Child Abuse and Neglect : Assessing the Alleged Victim

by Child Welfare Information Gateway

(Page 3 of 10)

Victims of domestic violence are not always compliant clients. CPS caseworkers may be surprised or confused to meet an angry, uncooperative victim when they were expecting a scared, passive individual desperate for help. Often, there are legitimate explanations for an alleged victim's reluctance to work with CPS. Fear of losing their children or of further violence are significant factors explaining why victims can become defensive, protective, or difficult to engage. Some victims have additional problems such as substance abuse or mental illness, which can contribute to their unwillingness or inability to accept help. CPS caseworkers should not assume that resistant or uncooperative alleged victims want or choose to be in violent relationships. CPS caseworkers who recognize and attend to these issues, as well as to any identified fears, will increase their ability to engage the alleged victim's participation in pursuing safety. Regardless of a victim's behavior, he or she and the children deserve to be safe and have access to services that will address the violence in their lives. Caseworkers also should remember that the greatest risk to the victim's safety is usually at the time of intervention or separation from the abuser. The following practice recommendations will assist CPS caseworkers during assessment with the alleged victim.

Interview the alleged victim alone. Many victims will not disclose information about their partner's violent behavior because they fear retaliation. Interviewing the alleged victim alone allows caseworkers to communicate that they are acutely aware of the safety needs. By doing so, caseworkers can build trust and rapport, which typically allows someone who has been victimized to feel more comfortable with disclosing the abuse. This can be especially important with victims who are afraid of any type of intervention from a responding agency or organization. Difficulty in arranging a meeting with the victim may be an indicator of the abuser's level of control or of the victim's level of fear. CPS caseworkers must be creative and flexible when scheduling the interview and not just assume that the alleged victim is being resistant. The assessment can be held at a public place that is less likely to raise the alleged abuser's suspicion, at unusual hours when the alleged abuser is working, or away from the home. The alleged victim may be able to provide other suggestions of how and where to meet.

Develop trust by creating a climate of safety. Victimization often, understandably, leads to feelings of mistrust, anger, and anxiousness. CPS caseworkers can create a climate of trust by acknowledging the alleged victim's feelings, explaining that the abuse is not the victim's fault, and expressing concern for the alleged victim and children's well-being. Caseworkers can demonstrate their willingness to safeguard the abused partner's safety by not disclosing the accounts of the abuse to the alleged perpetrator. It is imperative, however, that CPS caseworkers explain the limits of their confidentiality. Victims need to understand that if the family is involved in juvenile court proceedings, case file information can be obtained by the perpetrator's attorney, and information shared in court becomes part of the public record.

Provide safe alternatives and access to domestic violence resources. CPS caseworkers should not demand that the victim leave the abusive relationship. Leaving can increase the risk to victims and their children as perpetrators can become increasingly violent during times of separation. Leaving also can create additional problems, such as homelessness or loss of income. Economic circumstances such as these often affect the decision to leave. Instead, CPS caseworkers should look at several viable options aimed at promoting the family's safety and include the victim in developing safe alternatives. Safety options can include obtaining a protective order; seeking domestic violence shelter; staying with a relative or friend; sending the children to a safe, temporary living arrangement; or developing a safety plan that details the steps to take if the abuser becomes threatening or violent. Services for victims of domestic violence and how they can be accessed always should be provided.

Avoid "victim-blaming" questions or statements. CPS caseworkers should refrain from "victim blaming" questions that deepen an alleged victim's feelings of shame, guilt, or responsibility for the alleged abuser's violent behaviors. Inappropriate comments that suggest the alleged victim provoked or deserved the violence will likely discourage thorough disclosure of the abuse or negatively impact cooperation in the CPS process. Examples of victim-blaming questions include the following:

• What did you do to make your partner so mad?
• What could you have done to stop him or her from hitting you?
• Why don't you just leave?
• Why do you put up with the violence?
• Why do you hit each other?
• What do you get out of the violent situation?
• If you care about your children, why would you stay?

Conduct the assessment with sensitivity and in a nonthreatening manner. The CPS caseworker may be the first person to ask the victim about domestic violence. Questions about the nature of one's intimate relationships are private and not shared by most people, particularly with strangers. Asking for information about a partner's coercive or degrading treatment can make victims feel ashamed. Thus, CPS caseworkers should begin their assessment by acknowledging the sensitive matter of abuse. Caseworkers can initiate the interview with a nonthreatening inquiry regarding the alleged victim's relationship with his or her partner. While it is important to obtain relevant information, caseworkers typically do not need to elicit small or salacious details regarding the abuse, which may trigger a reliving of the experience. The following questions are helpful if domestic violence was not identified in the initial report and can be used to screen for domestic violence at the assessment phase. Suggested questions to begin the assessment include the following:

• Could you tell me about your relationship with your partner?
• All couples argue. How do you and your partner argue?
• Has there been a time when you felt afraid of your partner? If so, can you tell me what happened?
• Do you feel free to think, speak, and act independently around your partner?
• How does your family make important decisions?
• Does your partner ever act jealous or possessive of you? Can you tell me more about that?

About the Author

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Formerly the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information and the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse, Child Welfare Information Gateway provides access to information and resources to help protect children and strengthen families. A service of the Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.