Crisis Intervention Plan for IPV in High School Students

Mary Sawyer
SC544
Professor Canfield
University West Alabama

Abstract
Many students in high school will experience trauma in many forms. However, there is a
growing issue in our schools of violence, especially between romantic partners. Since students
are increasingly being sexually active it is important as a counselor to be able to address students
with a clearly defined goal: to help. While that may seem obvious to some, it is important that we
realize as our schools grow and counselors are working together as a team to serve the
population, they must all have a guideline and a system for identifying and working with
students who are victims or perpetrators of intimate partner violence. This plan outlines the
methodology, the theory, research and guidelines for working with students on the high school
level.

Introduction
IPV is a term that has become part of the high school counselor lexicon more and more
frequently these days. IPV stands for intimate partner violence, and can refer to anything from
verbal abuse, to physical assault or threats. The victim often times has a difficult time separating
from the abuser for varied reasons which will be discussed later. According to the South Carolina
State Legislature, Teen dating violence means physical, sexual, psychological, or emotional
violence between persons, whether heterosexual or same gender, eighteen years of age or
younger within a dating relationship (Section 16-25-520). The statistics on IPV are undeniable.
According to Richard James, about 1.5 million women and 830,000 men were victims of
intimate violence in the United States based on a study in 2000. While this number is not
specific to high school, it is a substantial number of persons affected, so the likelihood that a
student will walk through a counselors door to seek help as a victim, or a witness of this crime is
becoming more and more likely. A study by Mercer (1987) of high school students, aged 16 to
20, indicated that 11% of female students reported physical abuse in a dating relationship, 17%
reported verbal abuse and 20% reported sexual abuse. Furthermore, 54% of students knew of
physical abuse in relationships of friends and acquaintances and 30% had witnessed incidents of
physical abuse among peers. Similarly, a research study in 2006 and found that an estimated
15.5 million children live in families where violence has occurred and about 7 million have
witnessed severe violence (McDonald et al., 2006). This is the number that counselors need to
be aware of when working with students. It is vital that counselors be aware of the signs of IPV
and be knowledgeable of resources to help clients cope, feel safe, get help, and recover.
The hardest part of IPV is distinguishing it and identifying it. Often times victims of IPV will
make excuses for their abuser, will not seek out help and suffer silently, or if they do seek help

are scared of retaliation or consequences if they tell the truth of what is happening to them. Just
as medical professionals have difficulty in knowing whether a patient has been abused, it is just
as hard for a mental heath professional to determine if a person is being psychologically abused.
As a high school counselor there are several signs to look for with students who may be
experiencing IPV. Victims of IPV may show signs of1:
1.
2.
3.
4.

A lack of self esteem

A lack of control and little to no belief they are capable of making change
Have a history of abuse and take on the victim mentality
A feeling of being ashamed of the physical or emotional damage being done to them and

5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

attempts to hide it.

Extreme dependency
Feel that they are capable of fixing the abuser
Poor communication skills
Follow the traditional stereotypes of gender roles
Difficulty distinguishing between love and sex

While this list is by no means comprehensive, these are just some of the characteristics that
counselors should be aware of and attuned to with their students.
Reporting/Identifying victims of IPV
Counselors may have a difficult time identifying victims of IPV since they are not as
likely to be as forthcoming about their situation as other types of trauma. For this reason,
counselors need to work in conjunction with teachers, coaches, administrators and other
organizations to help provide a full picture of the students behavior, demeanor and possible
triggers.

1 This list was paraphrased from a list compiled by Richard K.; Gilliland, Burl E.. Crisis
Intervention Strategies (Page 293). Brooks Cole. Kindle Edition.

Another tool that counselors can use to assist them in identifying and assisting victims of
IPV is to use a medical tool. However, this would need approval from district and state level
boards before use in the school guidance office. Research has shown that using the HITS (Hurt,
Insult, Threatened with Harm and Scream assessment tool can be effective in identifying IPV
victims. It is important to use a great deal of caution and confidentiality when talking about IPV
with a potential victim. In high school settings, IPV has often times been referred to in research
as dating violence. It is dire that counselors understand that dating violence is not restricted to
any one ethnicity, socioeconomic group or background. When dealing with high school students,
assessment of victims is extraordinarily difficult and requires time, patience and understanding of
all the circumstances that affect the students involved. Feelings related to dating violence tend
to wane between fears of further harm to the self by a partner versus a need to maintain the
relationship or fear of rejection (Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 2008). It is this
very reason that counselors, as well as all school staff must have a plan in place to handle IPV.
Theory and Methodology
While different students will require different approaches in the treatment of IPV, it is the
opinion of this educator/counselor that most students would benefit from is Glassers reality and
choice therapy. Most victims of IPV feel out of control of their situation. They do not feel as
though they have many options or choices to escape or heal from the trauma. The idea behind
choice theory is that peoples problems are the results of unsatisfying relationships (Henderson,
2016). Since IPV is directly affected by a relationship between two people it makes sense to
address the issue on a level that will help to empower the victim, allow them to see their choices
and their options and the ability they have to control their feelings and actions. This also allows
the victim to see that their decisions, choices, and feelings are not the cause of the other peoples

actions or behavior. Glasser believed that all long-lasting psychological problems brought to
counseling are relationship problems resulting from these attempts to control others
(Henderson, 2016). It is this belief of Glasser that lends itself to the idea of utilizing reality
choice therapy for both the victim and perpetrators of IPV.
Community Resources
It is vital that counselors have an up to date list of resources available to assist them in
working with students dealing with dating violence, or IPV at home. Some of the resources are
national organizations, while others are much more local to the area. There is a National Teen
Dating Hotline that students can access by phone or online chat. The link for this site is
http://www.loveisrespect.org. The Centers for Disease Control offers plenty of resources that can
be used by counselors to help develop curriculum for use with students who have or have not
experienced IPV. The link to their site can be found here
https://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/DatingMatters. The CDC provides fact sheets, data,
guidance plans, as well as more links to resources to help students, families, and victims of IPV.
Steps for Intervention/ Follow up
In the high school setting, IPV is a touchy subject, but one that can be handled and
addressed if given some guidelines to follow. The following is a list of steps for staff, counselors,
and administration to follow should they witness, or hear reports of IPV in the student
population.
For witnessing IPV staff, counselors, and administrators should:
1. Separate the victim and the aggressor to avoid any further damage.

2. Speak with all parties separately and privately. (This can include any witnesses to an
attack).
3. Document the incident and inform any staff or administration that needs to be aware of
the situation to avoid it escalating.
4. Continue to monitor all involved parties to ensure the safety of the victim and avoid any
domino effect.
For receiving a report from a student of IPV (either for themselves or a friend)
1. Document conversation, keeping notes of whom was involved. (documentation needs to
be kept separately from academic records)
2. Be aware of schedules of both the victim and the accused perpetrator. Inform all
necessary staff members to avoid any further contact between the two persons.
3. Meet with both students individually to assess the level of severity.
4. Assess the safety of the victim and if extra precautions need to be taken to ensure safety
including, but not limited to, transportation and afterschool activities.
5. Inform the parents of the students involved and provide information about resources to
assist them in dealing with the crisis.
6. Involve the SRO (school resource officer) if necessary based on a determination by the
administration.
7. Involve the school social worker in a meeting with the accused perpetrator to assess the
mental stability and make referrals as needed.
8. Maintain confidentiality as much as possible, due to the highly sensitive nature of the
issue and the victims need to be safe.
9. If criminal charges are warranted (by the SRO) contact and notify parents of both the
victim and accused in writing.
10. Set up counseling sessions separately with both the victim and the accused to discuss
actions, behavior, as well as creating an action plan for improvement of relationships in
the future.

While these lists are not exhaustive they are the minimum requirements that should be
considered when working with victims of IPV. The school and/or district should provide in their
handbook, a list of consequences that students will face should they be found in violation of IPV
or dating violence with another student. These consequences can range from changing classes, to
in school suspension to expulsion.
All staff, counselors, and administration should be provided in-service training and
information about the warning signs to be aware of with IPV in high school students. Again,
nothing compares to open eyes, ears, and good rapport with students to assist in finding and
helping the victims of IPV. However, staff should be on the lookout for the following:
Examples of Warning Signs2:

Name Calling and put downs- Does one student in the relationship use name-

calling or putdowns to belittle or intimidate the other student?

Extreme Jealousy- Does one student in the relationship appear jealous when the

other talks with peers?

Making Excuses- Does one student in the relationship make excuses for the other?
Canceling or changing plans- Does one student cancel plans often, and at the last

minute? Do the reasons make sense or sound untrue?

Monitoring- Does one student call, text, or check up on the other student

constantly. Does one student demand to know the others whereabouts or plans?
Uncontrolled Anger- Have you seen one of the students in the relationship lose his

or her temper or throw and break things in anger?

Isolation- Has one student in the relationship given up spending time with family
and friends? Has the student stopped participating in activities that were once very
important?

2 Adapted from A Guide to Preventing Bullying, Teen Dating Violence, and Sexual
Violence, Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2008.

Dramatic Changes- Has the student in the relationships appearance changed? Lost

or gained weight? Does the student seem depressed?

Injuries- Does the student in the relationship have unexplained injuries? Does the

student give explanations that seem untrue?

Quick Progression- Did the students relationship get serious very quickly?

Conclusion
IPV and teen dating violence is something that all those who work with students need to
be aware of and making conscious decisions to help protect victims and deter potential abusers.
By documenting student self-reports of dating violence, school counselors are in a position to
provide services to the victim, the perpetrator, and the victims familySchool counselors are in
an ideal position to offer counseling and preventive services to students in violent relationships
(Cunningham & Sandhu, 2000). Detecting IPV, preventing it, and helping victims and their
friends and family cope are all of dire consequence for the longevity of the students mental
health.

References
Alabama Coalition Against Dating Violence (ACADV) (n.d.). Dating Violence. Retrieved July
22, 2008, from http://www.acadv.org/dating.html
A Guide to Preventing Bullying, Teen Dating Violence, and Sexual Violence, Rhode Island
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2008.
Cunningham, N. & Sandhu, D. (2000). A comprehensive approach to school-community
violence prevention. Professional School Counseling, 4(2), 126-133
Henderson, Donna A.; Thompson, Charles L.. Counseling Children (Page 283). Brooks Cole.
Kindle Edition.
James, Richard K.; Gilliland, Burl E.. Crisis Intervention Strategies (2016). Brooks Cole. Kindle

Edition.
McDonald, R., Jouriles, E., Ramisetty-Mikler, S., Caetano, R., & Green, C. E. (2006).
Estimating the number of American children living in partner-violent families. Journal of
Family Psycholog y, 20(1),
Mercer, S. L. (1987). Not a pretty picture: An exploratory study of violence against women in
high school dating relationships. Toronto, ON: Education Wife Assault.