title: Victim Participation in Intimate Partner Violence Prosecution: Implications for Safety.
abstract: Are intimate partner violence (IPV) victims safer if they use the criminal justice system? Concerns about perpetrator retaliation, in the face of data that protection orders can reduce future harm, make it important to understand how victim utilization (calling 911, talking to the prosecutor, and proceeding with prosecution) affects subsequent safety. We hypothesized participation would improve victims' safety, measured by decreases in subsequent IPV-related 911 calls and/or emergency department visits. Findings support contact with the prosecutor's office was associated with reduction in police-reported IPV, regardless of the victim's wish to proceed. Policy implications support pro-prosecution strategies coupled with victim contact.
authors.affiliation: University of Rochester, NY, USA Catherine_Cerulli@urmc.rochester.edu.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cerulli
authors.affiliation: Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Kothari
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dichter
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center, USA University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marcus
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wiley
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.
authors.forename: Karin V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Rhodes
keywords: intimate partner violence; prosecution; safety