DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Domestic Violence Case Study

Domestic Violence Case Study

Introduction

In this case we are part of the Initial Assessment Team (IAT) and have been asked by our manager to contribute to the strategy meeting as well as the likelihood of undertaking an initial assessment.

Case Overview

Family violence is the most popular violent crime in America. According to Physical Violence in American Families, "just over 16%, or one in six, American couples experienced an incident involving physical assault during 1985" (Straus & Gelles, 1992). Although alcohol is not necessarily involved in all cases of family violence, any police officer, ambulance driver or emergency room doctor will tell you that it is involved in a large percentage of these crimes and certainly in the most violent incidents. The family is a system, which means that violence in any part of the family equals violence in every part. Woman abuse is a primary indicator of child abuse and vice versa. This system of violence in the family is so exact that the family dog tied up in the yard and abused indicates that inside the house the family is being battered, too. Most people who work with children of alcoholics are well aware that these children often suffer from physical violence against them by a drunken parent. What they may not understand is that these children probably suffer more often because of abuse against their mothers, because woman abuse is even more common than child abuse.

Colleen is 23 year old single parent of a 6 year old girl called Heather. Colleen and Heather are from a white British background. They live in local authority housing, part of a large estate which has a reputation for being 'rough'. They have lived in seven different houses in the previous five years. Colleen is claiming welfare benefits and is thought to have significant debts due to her previous partner's gambling.

Colleen has a history of abusive and exploitative relationships with various partners. She has been the victim of domestic violence attacks from Tony, Heather's father. Tony is currently serving a 7 month custodial sentence for actual bodily harm after he assaulted Colleen after a dispute about going out drinking to the local pub. He has 1 months of his sentence left. Tony has requested contact with Heather at prison. The local Probation Team has arranged a meeting with Colleen to talk about this request and about Tony's release generally. The Probation Officer has told Colleen that a planning meeting will be taking place with Children's Services to consider future risk. Although Heather has witnessed various assaults on her mother, and is thought to have been subjected to physical abuse herself, she has not been involved with Children's Services previously because the family has frequently relocated. Colleen stated that she has worried that 'social services' will want to take Heather off her because she is bad mother.

Although Colleen has been to her GP in relation to feeling depressed and anxious about Tony's release, she has not wanted to seek any ...