NCJ Number
190450
Journal
JAMA Volume: 286 Issue: 5 Dated: August 1, 2001 Pages: 580-583
Date Published
August 2001
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Given that there is controversy surrounding the risks and benefits of laws that require mandatory reporting to police of domestic violence, this study examined the attitudes of female emergency department patients regarding the mandatory reporting of domestic violence injuries to police, as well as how these attitudes may differ by abuse status.
Abstract
A cross-sectional survey conducted in 1996 involved 1,218 women patients (72.8-percent response rate) in 12 emergency departments in California (a State with a mandatory reporting law) and Pennsylvania (without such a law). The main outcome measures were opposition to mandatory reporting to police and the characteristics associated with this belief. Twelve percent of the respondents (n=140) reported physical or sexual abuse within the past year by a current or former partner. Of abused women, 55.7 percent supported mandatory reporting, and 44.3 percent opposed mandatory reporting (7.9 percent preferred that physicians never report abuse to police, and 36.4 percent preferred that physicians report only with patient consent). Among nonabused women, 70.7 percent (n=728) supported mandatory reporting, and 29.3 percent opposed mandatory reporting. Patients currently seeing/living with partners, non-English speakers, and those who had experienced physical or sexual abuse within the last year had higher odds of opposing mandatory reporting of domestic violence injuries. There were no differences in attitude by location (California compared with Pennsylvania). The study concluded that the efficacy of mandatory reporting of domestic violence to police should be further assessed, and policymakers should consider options that include consent of patients before wider implementation. 1 table and 15 references