NCJ Number
183578
Journal
Justice Research and Policy Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Dated: Spring 2000 Pages: 1-20
Date Published
2000
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This study uses hospital emergency room data to gain an improved understanding of nonfatal intimate violence incidents.
Abstract
The study used the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), a nationally representative sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments. Emergency departments treated more than 243,000 intimate violence-related injuries in 1994. Eighty-four percent of people intentionally injured by an intimate were female. Weapons were used in 27 percent of all intimate violence cases, but were more likely to have been used in injuries inflicted on male patients (68 percent versus 19 percent of female injuries). Findings from the Study of Injured Victims of Violence (SIVV), an intentional injury supplement of NEISS, also indicate that previous surveys may have undercounted intimate violence injuries treated in hospital emergency departments, as estimates were 4 times greater than the National Crime Victimization Survey and 1.5 times greater than the National Family Violence Survey. The comprehensive research design of the SIVV combined with the heightened sensitivity of hospital staff and data coder review makes the study a robust means for measuring intimate violent injury on a national level. Notes, tables, references, appendix