Risk of behaviors associated with lethal violence and functional outcomes for abused women who do and do not return to the abuser following a community-based intervention.

BACKGROUND

To determine the differential risk of behaviors associated with lethal violence and functioning outcomes for abused women with children who received an intervention of shelter or justice services and return to the abuser were compared with women who did not return.

METHODS

The study was carried out using a matched-pair analysis of 152 women. Measures of risk of behaviors associated with lethal violence, type, and severity of abuse, and poor mental health symptoms were measured every 4 months for 24 months.

RESULTS

Irrespective of service used, women returning to the abuser reported significantly (p<0.001) more risk of behaviors associated with lethal violence compared to women who did not return. Additionally, severity of physical abuse was significantly higher (p<0.01) for women returning to the abuser who had been in a shelter but not for women who received a protection order. Similarly, levels of depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and anxiety were significantly higher (p<0.01) for sheltered women who returned to the abuser but not for women using a protection order who returned.

CONCLUSIONS

Risk of behaviors associated with lethal violence increases when abused women return to live with the abuser. Abused women should be informed of the heightened risk and greater probability for poor mental health.