Childhood family violence and officer responses to officer-involved domestic violence: Effects of cumulative and resolved trauma
| DOI | 10.1177/1461355720907641 |
| Author | Karen Oehme,Daniel G Saunders,Stephanie Grace Prost |
| Date | 01 June 2020 |
| Published date | 01 June 2020 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
International Journal of
Police Science & Management
Childhood family violence and officer
2020, Vol. 22(2) 194–207
ª The Author(s) 2020
responses to officer-involved domestic
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violence: Effects of cumulative
DOI: 10.1177/1461355720907641
journals.sagepub.com/home/psm
and resolved trauma
Stephanie Grace Prost
University of Louisville, USA
Daniel G Saunders
University of Michigan, USA
Karen Oehme
Florida State University, USA
Abstract
Law enforcement officers who witness or experience abuse in their family of origin are at higher risk of post-
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol abuse. These trauma effects may, in turn, affect officers’ responses to
domestic violence victims who call on them for help. The purpose of this study was to examine how these childhood
traumas, PTSD, and alcohol abuse affect officers’ supportive responses to victims and perpetrators of officer-involved
domestic violence (OIDV). We hypothesized that officers who witnessed or experienced family of origin violence
would have higher levels of PTSD and abusive drinking than those without trauma. Furthermore, we hypothesized
that officers with resolved trauma (i.e., no current PTSD or abusive drinking) would be more likely to support victims
of OIDV than officers with unresolved trauma. Survey respondents were law enforcement officers (n ¼ 1661) in
police and sheriff’s departments throughout the United States. Results partially supported the hypotheses regarding
the separate and cumulative effects of witnessing family violence and experiencing child abuse. In addition, officers
who endured these childhood traumas, but resolved these concerns reported a significantly greater average
likelihood of helping an OIDV victim than those with unresolved trauma. Implications include the promotion of
employee assistance programs and professional counselors to support officers with unresolved trauma, which may
lead to improved responses to OIDV.
Keywords
Childhood trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, alcohol abuse, officer-involved domestic violence, intimate partner
violence
Submitted 30 Jun 2019, Revise received 31 Dec 2019, accepted 30 Jan 2019
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant crime and
health problem around the world, with severe mental and
physical health consequences for victims (Black et al.,
Corresponding author:
2011; Howarth and Feder, 2013). Professionals’ responses
Stephanie Grace Prost, University of Louisville, 2217 S. Third Street,
to the problem have improved in several fields including
Louisville, KY 40292, USA.
child welfare (Saunders and Anderson, 2000) and health
Email: stephanie.prost@louisville.edu
Prost et al.
195
care (Arroyo et al., 2017), although many professionals
Finally, victims’ reluctance to report OIDV can help
continue to give inadequate assistance (for a review, see
perpetuate the abuse. OIDV victims are likely to be espe-
Goodman and Epstein, 2008). Police response to IPV has
cially fearful of reporting abuse because they know their
improved markedly over the past several decades (Buzawa,
partners carry lethal weapons and have special resources to
2012). For example, mandatory officer training is required
assist in victim location (Johnson, 1991). They also know
by most states, covering topics such as victim assistance
that reporting abuse could end their partner’s career. Addi-
and trauma-informed interviewing. Law enforcement orga-
tionally, OIDV victims may fear retaliation from their part-
nizations have more recently recognized that special poli-
ner’s colleagues because of their professional solidarity
cies and responses are needed when police officers are the
with the partner (Wetendorf, 2015).
perpetrators of IPV, also known as “officer-involved
domestic violence” (OIDV). These organizations also
increasingly recognize the need for officer education to
Childhood trauma, PTSD and alcohol
prevent such violence (Oehme and Martin, 2011). Many
abuse as IPV risk factors
agencies base their guidelines on the model OIDV policy
of the International Association for Chiefs of Police
It is unclear what causes OIDV, although the roots of the
(2003).
problem are likely multifaceted. Trauma symptoms in gen-
There is no solid evidence regarding the percentage of
eral populations, including PTSD and alcohol abuse, are
officers who commit abuse against their intimate partners,
linked to the perpetration of IPV—an effect particularly
and we do not know if officers commit IPV at rates higher
pronounced in male, non-civilian samples (Taft et al.,
than the general population. Estimates of OIDV perpetra-
2011). This association has also been found among law
tion range from 10% to 40% (Friedersdorf, 2014; Garvey,
enforcement officers (Oehme et al., 2012). More recent
research has also highlighted a direct link between childhood
2015; Gershon, 1999). A more recent study shows a range
trauma and OIDV (Zavala et al., 2015). In a national study,
of up to 28%—a proportion close to that of the general
the rate of child physical abuse was 5% and the rate of child
population (Russell and Pappas, 2018). The wide range is
emotional abuse was 9% (Finkelhor et al., 2015). Rates of
likely due to a lack of precise, objective measures (e.g.,
abuse of boys and girls did not differ. Those who go into law
reliance on self-report) and poorly representative samples.
enforcement are not exempt; Follette et al. (1994) note that
Victims of OIDV are particularly vulnerable for several
approximately 17% of male and 40% of female law enforce-
reasons (for a review, see Russell and Pappas, 2018). First,
ment officers report some form of childhood trauma (i.e.,
officers may inappropriately bring the authority afforded to
physical or sexual abuse). Childhood family violence, both
them by their agencies into their homes and families. This is
child abuse and witnessing interparental abuse, has been
sometimes called a “spillover effect” in which the rigid
linked to the development of numerous trauma symptoms
power structure of law enforcement agencies infiltrates offi-
including PTSD (MacDonell, 2012; Saunders, 2003) and
cers’ personal lives (Johnson et al., 2005). When used at
problem drinking (Norman et al., 2012), which are related
home, skills such as command presence and interrogation
closely in both general populations (Leeies et al., 2010;
techniques can be cruel and authoritarian. Authoritarianism,
McFarlane, 1998) and law enforcement officer samples
the belief that one should be in control of others, has been
(Ballenger et al., 2011; Marmar et al., 2006).
linked to domestic violence, which often involves a perpe-
Some research points toward a dose-dependent effect of
trator’s desire to assert power and control over an intimate
childhood trauma and PTSD among active-duty military
partner (Anderson and Lo, 2011).
personnel, who have much in common with law enforce-
Second, on-the-job exposure to and targets of violence and
ment officers (Agorastos et al., 2014), such as an author-
other forms of trauma are related to post-traumatic stress
itarian culture emphasizing power, toughness, and
disorder (PTSD) and substance use in officers (Marmar
exposure to trauma. The presence of chronic stressors and
et al., 2006). These outcomes put officers at a higher risk for
critical incidents (attacks from citizens, death scenes, etc.)
being violent at home (Oehme et al., 2012). Third, a “code of
further amplifies the risk of PTSD, and law enforcement
silence” may keep officers from reporting the misconduct of
officers are exposed frequently to such stressors (Anshel,
colleagues (Roslin, 2016). Lenient treatment for officers who
2017). Child abuse has been shown to increase the risk of
commit OIDV is shown by relatively low rates of prosecution
hazardous alcohol use in some studies (Dube et al., 2002;
and job termination (Stinson and Liederbach, 2013). In
Norman et al., 2012), although childhood trauma was not
a review of 961 OIDV cases, arrest resulted in job loss for
associated with alcohol abuse in active-duty military per-
only a third of the cases, and under half were suspended
sonnel (Agorastos et al., 2014). These findings raise impor-
(Stinson et al., 2016). Job loss was more likely when the
tant questions regarding the cumulative effects of trauma
victim-offender relationship became more distant.
on law enforcement officers.
196
International Journal of Police Science & Management 22(2)
Responses to IPV victims: childhood family
recommend couples’ counseling than female officers
violence and law enforcement responses
(Saunders et al., 2016). Such a recommendation may be
because male officers perceive the victim as equally
Those officers who have experienced childhood family
responsible in cases of OIDV.
violence can be affected in divergent ways: prior trauma
may increase or decrease officers’ willingness to help
domestic abuse victims. Officers’ own childhood
The current study
trauma may produce helpful responses on the job
It remains unclear how childhood trauma, alcohol abuse,
because of officers’ empathy toward members of the
and PTSD affect officers’ responses to OIDV victims and
public who are victims. Research findings with other
responses to officers who have perpetrated OIDV. We
professionals who work with the public illustrate the
therefore examined these relationships in the current
potential impact of prior trauma. Child welfare profes-
study. We made the following hypotheses based on the...
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