When Does Child Maltreatment Occur? Daily Variations in Child Maltreatment Among Families Served by the U.S. Air Force Family Advocacy Program

In this article, we show how the U.S. military treats domestic violence and sexual assault as distinct forms of abuse, which has particular consequences for victims of intimate partner sexual violence. We explore how a specific U.S. military branch, the Marine Corps, complicates these issues further by providing services to intimate partner sexual violence victims from two different programs. Analyzing military orders and documents related to Family Advocacy Program and Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program, interviews with eight military prosecutors, and the experiences of one military lawyer, we examine program and interactional-level factors that shape victim services, advocacy, and processes. We find that there are program differences in specialized services, coordinated services, and potential breaches of confidentiality related to victim’s cases. We recommend that the Marine Corps recognize the intersections of sexual violence and domestic violence and offer more tailored services to victims of intimate partner sexual violence.

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Suspected Child and Spouse Maltreatment Referral Sources: Who Reports Child and Spouse Maltreatment to the Air Force Family Advocacy Program?

Military Medicine ◽

10.7205/milmed.173.12.1203 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 173 (12) ◽

pp. 1203-1209 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

David J. Linkh ◽

Leasley K. Besetsny ◽

Pamela S. Collins ◽

Cynthia J. Thomsen ◽

Mandy M. Rabenhorst ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Force ◽

Family Advocacy ◽

Advocacy Program

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Male Soldier Family Violence Offenders: Spouse and Child Offenders Compared to Child Offenders

Violence and Victims ◽

10.1891/0886-6708.24.4.458 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 458-468 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Sandra L. Martin ◽

Deborah A. Gibbs ◽

Ruby E. Johnson ◽

E. Danielle Rentz ◽

Monique Clinton-Sherrod ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Child Abuse ◽

Child Maltreatment ◽

Family Violence ◽

Spouse Abuse ◽

Physical Child Abuse ◽

Program Policy ◽

Family Advocacy ◽

Advocacy Program ◽

First Time ◽

Married Male

Army data from 2000 to 2004 were used to compare two groups of married, male, Army soldier, first-time family violence offenders: 760 dual offenders (whose initial incident included both child maltreatment and spouse abuse) and 2,209 single offenders (whose initial incident included only child maltreatment). The majority (81%) of dual offenders perpetrated physical spouse abuse; however, dual offenders were less likely than single offenders to perpetrate physical child abuse (16% vs. 42%) or sexual child abuse (1% vs. 11%), but they were more likely to perpetrate emotional child abuse (45% vs. 12%). These findings may be, at least in part, explained in light of the Army Family Advocacy Program policy, which considers spouse offenders as also being emotional child abuse offenders since children may be traumatized by exposure to spouse abuse.

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Comparing Different Types of Child Abuse and Spouse Abuse Offenders

Violence and Victims ◽

10.1891/vivi.19.2.137.64098 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 137-156 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Joe F. Pittman ◽

Chih-Yuan S. Lee

Keyword(s):

Child Abuse ◽

Air Force ◽

Spouse Abuse ◽

Interpersonal Problems ◽

Background Characteristics ◽

Family Climate ◽

Different Types ◽

Family Advocacy ◽

Advocacy Program ◽

Spouse Abusers

This study examined differences in offenders’ background characteristics, personal and interpersonal problems, and family climate between three types of child abuse offenders (neglecters, physical abusers, and psychological abusers) and two forms of spouse abuse offenders (physical abusers and psychological abusers) in two large samples (child abuse n = 2,910; spouse abuse; n = 7,035) of cases officially identified over a 8-year period (1988-1995) by the U.S. Air Force Family Advocacy Program. Comparisons addressed demographic factors, personal and interpersonal problems, and aspects of family climate. Among child abusers, results supported the conclusion that types of child abuse varied with offender demographics and family climate factors. For spouse abusers, however, types of abuse were not as distinctly different in terms of the comparison variables. In general, therefore, for child abuse—but not for spouse abuse—findings challenge the view of abuse as a unitary phenomenon.

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Family Violence in the Air Force: A Look at Offenders and the Role of the Family Advocacy Program

Military Medicine ◽

10.1093/milmed/157.7.371 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 157 (7) ◽

pp. 371-374 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Willard W. Mollerstrom ◽

Michael A. Patchner ◽

Joel S. Milner

Keyword(s):

Family Violence ◽

Air Force ◽

The Family ◽

Family Advocacy ◽

Advocacy Program

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Factors Predicting Family Violence Revictimization Among Army Families With Child Maltreatment

Child Maltreatment ◽

10.1177/10775595211008997 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 107755952110089

Author(s):

Miranda P. Kaye ◽

Keith R. Aronson ◽

Daniel F. Perkins

Keyword(s):

Child Maltreatment ◽

Family Violence ◽

Central Registry ◽

Community Risk ◽

Case Files ◽

Family Advocacy ◽

The Individual ◽

Advocacy Program ◽

Relationship Of ◽

The Impact

The Army Family Advocacy Program (Army FAP) strives to prevent family violence and intervene to reduce the deleterious effects of exposure to family violence. This paper examines the individual, family, community, and treatment factors associated with family violence revictimization. Case files of 134 families with substantiated child maltreatment and associated Army FAP interventions that closed in 2013 were coded across risk and protective factors and intervention characteristics and were matched to Army Central Registry files to identify revictimization rates through 2017. Revictimization, experienced by 23% of families, was predicted by community risk and reduced by intervention dose. With the high rates of relocations, housing or neighborhood issues, and the isolation military families experience and the relationship of these concerns to repeated family violence, identifying the impact of community risk is particularly important. Similarly, research that elucidates the effective treatment components is needed.

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