Citation

Storey JE, Strand S. J. Fam. Violence 2017; 32(1): 125-134.

Affiliation

School of Law, Psychology and Social Work, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden ; Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science at Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10896-016-9905-0

PMID

28127117

PMCID

PMC5225219

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of victim vulnerability factors and gender on risk assessment for intimate partner violence (IPV). 867 cases of male and female perpetrated IPV investigated by Swedish police officers using the Brief Spousal Assault Form for the Evaluation of Risk (B-SAFER) were examined. For male-to-female IPV, victim vulnerability factors were associated with summary risk judgments and risk management recommendations. For female-to-male IPV, vulnerability factors were more often omitted, and consistent associations were not found between vulnerability factors, summary risk judgments, and risk management.

RESULTS indicate that B-SAFER victim vulnerability factors can assist in assessing male-to-female IPV risk. Further research is necessary to examine the use of B-SAFER victim vulnerability factors for female-to-male IPV, as results showed victim vulnerability factors to be less relevant to officers' decision making, particularly their management recommendations. However, several variables external to the B-SAFER, such as the availability of management strategies may account for these findings.

Language: en

Keywords

B-SAFER; Intimate partner violence; Male victims; Police; Victim vulnerability; Violence risk assessment and management