Social Work Response to Domestic Violence: Encouraging News from a New Look

Abstract

Since the beginnings of the battered women's movement, the social work profession has been criticized for its inability to respond to victims of domestic abuse. This article reports on a survey of degreed and licensed professionals that finds that social workers may be doing better in their ability to assess and intervene with battered women. However, social workers are failing to use universal screening techniques to identify battered women and the women's children in their caseloads. Social work education must include a feminist analysis of domestic violence, along with feminist practice principles, to prepare professionals to address this prevalent problem better.