcesinyourareathatofferhelptobatteredwomenandtheirchildren.Thephonebooklistsnumberstocallin
yourlocalarea.YourdiocesanCatholicCharitiesofficeorfamilylifeofficecanhelp.CatholicCharitiesoftenhasqualifiedcounselors
onstaffandcanprovideemergencyassistanceandotherkindsofhelp.
TheNationalDomesticViolenceHotlineprovidescrisisinterventionandreferralstolocalserviceproviders.Call800799SAFE(7233)
or8007873224(TTY).Emailassistanceisavailableatndvh@ndvh.org.
HelpForMenWhoAbuse
Admitthattheabuseisyourproblem,notyourpartner's,andhavethemanlycouragetoseekhelp.Begintobelievethatyoucan
changeyourbehaviorifyouchoosetodoso.
Bewillingtoreachoutforhelp.Talktosomeoneyoutrustwhocanhelpyouevaluatethesituation.ContactCatholicCharitiesor
otherchurchorcommunityagenciesforthenameofaprogramforabusers.
KeepinmindthattheChurchisavailabletohelpyou.PartofthemissionJesusentrustedtousistoofferhealingwhenitisneeded.
Findalternativewaystoactwhenyoubecomefrustratedorangry.Talktoothermenwhohaveovercomeabusivebehavior.Findout
whattheydidandhowtheydidit.
WhenICallforHelp:APrayer
OnesourceofhealingwehaveinourlivesasChristiansisprayer.Psalm55(Ps55:23,1315,1718)maybeanespeciallyaptprayerfor
womenwhoaredealingwithabusivesituations.Wepray:
Listen,God,tomyprayer:
donothidefrommypleading;hearmeandgiveanswer.
Ifanenemyhadreviledme,thatIcouldbear;
Ifmyfoehadviewedmewithcontempt,fromthatIcouldhide.
Butitwasyou,myotherself,mycomradeandfriend,
You,whosecompanyIenjoyed,atwhosesideIwalked
inprocessioninthehouseofGod.
ButIwillcalluponGod,andtheLordwillsaveme.
Atdusk,dawn,andnoonIwillgrieveandcomplain,
andmyprayerwillbeheard.
1
WhenICallForHelp,APastoralResponsetoDomesticViolenceAgainstWomen,AStatementoftheU.S.CatholicBishops.


When we talk about domestic violence, just who and what are we discussing?

It is easy to put that other person over there, to feel sorry for her/ him, to shun the abuser, to
tsk, tsk, tsk about how it never used to be like this, to say there but for the grace of God,
to stereotypically link her/ him to poverty, drugs, under- education, or certain racial or ethnic
groups.

Was she just a poor judge of men? Didnt she have any backbone? How could she let her
children see that going on? Why didnt her family help her? Why didnt she just leave?

Unfortunately, interpersonal and intimate partner violence isnt so simple. During October,
Domestic Violence month, this space will share with you some situations and some of the many
faces of violence, so you can see for yourself how complicated it can be. As you read, please
pay attention to the people as you picture them in your mind, to their appearance, their
ethnicity - if you notice, to their general demeanor.
1

MYTH: Domestic Violence is bad, but it happens elsewhere. It doesnt happen in my community,
my neighborhood, my culture, my religion, or my congregation.
FACT: Domestic Violence happens to people of every educational and socioeconomic level.
Domestic violence happens in all races, religions and age groups. Domestic Violence happens in
both heterosexual and same- sex relationships
2
.

You are not alone!

800- 799- 7233.

1
2


I live in your neighborhood.

I am a woman with three children. I have an MBA, a good job, and I live in a nice
Chicago suburb. However, I have had several visits to the Emergency Room this past
year. I try to go to different ERs so they wont recognize me coming in. I have to pay
out of pocket since my insurance doesnt cover all these out- of- network visits. I dont
come in right away. I wait until the bleeding has stopped, until I am calmer, until I can
think up a plausible story to go with my cuts and bruises. I think that my husband is
jealous of my education and earning ability. He never finished college. He earns less
that I do. Still, I do not withhold money. We put everything into a joint account. I love
him and I dont hold it over him. But it seems like every month when we pay bills, he
starts feeling like hes one down. He starts belittling me first, I guess to make himself
feel better, and soon he gets physical. He has never hurt me too bad. Ive had a few
stitches, but no broken bones like some women. He always feels so sad when its all
over. I know he doesnt want to hurt me. Something just happens...
1

MYTH: Victims provoke their partners violence.
FACT: Whatever problems exist in a relationship, the use of violence is never
justifiable or acceptable. There is NO EXCUSE for domestic violence.
2

You are not alone!

800- 799- 7233.

1
2

12 15 2011
1
Domestic Violence Handout

1
Domestic violence is learned, purposeful behavior and is a manifestation of the abusers need to
achieve and maintain power and control over the victim. [It is a pattern of behavior.]

The short answer to this often asked question is, no one really knows. On the other hand,
abusive behavior is learned and reinforced:
Through observation
Through experience
In culture and in society
In the Family
In Communities including schools and
peer groups
In faith, religious and spiritual
institutions
Through our failure to hold batterers
accountable for their actions

Illness
Genetics or biology
Out-of control behavior
Anger
Stress
The victims behavior or actions.
Problems in the relationship
Children
Pets
Satan, other demons or evil influences

If You Receive a Call From a Fr iend:

If the caller is being physically abused or physical abuse is being threatened at this moment,
with the caller s per mission and after getting the caller s location, call 911.

If the caller wishes to speak with someone immediately regarding domestic violence, the
caller may contact the National Domestic Violence 24-Hour Hotline at 800-799-7233.
If the caller wishes to schedule an appointment with a domestic violence counselor there are
two options. The caller may call the counselors dir ect line at or call the Parish Office at
... To speak to another staff member, the caller should call the Parish Office. The str ictest
confidence will be maintained.

1
Elaine J . Alpert, et al. Responding to Domestic Violence, The Chicago Metropolitan Battered Womens Network,
2005.
12 15 2011
2
National Hot Lines and Help and Websites for Victims

For victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or dating violence refer the caller to
the following telephone numbers or websites:
National Domestic Violence 24 Hour Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) 1-800-787-3224
TTY
1
http://www.ndvh.org/

Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Networ k (RAINN) To be connected to the nearest rape
crisis center 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
http://www.rainn.org/

National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline 1-866-331-9474 1-866-331-8453 TTY You can
also chat live on-line with a trained Peer Advocate from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. (CST) daily.
http://www.loveisrespect.org/

National Center for Victims of Cr ime, Stalking Resour ce Center 1-800-394-2255 1-800-
211-7996 TTY
http://www.ncvc.org

Useful Tips When Dealing with Domestic Violence:
Do no harm.

2
Do believe the abused. The abuseds description of the violence is only the tip of the
iceberg.
Do reassure the abused that this is not the abuseds fault, the abused doesnt deserve this
treatment, and it is not Gods will for the abused.
Dont tell the abused what to do. Give information and support.
Do support and respect the abuseds choices. Even if the abused is aware of the risks and
chooses initially to return to the abuser, it is the abuseds choice. The abused has the
most information about how to survive.
Do protect the abuseds confidentiality. Do not give information about the abused or the
abused whereabouts to the abuser or to others who might pass information on to the
abuser. Do not discuss the abused with [anyone] who might inadvertently pass
information on to the abuser.
Dont approach the abuser or let the abuser know that you know about the abusers
violence unless a) you have the victims permission, b) the abused is aware that you
plan to talk to the abuser and c) you are certain that the abusers partner is safely
separated from the abuser.
Do name the violence as the abusers problem, not the abused. Tell the abuser that only
the abuser can stop it; and you are willing to help.
Do not give the abuser any information about the abusers partner or the abuseds
whereabouts.
Do not pursue couples counseling if you are aware that there is violence in the
relationship.

Domestic violence. No excuse!

1
TTY Text and telephone device. Call in line for the hard of hearing.
2
FAITHTRUST INSTITUE, www.faithtrustinstitue.org.
Point of Contact Card (2.4 x 6.4) Version 12 15 2011


Our mission is to offer tangible support
both spiritual and emotionalto
victims of domestic violence by
educating our community and providing
individual and group counseling.

You are not alone.

If you need help, call the Parish Office
at to schedule an appointment with a
professional counselor or to speak with
a parish staff member.

You are loved.

In an emergency, dial 911 or call the
National Domestic Violence 24-Hour
Hotline at 800-799-7233.



1
Domestic violence is learned,
purposeful behavior and is a
manifestation of the abusers need to
achieve and maintain power and control
over the victim. [It is a pattern of
behavior.] Abusive behavior is learned
and reinforced.

Illness
Genetics or biology
Out-of-control behavior
Anger
Stress
The victims behavior or actions
Problems in the relationship
Children
Pets
Satan, other demons or evil
influences


1
Elaine J. Alpert, et al. Responding to Domestic
Violence, The Chicago Metropolitan Battered
Womens Network, 2005.
EXPLANATION OF YOUR RIGHT TO CONFIDENTIALITY

Explanation of Right to Confidentiality 10/2010

The relationship between you and your counselor/advocate is based on trust and privacy. It is important that
you understand your right to confidentiality. Below are some frequently asked questions about the right to
privacy. Please ask your counselor/advocate if you have other questions.

Do I have the right to privacy?
Yes, Illinois law protects the right to privacy for sexual assault victims. Communications, written and
verbal, between you and your counselor/advocate are confidential.

Are there any exceptions?
Yes. Disclosure is required under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Law for a report of child
abuse or neglect. Disclosure is also permitted to protect you or another from imminent risk of harm.
Further, if you share information about your counseling/advocacy sessions with any other person, the court
could find that you have waived your right to confidentiality. You can protect your right to confidentiality by
not speaking or writing to another person about your private conversations with your counselor/advocate.

What will Center do to protect my right to privacy?
When you wish to protect your right to privacy, Center and your counselor/advocate will make every effort
to maintain your privacy. Except for those situations described above, Center staff will not speak or write
about services that you receive with a third person, such as the police, without your permission unless
required to do so by a court. Center will object to any requests, including court subpoena, which seek
disclosure of any information, written or verbal, about the services your receive.

Do I have a right to see my file?
Yes, you have the right to review, amend, and receive a copy of your file. And if you want, you can request
your parent/guardian to help you look at your file.

Who else has a right to see my file?
Only trained center personnel such as the counselor/advocate and consulting staff have the right to see
your file. Anonymous data may be collected from your file for specific purposes such as funding,
accreditation, audit, licensure, statistics, research and evaluation.

What if I want to release my file or have my counselor/advocate talk with another person?
You can choose to release your file or have your counselor/advocate talk about your case with another
person by signing an authorization form after thoroughly discussing your decision and reviewing your file
with your counselor/advocate. Before you sign an authorization form to release information form, you
should look through your file so that you know exactly what information will be shared with another person.
Once you have signed an authorization form to release information, the Center would probably have to turn
over information in your file if it received a subpoena for your records.

What happens if I change my mind after I sign the Authorization to Release form?
As long as Center has not taken action on your authorization, you can instruct your counselor/advocate in
writing not to release any more information. This is called revoking.

I have read and understand this form.

Client Signature Date

Parent/Guardian Signature (Client under age 12) Date

Witness Date

COUNSELING SERVICES EVALUATION

Client input is essential for ensuring that services meet the needs of sexual assault/abuse victims and their
friends and loved ones. Please complete this evaluation to summarize rape crisis center services received.

Date:___________________________ Client age 12 and over Parent of a client under 12

Victim Significant Other

Months receiving services: 0-3 3-6 6-12 12-18 18-24 24 or more

How much do you agree with each of the following statements? Please circle one number from 1 to 5, where 1
is strongly disagrees, 5 is strongly agree, and the other numbers represent something in between.

Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree

1. Counseling has helped me feel better about myself. 1 2 3 4 5 N/A

2. I have learned healthy ways to cope. 1 2 3 4 5 N/A

3. I feel less fear and/or anxiety than when I started 1 2 3 4 5 N/A
counseling.

4. I feel supported by my therapist in my counseling. 1 2 3 4 5 N/A

5. My life has improved. 1 2 3 4 5 N/A

6. I have a better understanding of the choices and 1 2 3 4 5 N/A
resources available to me.

7. My therapist respects my diversity as a person 1 2 3 4 5 N/A
(ie. racial, cultural, religious, sexual identity.)

8. I would recommend SR DVO services to a 1 2 3 4 5 N/A
friend or family member.

In what ways could the rape crisis center improve services?________________________________________

_________________ _____

__________________

What have you found to be useful about services at Northwest CASA? _______________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

Additional Comments (use back of page for additional space):

____________________________________________________________________________
Return completed form to St. Raymond Domestic Violence Outreach.
COUNSELING SERVICE REVIEW/CLIENT CONTACT SHEET

Client Name: Client I.D.:

ACTIVITY CODES:
Individual Advocacy (Medical) MA
Individual Advocacy (Criminal J ustice) CJA
Individual Advocacy (Other) OA
Significant Other Consultation SOC
Telephone Counseling TC
In-Person Counseling (Individual) IPC
Family Counseling FC
Group Counseling GC
Cancellation CAN
Did Not Attend DNA

ACTIVITY
CODE
(see list
above)
STAFF NAME DATE OF
SERVICE
DIRECT
SERVICE
HOURS
(.25 hour
increments)
Session
Included
Service
Review
with Client
( if applies)

Service
Review
with
Supervisor
( if applies)

COMMUNITY AND INSTITUTIONAL SERVICES LOG SHEET 10/10

Date of Presentation:____/____/____
Total # of Presentations:_____ Total Presentation Hrs:________ Number Of Participants:_______ Number of Staff:_______
Staff Name Conduct Hours Preparation Hours Travel Hours
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Agency:_________________________________ Location:_______________________________ County:_____________________________________
TYPE OF SERVICE/PRESENTATION PROVIDED
Institutional Advocacy: Professional Training Public Education:
School
Presentations:
In-House Training: Other Activities: Publications
Med./Hospital Med./Hospital Youth Org. Preschool New Volunteer DV Court Orientation (non clients) TV
Law Enforcement Law Enforcement/CJ Religious Org. Kindergarten In-service Volunteer Board Activities Radio
Judge States Attorney Civic Org. Primary New Staff Non-Direct Service Volunteer Activity Print Media
Soc. Service Judge Employees/Employers Junior High In-Service Staff Staff Consultation

Teacher/Educator Soc. Service Other Client Groups High School

Other: Teacher/Educator Other: Post Secondary

Clergy

Other:

Comments:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
RIGHTS OF THE CLIENT
Rights of the Client 10/2010

At this Center we provide information on domestic violence, an exploration of various coping
skills which can help a survivor gain control, and advocacy for improved system response to
victimization. A domestic violence counselor, therapist or advocate will try to help you examine
your options, express your feelings and recognize your choices.

You are the best judge of whether our center is a comfortable place for you to work on your
issues. Counseling is very personal, and not everyone connects with every counselor. If you
are not connecting, we will be happy to refer you to another place, because it is important that
you feel as safe and comfortable as possible.

As a person who receives services from this Center, you are entitled to know what your rights
are:

1. You have the right to receive considerate and respectful treatment by qualified
staff and volunteers, and you have the right to make a complaint if dissatisfied
with services.

2. You have a right to know what services are available and to participate in the
planning of your services.

3. You have the right to refuse service and to request a referral to another
counselor or agency.

4. You have a right to confidential services. You will receive the form Explanation
of Confidentiality which clarifies this right.

5. You have the right to view your counseling record and to request corrections or
make objections, and you can get a copy of your record.

6. You have the right to have a support person help you exercise any of these rights
pursuant to Center policy and procedures.

To exercise any of these rights, ask your counselor or the program director if you need more
information.

Center does not discriminate on the basis of creed, national origin, race, sex, sexual orientation,
disability or ability to pay.



Parent/Guardian Signature (Client under age 12) Date

Witness Date

ADULT CLIENT INTAKE/ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION FORM

10/10

Client ID___________________ Household ID Number______________
First Contact Date___________ Case Close Date:__________________

All questions should be completed within 24 hours of intake.
A. CLIENT DEMOGRAPHICS

1. Name:________________________________________________ Date of Birth:_________________ 1. Phone intake 2. In-person intake
Sex:
Female Male Other
3. Age at First Contact: __________
4. Ethnicity:
Non-Hispanic/Non-Latino Hispanic/Latino Unknown
5. Race: Check as many as apply
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Asian

Black/African
American
Native Hawaiian/Other
Pacific Islander
White

Unknown

6. Veterans Status
(shelter clients only):
No Yes Unknown Not Reported (e.g., client didnt want to provide)
7. Employment:
Full Time Not Employed Part Time Unknown
8. Education:
College Grad or More High School Grad No High School Some College

Some High School Unknown
9. Marital Status:
Common Law Divorced Legally Separated Married Single Unknown Widowed
10. Pregnant:
No Not Reported Unknown Yes Not Applicable (male clients only)
11. Number of Children: ______ Name Sex Age

B. PRIMARY PRESENTING
ISSUE (choose ONE):
Emotional DV Physical DV Sexual DV
Primary Offense Date: _______/_______/_______
1. Offense Location:
Car
Offenders
Home
Other Private
Location
Other Public
Location
Park School

Shared Home Street Victims Home Victims Work Other:____________________
2. Other Presenting
Issues:
Rape/Sexual
Assault
Adult survivor incest/
child sexual assault
Stalking Harassment Child sexual assault Child abuse
(Check as many as
apply)
Child neglect Date rape Drugged
Home
invasion
Hate crime Physical DV

Sexual DV Emotional DV
Domestic
battery
Aggravated
dom. battery
Violation of OP Elder abuse

Homicide Attempted homicide DUI/DWI Other assault Battery Assault/battery

Burglary Robbery
Other offense
against person Other offense Unknown offense

C. CLIENT INCOME
SOURCE(S): Check as
many as apply AND
indicate MONTHLY
amnt.
Earned Income $____________ Worker compensation $____________ Pension from former job $____________
Unemployment Insurance$____________ TANF $____________ Child Support $____________
SSI $____________
Soc Sec Disability $___________
General assistance $____________ Alimony/other spouse income $_________
Veterans disability pay $____________
Retirement income/Soc.
Security$________ Other Source______________$_________

Private disability insurance$___________ Veterans pension $____________
No financial
resources
Unknown (-1
unknown; -2 not
reported)

10/10

D. NONCASHBENEFITS/HEALTHINSURANCE:
1. Non Cash Benefits:

Food Stamps/food benefit card (Link
Card)
TANF Transportation Other Source

Special Supplemental nutrition (WIC) Other TANF funded services No Non Cash benefits

TANF Child Care services Section 8, public housing, rent assistance Unknown
2. Health Insurance

Medicaid health insurance (18 and older only) State childrens health insurance (Childrens Medicaid) Private health insurance

Medicare health insurance Veterans administration med services No health insurance

Unknown
E. REFERRAL SOURCE:
1. Referred From:
Police DCFS Legal System Circuit Clerk Other Project Self
Hospital Medical Advocacy Program Private Attorney Clergy Telephone Friend
Medical Social Service Program States Attorney Education System Relative Media
Public Health Hotline Referral Agency:______________________________________________________________________________
2. Referred To:
Police Medical Medical Advocacy Program Legal System States Attorney Clergy
Hospital Public Health Social Service Program Private Attorney Circuit Clerk Education System
Other Project Referral Agency:___________________________________________________________________
F. SPECIAL NEEDS (as many as apply):
No special needs indicated Unknown Not Reported
Is hearing impaired Has limited English (primary language:_______________________) Requires special diet
Requires assistance in feeding, dressing, or toileting Requires a wheelchair Other Special Needs:__________________
Must have medications administered Has immobility
________________________________________
Is visually impaired-requires assistance Has developmental disability

G. SERVICES NEEDED: Check all services needed by client at time of intake.

Shelter Emotional/Counseling Child Care Medical Advocacy
Housing Individual Support (child) Legal Services Crisis Intervention
Financial School Advocacy (child) Employment Transportation
Referral Group Activity (child) Legal Advocacy Parent/Child Support
Lock up/Board up Education Medical Services Community Advocacy (child)

Therapy
H. RESIDENCE:

Address:

City/Town Township County State Zip Code (Enter UK for Unknown and NR for Not reported)
Home Phone (_____)_____-________ Work Phone (_____)_____-________ Emergency Contact: (____)_____-__________

Ok to leave a message at home. Ok to leave a message at work. Ok to leave a message on cell. DO NOT LEAVE a message.
Type of Residence (IMMEDIATELY prior to coming to dv shelter/transitional housing program) (shelter clients only)

Emergency shelter(other dv or
homeless)
Substance abuse treat. facility Staying/living w/family member Place not meant for habitation
Transitional housing-homeless Jail/prison/juvenile detention ctr Staying/living w/friend Other
Perm. housing for formerly
homeless
Room/apt/house rented Hotel/motel paid for w/o
emergency shelter voucher
Unknown
Psychiatric hospital/facility Apt/house owned Foster care home/group home Not Reported
Length of stay in previous place (place indicated above) (shelter clients only)

10/10

One week or less One week to one
month
1-3 months More than 3
months, up to 1 year
One year or longer Unknown
PREVIOUS SERVICE USE (shelter clients only): In The Last Year.
1--Have you used another domestic violence shelter in this part of IL? YES NO If yes, about how long ago (approx date): ___________
2--Have you used another homeless shelter in this part of IL? YES NO If yes, about how long ago (approx date): ___________

I. OFFENDER INFORMATION: Name:__________________________________________Soc.Sec.#:______-______-______ County/State:_____________
Birth Date:___/___/___ DOC #:___________________ Case #:_________________ Age (at victim intake):______
Race:
African
American
Asian Biracial Hispanic Native Amer. Other Unknown White
Sex: Female Male
Relationship to Client:

Husband Mothers Boyfriend Girlfriend Female Child/Grandchild
Ex-husband Male Stranger Ex-girlfriend Other Female Relative
Boyfriend Male Child/Grandchild Female Acquaintance Female Stranger
Ex-boyfriend Other Male Relative Female Shares Household Unknown
Male Acquaintance Male Shares Household Mother Same Sex Partner
Father Wife Female Friend

Male Friend Ex-Wife Fathers Girlfriend

Visitation:
No Visitation Allowed Not an Issue Supervised Visitation Unknown Unsupervised Visitation
If there are police and/or states attorney charges against the offender, document those on the Medical Criminal J ustice Information Form.
J. ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION/PROGRAMRESPONSE:

Eligible for Services:
1. Based on the circumstances documented above, it is reasonable to conclude that the individual identified herein and accompanying children, if any, is
subject to, or at risk of, abuse and is eligible to receive domestic violence services on the basis for the need for protection.
Immediate Program Response:
1) Accepted as client in on-site residence
2) Accepted as client in emergency shelter
3) Accepted client as non-residential client
4) Referred to another program (name)________________________________________________
2. Based on information received at the time of intake, I conclude this individual is not eligible for services.
Intake Worker:_______________________________________________ Date:______________
I understand that by my signature, I amverifying the above information and requesting service for ____myself; _____myself and
family. I also understand that I have a right to appeal and have a fair hearing of any grievance.

Client Signature:_____________________________________________________________ Date:______________________________


10/10
MEDICAL/CRIMINAL JUSTICE -- VICTIM DOCUMENTATION INFORMATION

MEDICAL
Visit medical facility?
No Not Reported Unknown Yes
Treated For Injuries?
Seriousness Of Injuries:
Did not require hospital admission Required hospital admission Unknown

Photos Taken:
Location of Photos:_________________________________
Type of Medical Facility:
Clinic ER None Other Private Physician Trauma Ctr. Unknown
Evidence Kit Used?
Other Famil y Problems:________________________________________________________________________
The Offender (check all that appl y):
Threw something at your victim Beat up your victim
Pushed, grabbed or shoved your victim Choked your victim

Slapped your victim Threatened your victim with a knife or gun

Kicked, bit or hit your victim with a fist Used a knife or fired a gun

Hit or tried to hit your victim with something

ORDERS OF PROTECTION
Originally Sought Order:
Granted Denied Pending Unknown
Date Filed:___/___/___
County:_____________________________________
Date Issued:___/___/___
Type of Order:
Emergency Interim Plenary Unknown
Date Vacated:___/___/___
Forum:
Criminal Civil Unknown

Original Date Of Expiration:___/___/___ Comments:_____________________________________________________________________
Activity 1 Activity 2
EOP to IOP
EOP to POP
IOP to POP
Extension
Modification
Violation W/Police Charge
Violation W/O Police Charge

Activity Date: ___/___/___
New Expiration Date:___/___/___
EOP to IOP
EOP to POP
IOP to POP
Extension
Modification

Activity 3 Activity 4
EOP to IOP
EOP to POP
IOP to POP
Extension
Modification

EOP to IOP
EOP to POP
IOP to POP
Extension
Modification

POLICE
Date Reported to Police:___/___/___
Patrol Interview Detective Interview
PROSECUTION
States Attorney Interview V/Witness Trial Scheduled
Trial Type:
Bench J ury Unknown
Court Appearance ___/___/___ If results in continuance, which type?
Defense Prosecution Other
V/W Participate:
Yes No Not Appropriate Unknown

10/10
MEDICAL/CRIMINAL JUSTICE -- OFFENDER CRIMINAL JUSTICE DOCUMENTATION
POLICE
Police Department:______________________________________________ Report Number:_________________________________________
Arrest Made?
Date of Arrest:___/___/___
Police Charge Date of Charges: ___/___/___
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Charge Type:
Felony Misdemeanor Unknown

Police Charge Date of Charges: ___/___/___
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Charge Type:

PROSECUTION
Charges Filed?

Charge Type:

States Attorney Charge: Charge Date:___/___/___
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Disposition:
Acquitted Convicted, Lesser Charge
Dismissed, Victim
Didnt Show
Mistrial
Pled Guilty, Original
Charge
Charges Dropped Dismissed, Fines Dismissed, Want Of Prosecution Other:__________ Stricken On Leave
Convicted Dismissed, Other Reason Hung J ury Pled Guilty, Lesser Charge Unknown
Sentence 1:
Conditional Discharge J uvenile Detention Not Sentenced Probation
Sentence Date:___/___/___
Fines J uvenile Probation Other Restitution
Sentenced for: Yrs_____Mo_____Days____
J ail Mandated Couns. Prison Supervision Unknown
Sentence 2: Conditional Discharge J uvenile Detention Not Sentenced Probation
Charge Type:

States Attorney Charge: Charge Date:___/___/___
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Disposition:
Acquitted Convicted, Lesser Charge
Dismissed, Victim
Didnt Show
Mistrial
Pled Guilty, Original
Charge
Charges Dropped Dismissed, Fines Dismissed, Want Of Prosecution Other:__________ Stricken On Leave
Convicted Dismissed, Other Reason Hung J ury Pled Guilty, Lesser Charge Unknown

SCREENING/REQUEST FOR SERVICES
1 of 2

__________________________________ Scheduled Follow-up Date: _____/_____/______ @ ________am/pm
Assigned Staff

Date of Screening___________________________ Return Calls/Staff Initial______________________________

Screener Name_____________________________ ______________________________

Date Letter Mailed/Initials _____________________ ______________________________
A. CLIENT IDENTIFYING INFORMATION
Name
(First and Last)
V/S Gender Age/
DOB
DCFS
WARD
Disability/Language/
Other Preferences
Male /
Female
Yes
No

Male /
Female
Yes
No

Male /
Female
Yes
No

B. CONTACT INFORMATION: CLIENT(S), PARENT(S), GUARDIAN(S)
Name(s) _____
Relationship to person(s) being referred _____________
Home Address
Street City
________________________________________________________________________________
Township State Zip
Primary Phone:( )____________
(home/cell/other family/neighbor)
DO NOT leave a message!
It is OK to leave a message.
It is OK to contact me by mail
Is there a best time to call? ______
Work Phone: ( )_____________

Is there a best time to call? _______

Alt.Phone: ( )______________
(cell/pager/other family/neighbor)
Is there a best time to call? _______
C. Reason for referral (Presenting Concern(s)):
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

REFERRAL AGENT AND AGENCY (IF OTHER THAN SELF or PARENT)
SCREENING/REQUEST FOR SERVICES
2 of 2

Name of Referral Agent________________________________ Relationship
Agency/Address w/Zip ________________________________ Phone Number(s) ______________________
________________________________ ____________________________________

How did you hear about Northwest CASA or who provided the referral?
Child Advocacy Center
Clergy
DCFS
EducationSystem/School
Friend
Hospital
Hotline
Legal System/States Atty
Media/Print/TV/Radio/
Flyer/Phone Book (circle)
Medical/Physician/Nurse
Other:_______________
Other Rape Crisis
Program:_____________
Police Department
Private Attorney
Public Health Dept.
Relative:____________
Self
Social Service Program:
_____________________________________________________________________ _____________________

Has the incident been reported to: DCFS ( Yes No N/A) Police ( Yes No)
____________________________________________________________________________________________

Is the client(s) aware of and agreeable to a referral to Northwest CASA? Yes No
Is the parent/guardian(s) aware of and agreeable to a referral to Northwest CASA? Yes No N/A
Is the client or family currently receiving support services elsewhere? Yes No ________________________

Do you have any current safety concerns? Yes No
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
D. SERVICES REQUESTED
Sexual Assault Counseling/Therapy
Individual: Victim Significant Other
Family
Group: Victim Significant Other
Crisis Intervention
Advocacy: Medical Legal or Court Advocacy
Other (explain)_______________________________________

E. PREFERRED APPOINTMENT DAYS AND TIMES
Day of the Week Time of Day
First Choice
Second Choice
Third Choice

F. COMMENTS/STATUS OF REQUEST:
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

________________________________________________ ____________________________________
Staff/Volunteer Signature Date
ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILD REPORTING ACT (ANCRA)
DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT

I acknowledge that all staff/volunteers at.are mandated reporters under the
Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Any disclosure of suspected abuse
or neglect, including sexual abuse or assault, by a parent, caretaker or a person
responsible for a childs welfare, which is made to a member of . during
counseling or advocacy services is required by law to be reported to the Illinois
Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-252-2873.


_____________________________________________ ______________________
Client Signature or Name Date

_____________________________________________ ______________________
Parent/Guardian Signature (if client is 12 and under) Date

_____________________________________________ _ ______________________
Witness Date

CLIENTID# INTAKEDATE CLIENTLASTNAME CLIENTFIRSTNAME AGE
COUNSELOROR
ADVOCATE
SIGNIFICANTOTHER
ID#IFAPPLICABLE
ClientIDAssignment
SERVICE PLAN

Client Name:____________________________________________ ID #: __________________________

Presenting Issues/Concerns:

Clients Strengths:

Service Goals:

Plan to Accomplish Goals:


Parent/Guardian Signature (if client under age 12) Date

____________________________________________________ __________________________
Counselor/Therapist Signature Date

SERVICE PLAN REVIEW

SERVICE PLAN REVIEW
________ Changes needed? Yes No
(Date)
________ Changes needed? Yes No
(Date)
If yes, summarize updates below or develop a
new Service Plan.
If yes, summarize updates below or develop a
new Service Plan.

Counselor/Therapist
Initials:

Counselor/Therapist
Initials:

COUNSELING PROGRESS NOTES
Revised 10/2010

Client Name:____________________________________________ Client I.D.:
ACTIVITY CODES:
Individual Advocacy (Medical) MA
Individual Advocacy (Criminal J ustice) CJA
Individual Advocacy (Other) OA
Significant Other Consultation SOC
Telephone Counseling TC
In-Person Counseling (Individual) IPC
Family Counseling FC
Group Counseling GC
Cancellation CAN
Did Not Attend DNA

ACTIVITY
CODE
(see list above)
STAFF NAME DATE OF
SERVICE
DIRECT SERVICE
HOURS
(.25 hour increments)
Service
Review
with Client
Service
Review w/
Supervisor

SUMMARY OF CONTACT, INCLUDING PLAN FOR FURTHER CONTACT:

Initials:
ACTIVITY
CODE
(see list above)
STAFF NAME DATE OF
SERVICE
DIRECT SERVICE
HOURS
Service
Review
with Client
Service
Review w/
Supervisor


Initials:
ACTIVITY
CODE
(see list above)
STAFF NAME DATE OF
SERVICE
DIRECT SERVICE
HOURS
Service
Review
with Client
Service
Review w/
Supervisor


Initials:

CLOSURE SUMMARY
Closure Summary 10/2010

Client Name: Client I.D.:__________________________

Instructions: Complete this form at conclusion of services and file with client record.

Date of Intake: ______ Date of Closure: __________________

REASON FOR CLOSURE (Check one)

Client requests closure
Client and counselor mutually agree upon closure
Client did not return for services
Center services are no longer appropriate for client
Center services are no longer available

SUMMARY OF PROGRESS TOWARD GOALS
________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

PLAN FOR CONTINUED RECOVERY

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Counselor/Therapist Date

Provided client with evaluation form: Yes No

Comments:

Domestic Violence Outreach Manual 2013

Caricato da

Informazioni sul documento

Copyright

Formati disponibili

Condividi questo documento

Condividi o incorpora il documento

Opzioni di condivisione

Hai trovato utile questo documento?

Questo contenuto è inappropriato?

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Domestic Violence Outreach Manual 2013

Caricato da

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Domestic Violence Manual

Any IPV-related impact

Any IPV-related impact

EXPLANATION OF YOUR RIGHT TO CONFIDENTIALITY

Potrebbero piacerti anche