Information for Law Enforcement
​Here is specific information for those tasked with coming to the aid of a survivor.
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Domestic Violence is a crime. It's more than just physical abuse.
It can be physical, emotional, sexual, technological/digital, financial, cultural, neglect or stalking.
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Domestic Violence calls can also be dangerous for law enforcement officers. Here are resources to strengthen and broaden your knowledge on tactics and systems for safety and efficiency.
GO HERE for the US Department of Justice online resource on Domestic Violence for Law Enforcement.​
GO HERE for Domestic Violence call guidelines from the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
GO HERE for information from the Duluth Blueprint for Safety, the result of more than thirty years of research, demonstration projects, and practice condensed into a “Blueprint” for city and county agencies responding to misdemeanor and felony assaults.
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• Over 16,000,000 people in the US experience physical domestic violence by a current or former partner each year. (CDC)
• Domestic violence related homicides account for nearly 20% of murders in the US.
• Nationally, 9% of officers killed in the line of duty are killed in domestic violence related incidents.
• A person involved in a domestic violence-related attack of strangulation is more than 750% more likely to be killed by their attacker in the next year.
• 42% of Sojourn’s annual referrals come from the Law Enforcement Follow-Up program.​​
The Survivor
• Survivors can come from any background.
• NOT all males are abusers and NOT all females are survivors: 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men will experience DV in their lifetimes
• Survivors at the scene may present as uncooperative and emotional (scared, sad, angry) or be unresponsive and must be handled through a TRAUMA informed lens
Being trauma-informed means understanding that there can be significant events in an individual’s life that have developmentally and physically caused changes in their behavior, how they connect with others and how they believe their needs can be met.
For more information,
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WHY DO THEY STAY?
• Fear, lack of resources, family pressure, promises of change, threats of homicide/suicide, love
HOW DO THEY LEAVE?
It's hard to leave because of the unknowns. But when the fear is overcome by the realization that it's getting worse, survival and escape to safety becomes critical.
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• It takes between 7 to 9 times to leave the relationship permanently (thehotline.org)
• A survivor’s chances of being murdered by their abuser increases by 75% after they leave (CDC.gov)
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THE PATTERN
Pre-battering violence, physical violence, death
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The Abuser
• Abuser may try to use POWER AND CONTROL tactics on the officer(s)
• INTIMIDATION- following from room to room in an aggressive stance
• ISOLATION- won’t let the officer(s) in the residence, want to only talk privately, won’t let the officer(s)
speak with survivor
• Monitors all the survivor’s responses and movements
Tries to answer all the questions for the survivor
•POWER AND CONTROL- Uses privilege/ownership language about the spouse/ children
•MAKES THREATS- “I’ll sue!”, “I have your name!”
•MINIMIZES-DENIES-BLAMES- “She/he is crazy!”, he/she “has a mental illness!”, “Nothing happened!”,
he or she “bruises easily!”, “It was self-defense!”
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It is always appropriate to evaluate/screen survivor's claims seperately.
On the Scene - Next Steps
When on break or between calls, familiarize yourself with the Sojourn Visor Card.​ If you're not familiar with it or need one, GO HERE. On the card it explains Risk Assessment, what to include in a DV report, Power and Control tactics and screening questions for information our advocates need to follow up. ​
• Identify the primary aggressor at the scene
• Increased abuser accountability = arrest with probable cause
• Make a complete written report of allegations/ survivor’s statement using descriptive language (strangled not choked, etc.)
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Be sure to include survivor's contact information so that advocates may reach out
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Refer survivors (adult and children) to Sojourn
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Call Sojourn’s 24-hour hotline- 1-866-HELP4DV (435-7438)
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Sojourn’s 24-hour Law Enforcement Officer report line is 217-726-5100 x217
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Advocates can receive information through the 24-hour LEO report line, by email or from the officer on scene
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DCFS Illinois Child Abuse Hotline at 800-25-ABUSE (22873). In non-emergency situations, you may report suspected child abuse or neglect using the new Online Reporting System
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Elder Abuse Hotline is 1-800-279-0400
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Your reporting provides:​
• Crisis Intervention for the survivor within 24 hours of the incident
• Information regarding the incident, the survivor and if there is an arrest or charges
• Enforcement of the survivor’s right to services
• Specific information regarding the survivor of use to advocates and the judiciary
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How to respond to the survivor, per a responding officer (Duluth Blueprint for Safety):​
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Things to say to the survivor:​
• “It isn’t your fault.”
• “This is a crime.”
• “I’m sorry this is happening to you/happened to you.”
• “There are people at Sojourn who will help you. They won’t force you to decide anything. Give them a call- they’ll listen to you and give you guidance. It’s free and confidential”
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Things to remember:
• Ask what they need- they will tell you
• Try not to offer advice
• Allow the survivor to make their own choices
• Don’t make them feel guilty for staying or feeling connected to the abuser
• Don’t bring up personal experiences because it takes the focus off the survivor
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FOR YOU...​
Face it. NO ONE likes a getting a call for a situation like this. You can end up being the good-guy AND the bad guy. Here's a link to the VA's Stress First Aid for Law Enforcement. This is a great source for information on how to cope with PTSD, the aftermath and how important it is to treat yourself to self-care after stressful situations.
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Law Enforcement Visor Card Response Guide
Right click to download and save to your phone or laptop
