Intimate partner violence and the role of the health caresystem

Abstract: IntroductionHealth care is important for identifying IPV (intimate partner violence). Screening variesbetween clinics. By supporting the victim, chances for cooperation in the investigationincreases and thus the conviction rate. Health care needs to identify and support IPV victimswhen reporting crimes.AimThe overall aim of this study was twofold; first to examine to what extent Swedish health carefacilities screen for IPV, and second to investigate the relations between cooperation in thecriminal investigation and conviction rate.MethodThis was a pilot study. First national, regional and local health care facilities and agencieswere approached by conducting telephone interviews. Second, data from a longitudinal studyon policing IPV were used to be able to compare conviction rate if the victim participated inthe legal process or not.ResultsOut of five organisations, only one agency had statistics of routinely screening for IPV,provided statistics for maternal care. Where the screening rate was 90%. In the longitudinalstudy including 564 perpetrators, we found that if the victim cooperated in the investigation, itwas twice as likely (Odds Ratio=2.66) that the perpetrator was convicted for the crime.ConclusionHealth care is important for identifying IPV in order to support victims to report crimes to thepolice, although only the maternal care screens for it routinely. More hospitals and differentunits need to insert routines to screen for IPV. By doing so, the women will get more supportin the legal process, which could increase the chance of conviction.