NCJ Number
224093
Journal
Journal of Psychological Trauma Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: 2008 Pages: 1-20
Date Published
2008
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This article examines the circumstances in which it is ethically justifiable to directly encourage a woman to leave an abusive partner.
Abstract
The article indicates that most ethical decisionmaking models stress the importance of contextual factors that are relevant to a given ethical situation. In this light, the work discusses the importance of evaluating, considering, and weighing certain factors, such as abuse severity and competency/rationality, in cases involving intimate partner violence. The purpose of this article is to explore various ethical dilemmas inherent in the treatment of women currently in abusive relationships. Noted in this work are important factors to be considered in the ethical decisionmaking process, to include: reasons for seeking treatment; assessment of stay/leave process variables; abuse severity, frequency, and duration; perpetrator treatment/recovery status; psychological distress; competency/rationality; and intersectionality of race, class, age, and gender. Utilizing ethical decisionmaking models, the conflicting principles of beneficence and autonomy are also discussed with regards to whether a therapist should encourage a client to leave an abusive relationship. It is suggested that the most salient factor to consider is the lethality of the abuse. In conclusion to this discussion, several recommendations and implications for research and policy are delineated. Figure and references