Assessing and managing risk among different victims of domestic abuse: limits of a generic model of risk assessment?

Several models of risk assessment for victims of domestic abuse have emerged in England, Wales, Scotland, Australia and the United States. In the United Kingdom, risk assessment and multi-agency approaches for very high-risk victims are a central part of the government's strategy to reduce domestic violence; therefore, risk assessment and management practices are proliferating rapidly. However, the feasibility and complexity of applying risk assessment to these areas is only just a beginning to be understood, particularly as risk assessment emerged from work with female victims and reflects knowledge of power and control differentials within heterosexual relationships. Using data from several empirical research projects, this paper compares the perceptions of safety and risk among female and male victims of domestic abuse (including heterosexual and gay victims). Differences in the prevalence of various risk factors are analysed across the different groups of victims. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.