A victimization assessment tool: instrument development and clinical implications

Although most health care providers now recognize the importance of crisis intervention, support, and/or treatment for survivors of violence and abuse, such care is compromised unless early detection becomes a routine part of intake and assessment protocols in nursing and other facets of health care. This paper describes the development of a tool to assist nurses and other primary care providers with routine assessment for victimization in diverse health and mental health settings. It includes outcomes of preliminary validity and reliability studies, and concludes with suggestions for use in clinical work with victims/survivors of abuse in an era of increasing international concern regarding the health implications of violence.