Introduction
Healthy relationship programs, which work to promote positive, healthy dating and committed relationships, must be prepared to address intimate partner violence (IPV) and teen dating violence (TDV). This paper summarizes existing evidence on strategies to recognize and respond to IPV and TDV in healthy relationship programs, including:
• Building organizational readiness to recognize and address IPV and TDV
• Offering trauma-informed and survivor-centered opportunities to disclose IPV and TDV
• Protecting survivor safety when IPV and TDV are disclosed
Program practitioners will also find a compilation of evidence-based resources for addressing these issues. However, many gaps still exist in the evidence that can be addressed in future research.
Purpose
This paper summarizes the available evidence on strategies for recognizing and addressing IPV and TDV in healthy relationship programs and identifies key gaps for future investigation. It suggests opportunities for studies comparing different approaches for creating IPV and TDV disclosure opportunities in healthy relationship program settings.
Key Findings and Highlights
Findings summarized in this paper include:
• Although no research on building organizational readiness to address IPV and TDV in healthy relationship programs was found, evidence from organizational partnership studies and health care services research is instructive
• Opportunities for IPV/TDV disclosure in healthy relationship programs have not been investigated empirically, but extensive research on such approaches has been conducted in other settings, like healthcare environments
• Strategies for protecting the safety of healthy relationship program participants who disclose IPV and TDV have not been studied, but some relevant evidence from intimate partner violence intervention research and healthy relationship program impact studies is available
Methods
This paper uses practice-based literature and expert opinion to summarize evidence on key elements and approaches to recognizing and addressing intimate partner violence in a healthy relationship program. It highlights areas in which empirical literature is available and is not available to inform the development of such approaches.
Citation
McKay, T., Brinton, J., Kan, M., Clinton-Sherrod, M., & Krieger, K. (2016). Evidence on Recognizing and Addressing Intimate Partner Violence in Healthy Relationship Programs, OPRE Report # 2016-74, Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Glossary
Domestic violence program: Domestic violence programs are community-based service organizations that provide a wide range of direct services for people experiencing domestic violence.
Healthy relationship program: A healthy relationship program implements healthy marriage and relationship education and related activities.
Intimate partner violence: Physical, sexual, or psychological harm, or reproductive coercion by a spouse, partner, or former partner.
Teen dating violence: Physical, sexual, or psychological harm, reproductive coercion, or similar abuses when they occur in youth dating experiences, typically among middle and high school aged youth.