Domestic Violence Interventions: Survivors' Desire for Mental Health Services

Domestic violence often has severe mental health impacts that may manifest in depression and/or trauma symptomatology, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Survivors of domestic violence may turn to drugs or alcohol to cope with the experience, attempt suicide, or use violence themselves as defense or protection, or as a result of uncontrolled stress and anger. These effects have implications for survivors' health and well-being, and may lead to consequences in criminal, civil, and family courts, from being convicted of a criminal offense to losing child custody. This presentation focuses on female domestic violence survivors' interest in, and need for, mental health services, including counseling, drug/alcohol treatment, stress management, and anger management programs, as related to their experiences with violence. Findings are based on a study with women (n=173) who have had police intervention for domestic violence with a male partner. Data are from quantitative self-report questionnaires and supplemented with qualitative data from in-depth interviews with the same population of women. Funding was provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.