A pregnant client is screened for intimate partner violence as part of clinic protocol. Which introduction best aligns with universal screening for IPV?

A pregnant client is screened for intimate partner violence as part of clinic protocol. Which introduction best aligns with universal screening for IPV?

• A. It is clinic policy to ask if you are in an abusive relationship.
• B. Because domestic violence is so prevalent in our society, we ask all women about any experience with abuse.
• C. Since you have been pregnant, has your partner ever physically hurt you?
• D. Have you ever been the victim of intimate partner violence?

Answer: (B)

Universal screening for intimate partner violence means asking every patient about abuse in a neutral, nonjudgmental way as part of routine care. The best introduction does not suggest abuse is present or likely in this particular patient; instead it communicates that screening is a standard practice for all women and invites disclosure in a respectful, nonthreatening manner. Saying that domestic violence is common and that all women are asked about any experience with abuse conveys that this is routine, inclusive care, which helps reduce stigma and makes it easier for someone who is experiencing violence to speak up and seek help if needed. The other options shift the focus in ways that don’t align with universal screening: one frames the question as a policy directive to the patient, another ties the question to pregnancy, and another implies the patient has already been a victim. These approaches can feel targeted, presumptive, or invasive, which can hinder a safe, confidential disclosure.

Universal screening for intimate partner violence means asking every patient about abuse in a neutral, nonjudgmental way as part of routine care. The best introduction does not suggest abuse is present or likely in this particular patient; instead it communicates that screening is a standard practice for all women and invites disclosure in a respectful, nonthreatening manner. Saying that domestic violence is common and that all women are asked about any experience with abuse conveys that this is routine, inclusive care, which helps reduce stigma and makes it easier for someone who is experiencing violence to speak up and seek help if needed.

The other options shift the focus in ways that don’t align with universal screening: one frames the question as a policy directive to the patient, another ties the question to pregnancy, and another implies the patient has already been a victim. These approaches can feel targeted, presumptive, or invasive, which can hinder a safe, confidential disclosure.