Paper Summary:

This paper reviews an article which studied domestic violence and restraining orders. The paper summarizes the article's main points, as well as offers some of the statistics presented in the article. The discussion section describes how doctors can use intake forms about whether the parent has had to file for a restraining order as a method for determining which children are at risk for domestic violence, mental health problems, and substance abuse issues. Works by Roslyn Muraskin are incorporated into the paper to support the author's hypothesis.

From the Paper:

"Domestic violence has become a recognized public health issue, particularly among women of childbearing age who live in low-income neighborhoods. In Massachusetts, where this study was conducted, women are able to obtain a restraining order (RO) after reporting domestic violence. The authors of the study used a hospital database to identify women living in police districts with high levels of reported crime. Surveys were completed with mothers who agreed to participate; first by phone, then follow-up visits in person. Mothers were interviewed about family histories of domestic violence, and the researchers defined four major categories of DV abuse (verbal harassment, verbal threats/intimidation, physical assault, and destruction of property). After measuring the outcomes of these interviews, researchers assessed the common demographic characteristics. The sample of 160 mothers and their 3-6 year old children found that on average, the women were in their early thirties, 53% African American, 22% Hispanic, with the remaining mothers spread throughout other ethnic groups. 42% had a high school education, 32% had some college or beyond, and the remaining moms had less than a high school education. 63% of women were US-born, and 45% were on public assistance. 64 of the mothers, or 40% reported a history of filing for an RO, and 13 (20% had filed more than one. Mothers in the RO group were less likely to be married, more likely to report sexual abuse, but there was no difference in reported drug or alcohol use."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Linares, L. O., McAlister Groves, B., Greenberg, J, Bronfman, E, Augustyn, M, & Zuckerman, B (1999). Restraining orders: A frequent marker of adverse maternal health. 104, 249-257.
• Muraskin, R (Ed.). (2007). It's a crime: Women and justice. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.

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