Domestic Violence: Education for Florida State Clinicians (2024)

1. Domestic Violence: What Is It?

This chapter discusses domestic violence and intimate partner violence as defined by law. This knowledge will help the clinician to accurately assess and determine the best course of action for those involved.

2. The Prevalence and Trends of Domestic Violence

This chapter addresses the number of patients in the professional’s practice who are likely to be victims of domestic violence and the number who are likely to be perpetrators of domestic violence.

3. Screening: Identification of Victim and Perpetrator

Domestic violence is often overlooked or not addressed in the health care setting. The clinician must understand how to identify a victim or perpetrator of domestic violence. Screening procedures will be discussed to determine if a patient has a history of being a victim or is a perpetrator of domestic violence.

4. Barriers to Treatment

Barriers that prevent identification of domestic violence in health care will be presented. Often domestic violence risk factors are similar to the issues that prevent receptivity to care and ending the violence. An interactive patient case study and interview will be presented to highlight lessons learned to assist persons impacted by domestic violence.

5. Resources and Treatment to End the Violence

Information on and how to refer those involved with domestic violence to resources in the local community, such as domestic violence centers and other advocacy groups that provide legal aid, shelter, victim counseling, batterer counseling, or child protection services, will be presented.