Safety

Principle I states that visitation centers should consider as their highest priority the safety of children and adult victims and should treat both with equal regard.

The Supervised Visitation Program Philosophy and Perspective

Visitation centers play a critical role in fostering the safety of children and adult victims during a time of increased danger when the parents separate.^[1] As more visitation centers increasingly work with families experiencing domestic violence and respond to the needs of children and adult victims, it becomes critically important that center services build safety into their practices and management structure, and work within their community collaborative.

If safety concerns are not adequately addressed, supervised visitation and exchange can increase a batterer’s opportunity to commit continued, and sometimes lethal, violence against children and adult victims; to follow through with threats to abduct the children; or to further the abuse by stalking, harassing, refusing to cooperate in the exchange or visit, or attempting to coerce adult victims into returning to the relationship.^[2]

Because of these risks, visitation centers have become an essential service for cases involving domestic violence.^[3] It is important, therefore, for visitation centers to understand that the safety needs of children and adult victims are often linked. Research shows that the well-being of children exposed to domestic violence can generally be restored if adult victims receive support to create safety and stability in their own lives,^[4] which in turn can provide a safer and more secure environment for the children.

Visitation centers are not expected to eliminate all of the dangers or risks present in domestic violence situations. However, with careful planning, centers can take steps that will enhance the safety of children and adult victims to the greatest extent possible.