Victims’ Experiences with Police Responses to Intimate Partner Violence and Reutilization of Police Services: A Systematic Review

• In Event: Victimization and Perceptions of Crime and Justice

Abstract

Victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) often seek help from the criminal justice system. As gatekeepers to the criminal justice system, the police are the most frequently and widely utilized source of help. Although the police can at least temporarily provide victims with safety from their abusers and access to legal remedies, many victims report being unsatisfied with their encounters with police officers. This may affect victims’ decisions to seek help from the police for future IPV. However, many gaps exist in our understanding of victims’ experiences with police responses and the effects of such experiences on willingness to report IPV to the police. The current study undertakes a systematic review of the literature to date on female IPV victims’ experiences with police responses and their reutilization of police services for subsequent IPV. From 21 eligible studies, this review identifies six common themes that are associated with victims’ subsequent decisions to seek help from the police. The themes include (1) police attitudes toward victims, (2) police responses to IPV cases, (3) victim protection, (4) victims’ outcome preferences, (5) victims’ arrests, and (6) police information. Based upon these findings, policy implications and research suggestions will be discussed.

Authors

• Jina Lee, Michigan State University

• April Marie Zeoli, Michigan State University