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Domestic Violence Laws: The Voices of Battered Women

NCJ Number
187744
Journal
Violence and Victims Volume: 16 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2001 Pages: 91-111
Author(s)
Alisa Smith
Date Published
February 2001
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This article reports the findings from an exploratory survey of battered women's views about mandatory arrest, mandatory reporting by medical personnel, no-drop policies, confidentiality laws, privilege laws, court-victim advocate programs, and specialized domestic violence courts.
Abstract
Although there was general support for the adoption of current laws and procedures concerning domestic violence, the survey found some variation based on demographic and situational circumstances. Overall, these findings demonstrate the importance of continued research on the opinions of women and the effect of life experiences, race, ethnicity, and marital status on women's perceptions and beliefs. The article observes that these findings raise questions about the nature of policies to address the problem of domestic violence. Battered women are not a homogeneous group, and public policy may be better designed to accommodate the individual needs of victims. Further research should focus on the interactions between intimacy, psychological dependence, and attitudes toward legal versus other types of interventions. The article suggests that one way to further develop information on women's preferences and legal interventions is to convene focus groups. Discussions directly with victims may improve public policy responses to domestic violence. Tables, figures, references