Victim Participation in Domestic Violence Lethality Programs

• In Event: Policing Sexual, Domestic, and Intimate Partner Violence

Abstract

Victim participation in domestic violence intervention programs is crucial for reducing future harm, yet many high-risk victims decline to engage in the Lethality Assessment Program (LAP). This study explores the contextual factors influencing victims’ decisions to participate in LAP at three critical points: completing the lethality screen, speaking with an on-scene advocate, and engaging with follow-up services. Using official data from a northwestern police department, I examine how individual, situational, and systemic factors shape victim cooperation at each stage in the program.

Author

• Patrick Brady, University of Colorado Colorado Springs