Identifying Domestic Violence in Child Abuse and Neglect Investigations Randy H. Magen University of Alaska Anchorage Kathryn Conroy, Peg McCart Hess, Ann Panciera, and Barbara Levy Simon Columbia University School of Social Work Paper presented at the 4th International Family Violence Research Conference University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, July 22, 1995 1994 Magen, Conroy, Hess, Panciera, and Simon Abstract This study's primary objective was to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of a domestic violence questionnaire introduced as a component of child abuse/neglect investigations by New York City Child Welfare Administration caseworkers. In addition, the study sought to identify the beneficial outcomes and obstacles to the implementation of the domestic violence questionnaire. In-depth interviews were conducted with a voluntary sample of fifteen caseworkers, supervisors and administrators to solicit opinions and attitudes regarding the implementation and utilization of the domestic violence questionnaire. Case record data routinely collected by caseworkers as they carried out child protective service investigations provided additional qualitative information as well as quantitative data. 724 cases were received during the six months the questionnaire was implemented in one geographic area in New York City. The domestic violence questionnaire resulted in a 100% increase in the number of battered women identified during child maltreatment investigations. The interview data revealed a range of feelings and opinions which were grouped into six categories: workload, characteristics of families in which battering occurs, the questionnaire document, training, service delivery, and roles and responsibilities. Although resistance to the implementation of the questionnaire was revealed, the interviewees generally conveyed a willingness to comply and complete the questionnaire as well as a sense of responsibility to provide services to combat domestic violence. Many of those interviewed tried to convey how difficult the job of child protective work is. Most respondents believed their number one mandate was to protect the child and questioned the role of identifying domestic violence in protecting children. The questions of how child protective workers should assess and intervene with domestic violence are complex and lead to an examination of the mission of child protective service agencies.
Introduction The recognition of child abuse as a modern social problem occurred in the 1960's, while the acknowledgement of the problem of woman abuse emerged in the 1970's. For the most part social activists, social scientists, and social workers have focused on either the problem of child abuse or the problem of woman abuse. Very few efforts have centered on the coexistence of these two problems. Child abuse and woman abuse are the most common as well as the most dangerous types of violence in America. A battered woman is almost three times more likely than other victims of assault to experience serial victimization (Klaus & Rand, 1984); domestic battering is the major cause of injury to women (Stark & Flitcraft, 1988); the rate of victimization by an intimate is ten times greater for women than for men (Bachman, 1994); and more than three children die each day from child abuse or neglect (McCurdy & Daro,