Abstract
Domestic violence affects the lives of many Americans, including children. It is imperative that primary care providers working with children, including pediatric nurse practitioners, understand the dynamics of domestic violence, recognize domestic violence, and intervene appropriately. Domestic violence places children at risk physically, emotionally, and developmentally. The effect on children who witness domestic violence will be discussed. Primary care providers have a professional responsibility to screen for domestic violence. The primary care provider can play a pivotal role in breaking the cycle of family violence by timely identification of and appropriate intervention for domestic violence. J Pediatr Health Care.
Introduction
Domestic violence affects the lives of many Americans, including children. Physical violence is estimated to occur in 4 to 6 million intimate relationships each year. (Rodriguez, Bauer, McLoughlin, & Grumbach, 1999) Domestic violence accounts for more than half of the homicides of women in the United States. (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2005) More than 3 million American children between the ages of 3 and 17 years witness domestic violence every year. (U.S. Department of Justice, 1998) It is imperative that primary care providers, including pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs), understand the dynamics of domestic violence, recognize domestic violence, and intervene appropriately.