Danger Assessment

What is the Danger Assessment?

A key challenge with intimate partner violence is how individuals who encounter abused women can identify those with the highest level of danger (Campbell, 2004). There are several risk factors associated with increased risk of intimate partner homicide for women with violent intimate partners; the Danger Assessment is a risk assessment that helps to determine the level of danger an abused woman has of being killed by her intimate partner (Campbell, 2004).

Healthcare professionals, law enforcement officials, and domestic violence advocates have widely used the Danger Assessment. It looks into the women's history with their intimate partner regarding both sexual violence and physical violence.

The Danger Assessment requires the respondent to complete two parts:

1. A calendar: This assesses the frequency and severity of abuse. It raises the consciousness of women and reduces denial and minimization of abuse.
2. 20-item scoring instrument: This uses a weighted system to score responses to risk factors associated with intimate partner homicide.

How to use our Danger Assessment Template

Follow these steps to use the template:

Step 1: Download the template

Access the Danger Assessment template by clicking "Use template", allowing you to edit the resource via the Carepatron app. For a PDF copy, choose "Download."

Step 2: Familiarize yourself with the template

The template is designed to guide you through the Danger Assessment. It includes space for essential patient information, such as name and date. The template follows the standard Danger Assessment, which is composed of two parts: a calendar and a 20-item questionnaire.  

Step 3: Ask the patient to complete

Give the template to the patient to complete. Ensure that they fill out their personal details. Before patient completion, emphasize that there is no right or wrong answer; instead, it is about understanding their authentic answers. Explain that it is crucial to provide honest answers to attain an accurate result. Be sure to guide the individual through the template, helping them with questions if necessary while ensuring not to suggest any answers.

Step 4: Score their answers

Calculate the individual's score by following the scoring method listed below.

Scoring and interpretation

Scoring the Danger Assessment is a straightforward and efficient process.  Part two of the Danger Assessment uses a 20-item weighted scoring questionnaire that measures the responses to risk factors associated with intimate partner homicide. The following shows how to score the 20-item section, along with recommendations on what to do given the respondent's score:

• Add the total number of "yes" responses from 1 through 20
• Add 4 points for each "yes" to items 2 and 3
• Add 3 points for a "yes" to item 4
• Add 2 points for each "yes" to items 5, 6 and 7
• Add 1 point for each "yes" to items 8 and 9
• Subtract 3 points if item 3a is checked

To calculate the total score, Sum the points from the above guidelines

Based on the total score, place the respondent into 1 of the following categories:

• Less than 8: "Variable danger": Ensure that the women are advised that the level can change quickly and watch for other signs of danger.
• 8 to 13:  "Increased danger": Advise women of risk, use assertive safety planning, and increase monitoring.
• 14 to 17: "Severe danger": Advise women of risk a strong safety plan is necessary, consult with judges, and make high-level supervision recommendations if the abuser is in the criminal justice system.
• 18 or more: "Extreme danger": Advice of danger; take assertive actions; call for criminal justice or other professional help; recommend highest bail, sentencing, and probation supervision against the abuser.

It is important to note that although the Danger Assessment helps to identify the woman's risk of being killed by her intimate partner, it cannot predict the outcome (Campbell, 2004). Instead, the Danger Assessment instrument helps the women and anyone else involved be aware of the risk factors that apply to their specific situation, along with the danger of homicide in cases of abuse (Campbell, 2004).

If the respondent answers "yes" to 10 or more items, it is concerning.

Next steps after using this assessment

Here are the next steps you can take after administering the assessment:

Review and analyze responses

The patient's total score will be reviewed; the respondent will be placed into one of the four categories, and the necessary actions will be implemented to keep the woman as safe as possible, given the circumstances. Responses can be used to support domestic violence research.

Discuss results with the respondent

Healthcare professionals or other professionals must open a sensitive and nonjudgmental conversation to discuss the results of the Danger Assessment. The professional will try to get a well-rounded understanding of the patient, considering the broader context of the person and the social determinants surrounding them. This will help guide professionals in targeted interventions specific to the individual and their needs. Discussing all options with the respondent, including completing other risk assessments, is essential. Ensure that the respondent's safety is the priority.

References

Campbell, J. C. (2004). Danger assessment. Johns Hopkins University, School of Nursing. A Modified Version for Swedish Population (Ingegerd Bergbom, Elisabeth Dahlborg Lyckhage, Darcia Pratt-Eriksson Copyright 2006 Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Institute for Health and Care Sciences).