Intimate Partner Violence-Pediatric Risks of "Not Asking-Not Telling"

Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects millions of adults and children each year. The associated risks for child maltreatment are significant, and IPV exposure can have significant harmful consequences for the child. Routine IPV screening in the context of the health care visit for a child in the emergency department can offer the opportunity to effectively identify child risks and provide appropriate intervention to improve child health and well-being. This article provides an overview of the importance of this issue for pediatric emergency physicians and other pediatric health care providers, the challenges to screening, innovative approaches to screening, and follow-up efforts.