Screening for Domestic Violence
Research on domestic violence suggests that the use of routine screenings can greatly enhance the identification of domestic violence. You should start with indirect questions and then move on to direct questions when necesary.

Routine screening can be accomplished by:

• Use of framing questions by health/nutrition workers
  You should begin with an indirect question which will allow the client to save face if desired. Examples of such questions are:
   
  - “Because domestic violence is so common, we now ask every WIC client about domestic violence…”
   
  - “I don’t know if this is a problem for you or your children, but some of our clients are dealing with abusive partners. Often they are too afraid or too embarrassed to bring it up so we’ve now started asking about abuse on a routine basis…”

When appropriate, you may move into direct questions regarding abuse or the use of screening tools.

• Use of screening tool by health/nutrition workers
  Sometimes, in addition to the use of framing questions, the routine use of a screening tool to identify domestic violence in clients can be very effective for health/nutrition workers. The tool can be as simple as the Basic Abuse Assessment demonstrated below or a more in-depth tool, such as the Screening Tool for Domestic Violence.
   
  Staff may start with the Basic Abuse Assessment and move to the more in-depth Abusive Behavior Observation Checklist (ABOC) if needed. It is important to note that some victims may not realize they are being abused, and therefore, will not identify themselves as such. The ABOC lists many specific abusive behaviors, which may help clients realize that they are indeed a victim of domestic violence as well as the extent of their abuse.

Basic Abuse Assessment:

1. Have you ever been physically or emotionally abused by your partner or someone close to you?
2. Within the last year, have you been hit, slapped, kicked, or otherwise physically hurt by someone?
3. Within the last year, has anyone forced you to have sexual activities?

It is best to ask questions in a positive and supportive voice. Remember that anyone accompanying the person could be a perpetrator, so try to speak to a potential victim privately. Understand it can be risky and complicated for a victim to admit there is violence in their home.