Hanging Out or Hooking Up: - Futures Without Violence

Hanging Out or Hooking Up: Clinical Guidelines on
Responding to Adolescent Relationship Abuse
If the abusive behavior is not physically dangerous:
26 FUTURES WITHOUT VIOLENCE
“I’d like to talk about some strategies for what to say to the person you are seeing when
comes up again. Would you feel safe talking to the person you are seeing about this? Are you afraid at all of
what they might do if you bring this up?”
If written information is given to the patient, it should be able to fit in their pocket and done so only if
the patient feels safe accepting it.
Work with the patient to identify other adults they may be able to talk to for additional support
(parents, older relatives, teachers, clergy, etc .)
“Is there any adult you would consider talking to about this, or who could help you if you were hurt?”
KEY CONSIDERATION
Many clinic staff have never called a local domestic violence service provider or hotline number. We
recommend all staff call to find out about the services provided. Clinic staff who engaged in this
activity reported greater confidence in giving the referral. Additionally, patients are more likely to use
the referral.
For more information on setting up your practice to develop effective community partnerships with local
domestic and sexual violence programs, please see Part 5: Policy Implications & Systems Response of
these guidelines.
Make a Follow-up Plan
“I’d like to check in with you again in a few weeks, let’s make an appointment for you.”
Adolescents are often hard to get in touch with. Recording a safe phone number and best ways to followup
with them will assist in maintaining a connection. This may include getting the young person’s
permission to contact them through another provider, such as the school nurse, who may have an
ongoing relationship with them as well.
If a Positive Disclosure Requires a Report, Practice Patient-centered Reporting
While the language in many mandated reporting laws state that the person who becomes aware of the
abuse should report ‘immediately’ to the relevant authorities, the focus should always be on the care
and safety of the young person first.
After the reason the young person was seeking care has been addressed, the provider should remind the
young person of the limits of confidentiality discussed at the start of the visit, then inform her of the
requirement to report.
“Remember at the start of this visit how we talked about situations where if your safety is at risk that we
might have to get other adults involved? This is one of those times. I know it took a great deal of courage
to share this with me, and we need to make sure that you are safe.”
Always acknowledge their feelings:
Many times, a teen will not want a report to be filed, and will feel helpless, betrayed or angry.
“I really hear that you don’t want me to do the report, and I am sorry but I have to do this even if I don’t
want to…”