Domestic Violence and the Police
Domestic violence is defined as a pattern of behavior which involves violence or other abuse by one person against another in a domestic setting, such as in marriage or cohabitation Domestic violence victims often turn to authorities as a form of relief to escape their offender. An important link to victim services and safety is the police. From 2000-2009 14% of victims reported these violent crimes to the police, of those 14% only 4% received assistance from victims services (Zaykowiski). Findings suggest that services provided by the police to the victim has been based on victims demographic characteristics, injury, sex, gender , race, the victims relationship with the offender, and offenders use of a weapon. …show more content…
Women often express disappointment regarding police responses to DV. There are many cases where the victim feels scrutinized by the officer and these feelings influence utilization rates of police during or after a DV offense. First, victims reported police officers tend to minimize the severity of their situation when it was reported to others (courts. legal representation) making it what appeared to be a humorous manor. Secondly, victims reported feeling diminished and invalidated when officer verbally change their statement while relating information to a third party (Horwitz). Discrediting the victim occurs in cases where officers threaten to arrest both parties, making the victim feel as if she/he participated in the crime. Many police officers show a flat effect (no normal emotions) during a domestic violence dispute and in these cases the victim senses lack of empathy towards his/her situation. Lastly, victims in the process of making decisions to call for help were less likely to proceed if they feared police officers would respond to them in an arrogant and rude manner (Zaykowiski). These behaviors made many victims feel undeserving of police …show more content…
While the standard police response to an active batterer is nothing more than a request that the offender, sometimes drunk, leave the home for the night, or just spend a night in jail we need a more harasser punishment. Those officers that do provide reports have the authority to say if they feel the crime is violent or not. If considered non-violent charges are sometimes dropped if the abuser participates in a diversion program. The treatment received from these programs can be helpful, but the punishment does not fit the crime. Many of these abusers repent on their victims. We, who rely upon the police and courts to enforce the rules that society has set in place, must hold these systems accountable for whatever outcome following police error. It’s time for a broad national investigation into how law enforcement and the courts respond to domestic violence.
Though other factors initiate police actions, these factors (race, age, sex marital status, employment and education) appear in literature and studies help base the discussion whether officers want to take the extra step in helping the victim and making an arrest. Literature on police involvement on DV incidents has focused on victim’s access and attitude towards police, police attitudes towards victim and perpetrators, and gender difference between male and
Domestic violence is defined as a pattern of behavior which involves violence or other abuse by one person against another in a domestic setting, such as in marriage or cohabitation Domestic violence victims often turn to authorities as a form of relief to escape their offender. An important link to victim services and safety is the police. From 2000-2009 14% of victims reported these violent crimes to the police, of those 14% only 4% received assistance from victims services (Zaykowiski). Findings suggest that services provided by the police to the victim has been based on victims demographic characteristics, injury, sex, gender , race, the victims relationship with the offender, and offenders use of a weapon. …show more content…
Women often express disappointment regarding police responses to DV. There are many cases where the victim feels scrutinized by the officer and these feelings influence utilization rates of police during or after a DV offense. First, victims reported police officers tend to minimize the severity of their situation when it was reported to others (courts. legal representation) making it what appeared to be a humorous manor. Secondly, victims reported feeling diminished and invalidated when officer verbally change their statement while relating information to a third party (Horwitz). Discrediting the victim occurs in cases where officers threaten to arrest both parties, making the victim feel as if she/he participated in the crime. Many police officers show a flat effect (no normal emotions) during a domestic violence dispute and in these cases the victim senses lack of empathy towards his/her situation. Lastly, victims in the process of making decisions to call for help were less likely to proceed if they feared police officers would respond to them in an arrogant and rude manner (Zaykowiski). These behaviors made many victims feel undeserving of police …show more content…
While the standard police response to an active batterer is nothing more than a request that the offender, sometimes drunk, leave the home for the night, or just spend a night in jail we need a more harasser punishment. Those officers that do provide reports have the authority to say if they feel the crime is violent or not. If considered non-violent charges are sometimes dropped if the abuser participates in a diversion program. The treatment received from these programs can be helpful, but the punishment does not fit the crime. Many of these abusers repent on their victims. We, who rely upon the police and courts to enforce the rules that society has set in place, must hold these systems accountable for whatever outcome following police error. It’s time for a broad national investigation into how law enforcement and the courts respond to domestic violence.
Though other factors initiate police actions, these factors (race, age, sex marital status, employment and education) appear in literature and studies help base the discussion whether officers want to take the extra step in helping the victim and making an arrest. Literature on police involvement on DV incidents has focused on victim’s access and attitude towards police, police attitudes towards victim and perpetrators, and gender difference between male and