Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #108708

Kathryn E. (Beth) Moracco, PhD, MPH¹, J. Michael Bowling, PhD², Heathe Luz McNaughton, MPH², Janeen Gingrich, MSW³, Allison Anders, MA, BA⁴, and Jessica Frits, BA¹. (1) Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 1516 E. Franklin Street, Suite 200, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, (919) 265-2627, moracco@pire.org, (2) Health Behavior and Health Education, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB 7440, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, (3) North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 115 North Market St., Durham, NC 27701, (4) School of Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB 3500, Chapel Hill, NC 27799-3500

This presentation will describe the types, frequency and usefulness of contacts with law enforcement, health care and other service providers by women who file for domestic violence protective orders (DVPO's). We conducted telephone interviews with 360 women filing for DVPO's in two urban counties in North Carolina. During the 12 months prior to filing, nearly three quarters (73.2%) of participants had police come to their homes or somewhere else because of IPV (mean of 3.9 contacts). Most (67.9%) said they were very or somewhat satisfied with how officers handled the situation. Three-quarters of participants had contact with a health care provider; 26.5% had been to the Emergency Department for an injury. In cases of IPV-related injury, less than 20% were asked about IPV by a health care provider. 30.5% had contact with a mental health provider, 24.4% had received counseling or advice from a clergy member; 21.6% had contact with Social Services, 13.7% with Child Protective Services, and 8.4% had contact with substance abuse treatment providers. Only 30.5% had contact with the local IPV agency; 17.7% had used the crisis line, 10% used court advocacy, 9.2% used in-person counseling, 3.9% attended a support group, and 3.1% stayed at the shelter. We found that battered women make contact with a variety of health, justice, social and community-based service providers; however the responses appear to be fragmented and inadequate. Effective collaboration among such service providers has the potential improve the identification, intervention, and prevention of intimate partner violence.

Learning Objectives:

• By the end of the presentation, participants will be able to (1)list the types of organizations and individuals who had contact with battered women during the 12 months prior to seeking a protective order; (2)describe breadth of help-seeking among battered women seeking protective orders; and (3)articulate the need for coordination of law enforcement, health, and social services for battered women and their families.

Keywords: Domestic Violence, Women's Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation