title: Mandatory reporting of intimate partner violence: safety or retaliatory abuse for women?
abstract: We wished to ascertain abused women's perspectives on mandatory reporting of intimate partner violence. A consecutive sample of 161 abused women accessing the criminal justice system were asked six questions. Most women (81%) thought there should be a law making the nurse or doctor report the abuse, with less than half of the women (45%) reporting they would have been at greater risk for abuse following a mandatory report. Although these 161 abused women support mandatory reporting of partner abuse, it remains unclear if such a law would deter further abuse. Outcome and evaluation studies of mandatory reporting laws are urgently needed.
authors.affiliation: Texas Woman's University, College of Nursing, Houston, USA.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Malecha
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lemmey
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McFarlane
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Willson
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fredland
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gist
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schultz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019221:Mandatory Reporting; D012306:Risk; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology