Intimate Partner Violence / Sexual Violence Data Elements and Surveillance Michele C. Lynberg, PhD MPH Division of Violence Prevention National Center for Injury Prevention and Control

The Public Health Approach to Prevention Define the problem or Surveillance Identify Causes Develop and Evaluate Interventions Implement & Disseminate ProblemResponse

CDC’s Research Agenda on Surveillance of IPV and SV Develop and evaluate surveillance methods for IPV and SV Improved surveillance methods will provide better information to guide program development and evaluation National and state level data Better tracking and monitoring methods are necessary to support intervention and prevention efforts

Optional Modules for the BRFSS National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Surveillance (NISVS) Pilot Survey Ongoing, biannual – beginning? Current IPV and SV Surveillance Activities at CDC

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Unique state-based surveillance Largest continuously conducted telephone survey in the world Core questions, optional modules, state-added questions Substantial need to measure SV and IPV over time using uniform definitions and survey methods

2005 BRFSS Optional Module on Sexual Violence 8 Questions Past 12 months Situations Touching Unwanted sex (attempted) Unwanted sex Relationship information for unwanted sex Lifetime Unwanted sex (attempted) Unwanted sex

2005 BRFSS Optional Module on Intimate Partner Violence 7 Questions Past 12 months Physical violence or unwanted sex Injuries Relationship information – most recent incident Lifetime Threatened physical violence Attempted physical violence Physical violence Unwanted sex

Sexual Violence Only Intimate Partner Violence Only Both Modules Virgin Islands Hawaii States Implementing Intimate Partner Violence and /or Sexual Violence Modules in 2005 BRFSS

National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Surveillance System (NISVS) Dedicated, ongoing state-based survey IPV, SV, stalking Perpetration and victimization Questions developed collaboratively with other government agencies (NCHS, DOJ)

NISVS Pilot Study Evaluate the impact of context and question order on reporting of IPV and SV Context of questions Health and violence Crime and violence Family Conflict and violence Order of questions Perpetration followed by victimization Victimization followed by perpetration

Contact Information Michele Lynberg