Citation

Houry DE, Bay L, Maddox J, Kellermann A. Am. J. Emerg. Med. 2005; 23(1): 96-97.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ajem.2004.09.032

PMID

15672349

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains an epidemic in the United States. Approximately 5.3 million IPV incidents occur each year, and most of these victims are women. Intimate partner violence incidents result annually in 2 million injuries and 1300 deaths. With the increased awareness of IPV, there has been a subsequent increase in law enforcement involvement. Ninety-three percent of large local police agencies and 77% of sheriff's departments reported having a written policy concerning domestic disturbances In addition, warrentless arrests in probable cause situations are currently permitted in most states.

However, policies favoring mandatory arrest for IPV have increased not only the arrest of the alleged perpetrator, but also the co-arrest of the alleged victim. Although there are protocols for investigating an IPV incident and determining who is the primary aggressor, the situation can be confusing to a third party and police often arrest both parties.

Our objective was to determine the frequency of co-arrests among female detention patients in an urban emergency department (ED). Our hospital is the only level 1 trauma center in the city, with an annual volume of 105 000 visits. In addition, we serve the city and county law enforcement agencies, which bring all detained patients needing urgent or emergent medical treatment to our ED. We conducted a prospective chart audit over a 6-month period from November 2003 to April 2004. Interns who staffed the Detention section of the ED were instructed to fill out a standardized abstraction form on every female detention patient aged 18 years or older regardless of chief complaint. The abstraction form included information about the chief complaint and the situation of the arrest, as well as the location and type of injury on the body, ancillary studies performed, and procedures performed. This study was approved by our university's institutional review board.

A total of 40 female detention patients were enrolled during the study period. Of these patients, 19 (47.5%) presented after an assault. Sixteen of these assaults were reported as IPV-related; of these, 10 (62%) stated that both they and their partner were arrested. In 6 cases, only the woman was arrested. Of the 16 IPV-related assaults, 11 patients had x-rays performed and 4 patients required laceration repair. Social work was consulted to see the patient in only 5 (31%) of cases.

 In our study, 62% of women arrested in an IPV situation were co-arrests, and the majority had injuries significant enough to require ancillary studies or procedures. The long-term effect on these women, many (although not all) of whom can be assumed to be victims, has not been realized yet. Future research should focus not only on further delineating the problem, but also on the recidivism rate and subsequent morbidity and mortality rates of couples involved in co-arrest for IPV.