ICDVP Crisis Intervention & Safety Planning 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a victim calls a domestic violence hotline in acute crisis, what is the advocate's FIRST priority?
- Gather complete intake information
- Assess immediate safety and stabilize the caller (Correct answer)
- Schedule a follow-up appointment
- Document the abuser's history
Correct answer: Assess immediate safety and stabilize the caller
Stabilizing the caller and assessing immediate danger takes precedence over any administrative tasks during an acute crisis call.
Question 2: Which element is considered the cornerstone of a domestic violence safety plan?
- A court-ordered protection order
- An escape route and go-bag with essential documents (Correct answer)
- Agreement from the abuser to attend counseling
- Relocation to another state
Correct answer: An escape route and go-bag with essential documents
An identified escape route combined with a pre-packed bag of essentials gives a victim a concrete, actionable path to safety.
Question 3: A victim tells an advocate, 'I can't leave because he controls all our money.' This is an example of which barrier to safety planning?
- Physical danger
- Economic abuse (Correct answer)
- Emotional dependency
- Immigration status concern
Correct answer: Economic abuse
Controlling finances is a classic tactic of economic abuse that restricts a victim's ability to leave independently.
Question 4: The Danger Assessment tool developed by Jacquelyn Campbell is used primarily to:
- Determine custody arrangements
- Assess the victim's mental health status
- Predict lethality risk in intimate partner violence situations (Correct answer)
- Screen for substance abuse in the abuser
Correct answer: Predict lethality risk in intimate partner violence situations
The Danger Assessment is a validated lethality screening tool that identifies risk factors associated with intimate partner homicide.
Question 5: When developing a safety plan with a victim who has decided to stay with the abuser, the advocate should:
- Refuse to help until the victim agrees to leave
- Create a plan that increases safety within the relationship (Correct answer)
- Report the victim's decision to child protective services
- Inform the abuser that safety planning is occurring
Correct answer: Create a plan that increases safety within the relationship
Safety planning is survivor-centered and must address the victim's actual situation, including plans for those who choose to remain in the relationship.
Question 6: Which of the following high-risk factors should elevate an advocate's concern about potential lethality during crisis intervention?
- Abuser recently lost employment
- Abuser has access to firearms (Correct answer)
- Couple has been together less than one year
- Victim has supportive family nearby
Correct answer: Abuser has access to firearms
Firearm access by an abuser is one of the strongest predictors of intimate partner homicide identified in lethality research.
Question 7: During a crisis intervention, an advocate notices the victim is dissociating. The most appropriate immediate response is to:
- Continue collecting information to complete the intake form
- Use grounding techniques to help the victim return to the present moment (Correct answer)
- Call emergency services immediately
- Refer the victim to a psychiatrist before continuing
Correct answer: Use grounding techniques to help the victim return to the present moment
Grounding techniques (e.g., 5-4-3-2-1 sensory method) help re-orient a dissociating person to their present environment so they can engage safely.
ICDVP Crisis Intervention & Safety Planning 2
When a victim calls a domestic violence hotline in acute crisis, what is the advocate's FIRST priority?