Nature and Scope of Violence Against Women in San Diego [California], 1996-1998 (ICPSR 3019)

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Date of Collection View help for Date of Collection

Study Purpose View help for Study Purpose

At a women's health summit in 1995, the California Elected Women's Association for Education and Research (CEWAER) identified violence as a priority public health issue for women. The Association convened a group of experts to craft a set of policy recommendations aimed at reducing violence against women in California and preventing the serious injuries that result from violent crimes. The first recommendation in the CEWAER report described the need for research. It stated that even though women's health was dramatically affected by violence, very little research had been done in areas that were critical to understanding and preventing violence against women. To begin a comprehensive analysis of trends related to violence against women, CEWAER sponsored a study in San Diego County to evaluate prevention and intervention services offered to female victims through a survey of service providers. The goal of the study was to compile and analyze data about incidents of domestic violence in San Diego County in order to enhance understanding of the nature and scope of violence against women. The following objectives were set to achieve this goal: (1) to develop a standardized interview instrument to be used by all emergency shelters for battered women in the region, and (2) to conduct interviews with shelter staff.

Study Design View help for Study Design

This study was conducted by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). It collected information about domestic violence in San Diego County from clients admitted to battered women's shelters. Information about clients who sought protection at shelters was made possible with the help and cooperation of the shelter staff. The Compilation of Research and Evaluation (CORE) intake interview (Part 1) was initiated in March of 1997. Through this interview, researchers gathered data over a 22-month period, through December 1998, for 599 clients. Shelters were mailed a discrete number of forms and were provided with mail-back envelopes to expedite return to SANDAG. The intake form was administered when the client was admitted to the shelter. All shelters completed the intake form within 72 hours of client admittance, although two conducted the interview within 24 hours. Prior to the first interview, shelter staff were trained by the researchers with respect to appropriate interview techniques. Instances in which a CORE form was not completed included situations when clients stayed only a few hours in the shelter or when new staff were unfamiliar with the interview. The CORE discharge interview (Part 2) was theoretically completed at the time of exit with each client who completed the CORE intake interview in order to document the services received. However, data collection at exit was not reliable, due to factors beyond the researchers' control, and thus researchers did not receive a discharge form for each individual who had an intake form.

Universe View help for Universe

Clients who sought protection at San Diego County emergency shelters from 1997 to 1998.

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Data Source View help for Data Source

Data Type(s) View help for Data Type(s)

Description of Variables View help for Description of Variables

For Part 1 (Intake Data), demographic variables include the client's primary language, and the client and batterer's age, education, race, how they supported themselves, their annual incomes, and their children's sex, age, and ethnicity. Other variables cover whether the client had been to this shelter within the last 12 months, the kind of housing the client had before she came to the shelter, persons admitted along with the client, drug and alcohol use by the client, the batterer, and the children, relationship between the client and the batterer (e.g., spouse, former spouse), if the client and batterer had been in the military, if the client or children were military dependents, the client's citizenship, if the client and batterer had any physical/mental limitations, abuse characteristics (e.g., physical, verbal, sexual, weapon involved), and the client's medical treatment history (e.g., went to hospital, had been abused while pregnant, witnessed abuse while growing up, had been involved in other abusive relationships, had attempted suicide). Additional variables provide legal information (number of times police had been called to the client's household as a result of domestic violence, if anyone in the household had been arrested as a result of those calls, if any charges were filed, if the client or batterer had been convicted of abuse), if the client had a restraining order against the batterer, how the client found out about the shelter, the number of times the client had been admitted to a domestic violence shelter, the client's assessment of her needs at the time of admittance, and the interviewer/counselor's assessment of the client's needs at the time of admittance. Part 2 (Discharge Data) provides information on services the client received from the shelter during her stay (food, clothing, permanent housing, transitional housing, financial assistance, employment, education, medical help, assistance with retrieving belongings, assistance with retrieving/replacing legal documents, law enforcement, and temporary restraining order), and services this client received as a referral to another agency (attorney, divorce, child care, counseling, transportation, safety plan, victim/witness funds, mental health services, department of social services, Children's Services Bureau, help with immigration, drug treatment).

Response Rates View help for Response Rates

Not applicable.

Presence of Common Scales View help for Presence of Common Scales

None.

Original Release Date View help for Original Release Date

2001-02-01

Version History View help for Version History