It's My Decision, isn't it?

Abstract

Mandatory intervention laws and policies are in place in a number of states to address domestic violence. This article reports the views of battered women (N = 241) on mandatory arrest laws, no-drop policies, and mandatory medical reporting for doctors and nurses. In general, the women support the adoption of these mandatory interventions; however, fewer seem to perceive a benefit from the interventions, and some believe they would be less likely to report future violence as a result of these interventions. Some reasons for the mixed perceptions of the women are explored.