title: Suspected child and spouse maltreatment referral sources: who reports child and spouse maltreatment to the Air Force Family Advocacy Program?
abstract: The present study describes the sources of Air Force (AF) Family Advocacy Program referrals (N = 42,389) for child and spouse maltreatment between 2000 and 2004. Sources of referrals were stable over time, with military sources accounting for the majority of both child and spouse referrals. Most (85%) of spouse maltreatment referrals came from AF law enforcement, medical and psychological staff, command, and victim self-referrals. For child maltreatment, most referrals (71%) were from law enforcement, medical and psychological staff, command, social services, and friends or relatives. Differences in the sources of referrals across different types of maltreatment were greater for child than for spouse maltreatment. Comparison of the sources of child maltreatment referrals in the AF and U.S. samples revealed substantial similarity. However, self-referrals by the victim or offender were more common in the Air Force, whereas referrals by friends and relatives or by school or child care staff were more common in the U.S. sample.
authors.affiliation: Family Advocacy Policy and Research, Community Behavioral Health Division, 5201 Leesburg Pike (Suite 1501), Falls Church, VA 22041, USA.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Linkh
authors.forename: Leasley K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Besetsny
authors.forename: Pamela S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Cynthia J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Thomsen
authors.forename: Mandy M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rabenhorst
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosenbaum
authors.forename: Joel S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Milner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008887:Military Medicine; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000523:psychology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012042:Registries; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult