Citation

Dichter ME, Gelles RJ. Violence Against Women 2012; 18(1): 44-63.

Affiliation

Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1077801212437016

PMID

22411298

Abstract

Police intervention is a primary response to intimate partner violence (IPV) but does not guarantee a victim's future safety. This study sought to identify factors associated with IPV survivors' perceptions of safety and risk of revictimization following police intervention. One hundred sixty-four women completed a questionnaire, and 11 of those women also took part in qualitative interviews. The findings revealed that feeling unsafe and perceiving oneself to be at risk of future violence is associated with experiencing particular forms of IPV, including battering, lethality threats, and sexual violence. Having support from others and distance from the partner helps women feel safe.

Language: en