Safety Plan Threat Assessment Victim/survivors need to consider more than just "yes or no" to the safety questions below. It is important for victim/survivors and advocates to work together to assess the degree of seriousness and frequency of the factors that are present. Please remember that additional measures may need to be taken if the victim/survivor can answer yes to any of these. For example, if the offender knows the victim/survivor s phone number or e-mail address, you as the advocate may need to address this issue with the victim/survivor by exploring his or her ability or willingness to change the contact information. Keep in mind this is not a complete list of questions. Please ask the victim/survivor what the offender may have access to regarding their personal information. Consider taking additional steps. Directions: These assessment questions should help both the victim/survivor and advocate in developing a personalized safety plan and address the reality of the abuse. It is important to allow an appropriate amount of time for the victim/survivor to think about the question before answering. Also, the advocate needs to make sure the victim/survivor understands the definitions/explanations of the terms. For example, the advocate may need to define abuse so that the victim/survivor does not minimize the offender s behavior unknowingly. It is essential to identify how closely the victim/survivor s feelings match the degree of seriousness on the rating scale. The number one on the scale represents the least amount of seriousness, and the number five at the other end of the scale represents that the event/question asked is extremely serious. There are some questions that are not able to be rated by degree of seriousness. In that case ask the degree of frequency. In situations where a victim/survivor is minimizing the degree of seriousness of an offender s behavior, asking the degree of frequency may be more appropriate. Ask a victim/survivor how often the behavior happens in a time span of a week or month and make note of the time span used on the assessment. Be aware that a low level threat assessment may not necessarily mean the violence will not escalate or that the victim/survivor is safe. This Safety Plan Threat Assessment should be used as a tool to develop a more specific and thus more effective safety plan. * Indicate NA or U for questions that are not applicable or unknown. Review: After all the questions have been answered, an advocate should talk about the offender s most concerning behavior with the victim/survivor. Inform the victim/survivor of warning signs of abusive relationships. Discuss the dynamics of violence and how the abuse they have endured is based on power and control. Advocates are available at the Women s Center to complete Safety Plan Threat Assessments. Please contact the Gender Violence Prevention Program at (320) 308-3995 for Safety Plan Threat Assessment assistance. Please remember that the threat assessment is the first step in the safety planning process. Last revised: June 15, 2009 Page 1
History of Violence/Use of Force Y / N Was the offender abusive to former partners or family members? Y / N Has the physical violence increased in frequency or intensity over the past year? Y / N Has the offender recently become violent toward the children? * Violence tends to escalate against a victim/survivor at the same time that it begins to be directed to the children. * Children are likely to be injured when attempting to intervene in domestic incidents. Young boys convicted of homicide are more likely to have killed a suspect abusing their parent than to have killed anyone else. Y / N Has the violence involved choking or attempted strangulation? * These acts seriously escalate the potential for serious injury or death, but are often described by offenders as attempts to "restrain" an "out of control" victim/survivor. * Whenever there is an indication that choking or "restraint" is a tactic of abuse, it's critical to do a thorough assessment. Y / N Did the offender use an object, such as a belt or other article of clothing, a telephone cord, an electric cord, a leash or a plastic bag, etc? Y / N Did the victim/survivor initially "see stars", black out momentarily, or lose consciousness for a extended period, or lose bladder or bowel control? Or subsequently, have any degree of neck swelling? Have bruises, burns or red marks or spots on the neck? Have reddening of the "whites" of the eyes? Vomit or cough up blood? Experience difficulty breathing or swallowing? Has speech become "raspy" or lost voice? Experience headaches and/or neck pain? * Circle the specific symptoms. Y / N Has the violence involved head-banging or a head injury? Y / N Has the offender been violent while female victim/survivor was pregnant? Y / N Does the offender have a history of violence toward people who are not intimates or family members? Y / N Does the offender have a history of sexual assault behavior? Y / N Has the offender ever abused pets or other animals? During this relationship, or as a child? Y / N Has the offender destroyed property, particularly their partner's personal property? Intentional and terrorist destruction of property is often an "it could as well be you, and next time might be" message. Y / N Does the offender have a special interest in/fascination with movies, television shows, video games or books that focus on themes of violence, power and revenge; "true crime" stories of homicide or stalking? Y / N Has your offender/partner forced or harmed you sexually? If so indicate how long? Last revised: June 15, 2009 Page 2
Weapons Y / N Are there weapons in the household? Does the offender keep weapons in more than one place? Where are they kept? Does the offender have access to weapons owned by others? Is the offender trained in their use? Y / N Does the offender have illegal or exotic weapons? Y / N Is having and being willing to use weapons part of the offender s self-image? * This is particularly crucial in relationships that involve people in law enforcement, corrections, the military, and the criminal justice system. Y / N Has the offender s past violence involved the display, use or threatened use of firearms or other weapons? Y / N Does the victim/survivor possess weapons? What kind? Is the victim/survivor trained in their use? * This question is asked to assess the offender s access to victim/survivor s weapons. Centrality In one form, this emerges when one partner feels anxious and unsafe without the compliant presence of the other. In another, more extreme and dangerous form, one partner feels/believes they are "incomplete" without the other. Psychologists and other mental health professionals will use terms like "enmeshment" to describe this. In assessing for centrality, we need to look at both the material possessions and the emotional "overlaps" between people's lives. Y / N Do the parties live together or share possessions? Do they have children in common? Are there legal ties between them? Y / N Is the survivor financially dependent on the offender? Y / N Is the offender possessive? Does he/she express beliefs of "ownership" or sexual entitlement to their partner? Is the offender violently or constantly jealous of the survivor? Does the offender make unfounded accusations of infidelity? Y / N How much does the offender s sense of self depend on the relationship? * For instance, has the offender ever said, "I'd be lost without you" or (being ordered into counseling or drug/alcohol treatment,) "I can't do this without you " or "If you leave me, I have nothing to live for"? Y / N Is the offender socially dependent on the relationship? Are you unable to attend social events alone? Y / N As the relationship has progressed, has the victim/survivor become less connected to Last revised: June 15, 2009 Page 3
friends and family? Y / N Does the offender attempt to limit the victim/survivor s contact with friends or family members? Stalking Y / N Does the offender engage in "checking up" behaviors? Listen in on conversations, read mail, require an accounting for whereabouts and activities? Y / N Does the offender enlist others in monitoring the victim/survivor s behavior? * Not only the offender's friends, family, co-workers and cell mates, but also the victim/survivor's friends, family, and co-workers. Y / N Has the offender contacted or threatened the victim/survivor's friends, relatives or coworkers? Y / N Has the offender followed, "staked out" or otherwise stalked victim/survivor? Y / N Has the offender made unwanted attempts to communicate by mail or telephone, or through third parties? * These communications don't have to be threats. They can be "oh baby, I was so wrong I don't know what came over me; can you ever forgive me; let's work it out together" messages, flowers, gifts, etc. Control Y / N Does the offender control most of the financial resources? Y / N Does the offender control or attempt to control most or all of the victim/survivor s daily activities? Y / N Does the offender give lists of things the victim/survivor must and cannot do? Does the offender ask the victim/survivor to repeat conversations she's/he's had with others? Is the victim/survivor required to account for her/his movements? Does the offender check the odometer? Does the victim/survivor have to account for every penny she/he spends? Y / N Has the offender attempted to isolate the victim/survivor, by moving or by driving people away? Y / N Does the offender believe he/she is entitled to control in the relationship? Y / N Does the offender equate compliance with loyalty? Y / N Is the offender able to accept disagreement or behavior that is difficult from what he/she would like to see, or does he/she interpret those things as a form of personal attack? Last revised: June 15, 2009 Page 4
Other Concerns Y / N Does the offender drink? Use drugs? How often? Y / N Has there been a recent escalation in the offender's pattern of drinking or drug use? Y / N Does the offender's childhood history include domestic violence? Physical child abuse? Sexual abuse? Y / N Do physical, sexual or verbal altercations occur near an "anniversary date" of a traumatic incident from the offender s past? Y / N Does the offender basically see themselves as somebody "things happen to", as being put-upon, or as the victim of other people's actions? Y / N How does the offender describe "things that went wrong" (failed relationships, lost jobs) in the past? Y / N How able is the offender to understand other people's motives and feelings? Y / N How much does the offender tend to project his/her own feelings, fears, or motives onto others? Y / N Is the offender able to accept responsibility for his/her actions? Y / N How does the offender respond to change, particularly when it wasn't his/her idea? Y / N Did the relationship begin in a "whirlwind", with quick sexual involvement, living together soon after meeting, and/or marriage within six months of meeting? Y / N Has the offender ever threatened to commit suicide? Y / N Has the offender ever threatened to kill the victim/survivor? Y / N Have there been incidents resulting in injuries or medical concerns? * How is this abusive behavior affecting the victim/survivor s current health? Y / N Do you feel degraded or put down when the offender talks to you? Does the offender call you names or humiliate you purposefully? Y / N Have others made comments about the offender s behavior? Y / N Do others close to you feel unsafe because of the offender? Y / N Does the offender ever use your citizenship status as a way to hurt you or jeopardize your status in the United States? Y / N Does the offender ever use your sexual orientation or gender identity as a threat? Last revised: June 15, 2009 Page 5
Campus Specific Y / N Does the offender keep you from going to classes or from participating in study groups or student organizations? Y / N Does the offender restrict your access to the computer or other technology to keep you from doing your homework assignments? Y / N Does the offender throw away your books/assignments to prevent you from doing well in your classes? Y / N Does the offender keep you from studying for classes and exams? Y / N Does the offender insist on walking you to your classes and picking you up right after class? Y / N Do you feel degraded or put down when the offender talks to you? Does the offender call you names or humiliate you purposefully? Y / N If you live in the residence hall, has your roommate or people on your floor raised concerns about your relationship? For office use only Date completed: / / Advocate/counselor Victim/survivors name: Victim/survivor s affiliation with St. Cloud State University: Student Employee Graduate of SCSU Visitor None Other How long has the victim/survivor been in the relationship or known the offender? Offender s name: Offender s affiliation with St. Cloud State University: Student Employee Graduate of SCSU Visitor None Other Special concerns/notes: This project was supported by Award No. 2007-WA-AX-0009 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women. The opinion, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication, conference agenda, or product, are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Department of Justice. Adapted from the Nashville Police Department, A Guide to Domestic Violence: Risk Assessment, Risk Reduction, and Safety Plan. Revised by Sheila J. Johnson, LSW St. Cloud State Universities Women s Center. Last revised: June 15, 2009 Page 6