Challenges during the implementation of risk assessment and risk management procedures for victims of intimate partner violence

AuthorEuropean Institute for Gender Equality (EU body or agency)
Pages32-35
4. Challenges during the implementation of risk assessment and risk management procedures for victims of intimate partner violence
European Institute for Gender Equality32
4. Challenges during the implementation
of risk assessment and risk
management procedures for victims of
intimate partner violence
(118) Belfrage, H. and Strand, S., (2012), Measuring the outcome of structured spousal violence risk assessments using the B-SAFER: risk in relation to recidivism
and intervention, Behavioural Sciences & the Law,Vol.30, No 4, pp. 420-30. doi:10.1002/bsl.2019; Belfrage H. et al., (2012), Assessment and management
of risk for intimate partner violence by police ocers using the spousal assault risk assessment guide, Behavioural Sciences & the Law, Vol. 30, No 4,
pp. 420-430. doi:10.1002/bsl.2019; Storey, J. E. et al., (2013), Assessment and management of risk for intimate partner violence by police ocers using the
brief spousal assault form for the evaluation of risk, Criminal Justice and Behavior Vol. 41, No 2.
(119) Nicholls, T. L. et al., (2013), Risk assessment in intimate partner violence: a systematic review of contemporary approaches, Partner Abuse, Vol. 4, No 1;
Bowen, E., (2011), The rehabilitation of partnerviolent men, Wiley, Chichester; Guo, B. and Harstall, C. (2008), Spousal violence against women: preventing
recurrence (Report), Institute of Health Economics, Alberta, Canada. Retrieved from: https://www.ihe.ca/advanced-search/spousal-violence-against-
women-preventing-recurrence
(120) Messing, J. T. and Thaller, J. (2013),  The average predictive validity of intimate partner violence risk assessment instruments, Journal of Interpersonal
Violence, Vol. 28, No 7, pp. 1 537-1 558, doi:10.1177/0886260512468250.
(121) Some of the studies that focus on predictive validity are the following
Cattaneo, L., Bell, M., Goodman, L. and Dutton, M., (2007), Intimate partner violence victims accuracy in assessing their risk of re-abuse
Connor-Smith, J. K., Henning, K., Moore, S. and Holdford, R., (2010), Risk assessments by female victims of intimate partner violence: predictors of risk perceptions
and comparison to an actuarial measure.
Gondolf, E. W. and Heckert, D. A., (2003), Determinants of womens perceptions of risk in battering relationships.
Heckert, D. A. and Gondolf, E. W., (2004), Battered womens perceptions of risk versus risk factors and instruments in predicting repeat reassault.
This chapter highlights the challenges that are
usually encountered during the implementation
of risk assessment and risk management, and
underlines the necessity of introducing solutions.
Key point
Managing the limitations of risk assessment
procedures and risk management strategie s
is crucial in order to provide more effective
protection to victims of intimate par tner
violence and their children.
4.1. Risk assessment
challenges
4.1.1. Limitations on predictive accuracy
of risk assessment tools
There is a relatively small body of empirical ev-
idence to evaluate tools that assess the risk of
intimate partner violence. Studies focused on
this theme have found that risk assessment tools
have moderate predictive accuracy: on one hand,
they showed a weak to moderate association be-
tween risk assessment and recidivism (118) and
on the other hand, although lethal assault is of
greatest concern, the necessary evidentiary basis
for recommending a measure to assess for risk
of lethal intimate partner violence is highly limit-
ed (119).
Another consequence of limited predictive accu-
racy is the possibility of inaccurate predictions,
which may result in false positives or false nega-
tives. A false negative, that labels an accused as
low risk for reoffending, may lead to difficulties
for the criminal justice system if the offender does
reoffend, as well as victim harm, should measures
not be taken to ensure the victims safety. A false
positive, which labels an of fender as high risk for
reoffending when in fact they are not, may lead
to undue harm to the abuser and may heighten
the fear experienced by the victim (120).
The literature review revealed a small number of
large-scale validation studies available (121), and
a restricted number of countries which carried
out the studies. This lack of empirical research
has also made the determination of more accu-
rate tools and the best-suited approaches diffi-

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