Does Type of Child Risk Affect Whether Mothers Seek Assistance for Intimate Partner Violence From Civil or Criminal Court?. (March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Palmer, Jane E.; Renner, Lynette M.; Goodman, Lisa A.; Dutton, Mary Ann
• Is Part Of: Violence against women. Volume 22:Number 4(2016)
• Page Start: 474
• Page End: 495
• Publication Date: 2016-03
• Subjects: domestic violence -- protective order -- help-seeking -- children -- criminal justice system -- women -- African American; Abused women -- Periodicals; Women -- Crimes against -- Periodicals; Violent crimes -- Periodicals; Femmes victimes de violence -- Périodiques; Femmes, Crimes contre les -- Périodiques; Crimes violents -- Périodiques; 362.8292
• DOI: 10.1177/1077801215604745
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1077-8012

Abstract

We examined whether risks to children of intimate partner violence survivors affected the type of legal assistance accessed. We hypothesized that the level and type of perceived child risk would be associated with whether women sought a protection order in civil court or filed charges against a current or former intimate partner in criminal court. Using data from a sample of predominantly African American women (N=293), we found that some forms of child risk were positively associated with seeking a civil order of protection but negatively associated with pressing criminal charges. Implications for practice, policy, and future research are presented.