Professionals in domestic abuse programs, also called Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) prefer that victims decide for themselves when to leave a dangerous relationship. Children’s Protective Services (CPS) however responds to child abuse allegations immediately. When both forms of violence co-occur, which happens often, the unplanned-for CPS intervention may expose the IPV and lead to recriminations against the mother.
These conflicting priorities sometimes produce other tensions. For instance some advocates have proposed exempting IPV victims from being charged with failure to protect their children. Child advocates counter that this could have disastrous consequences.
This article documents that children who are either exposed to domestic violence or experience physical abuse are twice as likely to become either IPV perpetrators or victims as adults. This suggests that advocates could unite around promoting preventive services for child maltreatment – hopefully leading to more collaborations over time.
Listen to this podcast here or wherever you hear your favorite shows.
Read the full podcast transcript here.
Mark your calendars! On October 14th Safe Passage for Children will host the first Minnesota conference on family violence, featuring Andrew Campbell, a leading authority on the intersection of IPV, child maltreatment and animal abuse, which will take place in St. Paul, Minnesota. More info to come!
I can still remember, as a pediatrician at a medical conference on domestic violence, hearing a Chicago Police officer reporting about their responding to ‘domestic violence’ calls. “There is a 50/50 chance that a 3rd domestic violence call from that home address will be a murder case!”
What can we do. Police CANNOT Prevent these violence cases! Need to create different kinds of resources, people teams and shelter resources, to guide the victim and the perpetrator to prevent the future risks for themselves and even their children who are ‘Learning’ how people get along!!!