Strengthening Relationships between Couples to Respond to Domestic Violence: a Commentary on Policy Changes Needed to Support this Evolution

Abstract Broad calls to narrow the role of police in American society have begun include arguments reduce carceral responding intimate partner violence (IPV) and add a stronger social response. The field’s improved understanding lethality risk assessment; better classification offender by past involvement with general or family only violence; positive findings from trials relationship strengthening interventions as couples counseling, restorative justice practices, mediation, call for exploring relationship-strengthening approaches complement more approaches. Yet, half century adherence traditional IPV service that steered away has generated an array procedures policies need change before services field can broaden become responsive. These changes are likely be fitting across racial cultural groups suited those seeking improve safety. This paper reviews these trends considers legislative remedies would facilitate emergence additional safe, empowering, relationship-responsive, trauma sensitive additions services.