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Survivors’ Opinions About Mandatory Reporting of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault by Medical Professionals

Department of Psychology, Michigan State University

Leslie A. Hagen

Western District of Michigan

Sixty-one survivors of domestic or sexual abuse participated in focus groups to discuss their perceptions of mandatory reporting by health care professionals. Only one participant believed that medical providers should notify the police when a woman seeks treatment. This survivor’s experience was different from that of most of the other participants in that she was raped by a stranger. The remaining participants were unanimous in their belief that medical reporting should not be mandatory until a number of changes are made in the system to promote victims’ safety. The survivors shared numerous examples of having been revictimized by the child protection system, health care system, mass media, and especially the criminal legal system. Practice, policy, and research implications are discussed.

Key Words: domestic abuse • health care • mandatory reporting • sexual assault

Affilia, Vol. 20, No. 3, 346-361 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/0886109905277611


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