Who Is at High Risk for Child Abuse and Neglect: Risk Assessment among Battered Women Using Shelter Services

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Public Health
• Criminology

Background:

• Intimate partner violence (IPV) and child abuse and neglect (CAN) often co-occur, yet risk factors for CAN in children of battered women in shelters remain under-researched.
• Limited studies explore the specific challenges faced by children whose mothers experience severe IPV and seek refuge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the co-occurrence of IPV and CAN in a sample of battered women residing in shelters.
• To identify specific risk factors associated with CAN among children of women experiencing severe IPV.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 260 battered women from women's shelters in Hong Kong.
• Analyzed risk assessment reports focusing on IPV, CAN, and associated risk factors.

Main Results:

• Approximately 50% of battered women reported co-occurring IPV and CAN.
• Risk factors for CAN included younger maternal age, unemployment, recent immigrant status (less than 7 years in Hong Kong), partner conflict, and perpetrator's stress and approval of violence.
• These findings highlight a vulnerable subgroup of women and children within shelter populations.

Conclusions:

• The study advances understanding of the complex interplay between IPV and CAN in violent family contexts.
• Integrated services for battered women and their children in shelters and post-departure are crucial.
• Addressing co-occurring violence requires enhanced inter-sectoral collaboration across social services, health, education, and legal systems.