Fifteen million children are exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) in the U.S. every year, with 50% of those exposures severe. This podcast offers perspective from Kalena Brown, an advocate and mother whose primary care pediatrician helped her and her three children safely leave a domestic violence situation; Ashlee Lynn Murray, MD, MPH, attending physician, Emergency Department, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; and Melissa Dichter, MSW, PhD, associate professor, Temple University School of Social Work. They discuss the importance of routine screening for IPV in primary care; barriers to disclosure; co-occurrence of IPV and child abuse; how to screen under and over the age of 2; safety in screening and documentation; how to manage a positive screen; how to offer support when the family isn’t ready to be directed to resources; importance of longitudinal relationships between pediatricians and families; and more.  Published February 2021.

This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not to be considered as medical advice for any particular patient. Clinicians must rely on their own informed clinical judgment in making recommendations to their patients. ©2021 by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, all rights reserved.