Citation

Gielen AC, Campbell JC, Garza MA, O'Campo PJ, Dienemann J, Kub J, Jones AS, Lloyd DW. Mil. Med. 2006; 171(8): 729-735.

Affiliation

Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Association of Military Surgeons of the United States)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16933813

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study describes active duty military (ADM) women's beliefs and preferences concerning domestic violence (DV) policy in the military. METHODS: Telephone interviews were completed with 474 ADM women from all services, 119 of whom had experienced DV during their military service. RESULTS: A majority (57%) supported routine screening. Although 87% said the military's policy on mandatory reporting should remain the same, only 48% thought abuse should be reported to the commanding officer; abused women were significantly less likely than nonabused women to agree with this aspect of the policy. ADM women's beliefs were similar to those of women in a previously studied civilian sample, except that 73% of ADM compared to 43% of civilian women thought routine screening would increase women's risk of further abuse. CONCLUSIONS: ADM women recognized both advantages and disadvantages of current DV policies. More research is urgently needed about actual outcomes of screening and reporting policies.

Language: en