Attitudes of Kentucky women regarding mandatory reporting of intimate partner violence

Abstract

Background: Kentucky is one of only six states with laws mandating that intimate partner violence be reported to authorities. The purpose of this project was to understand the attitudes of women clinic patients in Kentucky regarding mandatory reporting of intimate partner violence and how these attitudes may differ by abuse status.

Methods: Women presenting to an internal medicine clinic in the summer of 2003 were asked to complete an anonymous 30-item questionnaire, including personal history of abuse and their opinions about mandatory reporting of intimate partner violence to the police.

Results: Surveys were completed by 238 women, of which 29% reported a history of intimate partner violence. Of abused women, 49% supported mandatory reporting of intimate partner violence to the police, compared to 61% of women without an abuse history (p = 0.05)

Conclusion: Women with a history of abuse are more ambivalent about mandatory reporting of intimate partner violence to the police than women without a history of abuse.