Journal of Family Violence

, Volume 30, Issue 2, pp 255–262 | Cite as

Co-Occurrence of Intimate Partner Violence and Child Maltreatment: Service Providers’ Perceptions

Original Article
First Online:

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) places children at risk for maltreatment (CM). It is critical for both IPV and CM professionals to assess the possibility of the co-occurrence of both of these types of family violence, whose risk factors are nearly identical. However, little is known about the attitudes and perceptions of child welfare (CW), IPV, child protection, or other related professionals when serving families where both of these circumstances may occur. This study examined the perceptions of service providers in Hillsborough County, Florida on the co-occurrence of CM and IPV. Findings demonstrate the inequitable knowledge, training, and perceived ability to deal with the co-occurrence of IPV and CM among professionals from different employment areas. These discrepancies serve as opportunities for different agencies to collaborate in reducing knowledge gaps and increasing respondent’s capacity to effectively identify and intervene with victims.

Keywords

Child abuse Child maltreatment Domestic violence Intimate partner violence Family violence Child protection Welfare Health providers 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

References

  1. Appel, A. E., & Holden, G. W. (1998). The co-occurrence of spouse and physical child abuse: a review and appraisal. Journal of Family Psychology, 12(4), 578–599.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. Banks, D., Landsverk, J., & Wang, K. (2008). Changing policy and practice in the child welfare system through collaborative efforts to identify and respond effectively to family violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 23(7), 903–932. doi: 10.1177/0886260508314693.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  3. Button, D. M., & Payne, B. K. (2009). Training child protective service workers about domestic violence: Needs, strategies, and barriers. Children and Youth Services Review, 31(3), 364–369. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2008.08.011.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. Cox, C. E., Kotch, J. B., & Everson, M. D. (2003). A longitudinal study of modifying influences in the relationship between domestic violence and child maltreatment. Journal of Family Violence, 18(1), 5–17. doi: 10.1023/A:1021497213505.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. De la Vega, A., de la Osa, N., Ezpeleta, L., Granero, R., & Domenech, J. M. (2011). Differential effects of psychological maltreatment on children of mothers exposed to intimate partner violence. Child Abuse & Neglect, 35(7), 524–531. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2011.03.006.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. Edleson, J. L. (1999). The overlap between child maltreatment and woman battering. Violence Against Women, 5(2), 134–154. doi: 10.1177/107780129952003.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. Edwards, K. M., Desai, A. D., & Gldycz, C. A. (2009). College women’s aggression in relationships: the role of childhood and adolescent victimization. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 33(3), 255–265. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-6402.2009.01498.x.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. Hartley, C. C. (2002). The co-occurrence of child maltreatment and domestic violence: examining both neglect and child physical abuse. Child Maltreatment, 7(4), 349–358. doi: 10.1177/107755902237264.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  9. Herrenkohl, T. I., Sousa, C., Tajima, E. A., Herrenkohl, R. C., & Moylan, C. A. (2008). Intersection of child abuse and children’s exposure to domestic violence. Trauma, Violence & Abuse, 9(2), 84–99. doi: 10.1177/1524838008314797.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  10. Hoffman, K. L., & Edwards, J. N. (2004). An integrated theoretical model of sibling violence and abuse. Journal of Family Violence, 19(3), 185–200. doi: 10.1023/B:JOFV.0000028078.71745.a2.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. Kaslow, N. J. (2008). Associations of child maltreatment and intimate partner violence with psychological adjustment among low SES, African American children. Child Abuse & Neglect, 32(9), 888–896. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2007.09.012.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. Kerker, B. D., McCue-Horwitz, S., Leventhal, J. M., Plichta, S., & Leaf, P. J. (2000). Identification of violence in the home: pediatric and parental reports. Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, 154(5), 457–462. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.154.5.457.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  13. Malik, N. M., Silverman, J., Wang, K., & Janczewski, C. (2008). Domestic violence and dependency courts: the greenbook demonstration experience. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 23(7), 956–980. doi: 10.1177/0886260508315122.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. Mills, L. G., & Yoshihama, M. (2002). Training children’s service workers in domestic violence assessment and intervention: research findings and implementations for practice. Children and Youth Services Review, 24(8), 561–581. doi: 10.1016/S0190-7409(02)00212-8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. Palazzolo, K., Roberto, A., & Babin, E. (2010). The relationship between parents’ verbal aggression and young adult children’s intimate partner violence victimization and perpetration. Health Communication, 25(4), 357–364. doi: 10.1080/10410231003775180.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. Saunders, D. G., Lynch, A. B., Grayson, M., & Linz, D. (1987). The inventory of beliefs about wife beating: the construction and initial validation of a measure of beliefs and attitudes. Violence and Victims, 2(1), 39–58.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  17. Schechter, S., & Edleson, J.L. (1999). Effective intervention in domestic violence and child maltreatment cases: Guidelines for policy and practice. Reno, NV: Family Violence Department, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. Retrieved from www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/otherpubs/ncjfcj.pdf.
  18. Steen, J. A. (2009). The perceived impact of a child maltreatment report from the perspective of the domestic violence shelter worker. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 24(11), 1906–1918. doi: 10.1177/0886260508325495.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  19. Zolotor, A. J., Theodore, A. D., Coyne-Beasley, T., & Runyan, D. K. (2007). Intimate partner violence and child maltreatment: overlapping risk. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention, 7(4), 305–321. doi: 10.1093/brief-treatment/mhm021.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015

Authors and Affiliations

  • Martha L. Coulter
    • 1
  • Melissa C. Mercado-Crespo
    • 1
    • 2
  1. 1.University of South Florida, College of Public Health, Department of Community and Family HealthTampaUSA
  2. 2.Trujillo Alto, PR 00977-1095USA

Personalised recommendations