Lethality Assessment

Several risk factors have been associated with homicides(murder) of both batterers and battered women in research conducted after the killings have taken place. We cannot predict what will happen in your case, but we would like you to be aware of the danger of homicide in situations of severe battering and for you to see how many of the risk factors apply to your situation. (The “he” in the questions refer to your husband, partner, ex-husband, ex-partner, or whoever is currently physically hurting you.)

Please check YES or NO for each question below:

YES NO

___ ___ 1. Has the physical violence increased in frequency over the past year?

___ ___ 2. Has the physical violence increased in severity over the past year

and/or has a weapon or threat with a weapon been used?

___ ___ 3. Does he or has he ever tried to strangle you?

___ ___ 4. Is there a gun in the house?

___ ___ 5. Has he ever forced you into sex when you did not wish to do so?

___ ___ 6. Does he use drugs? By drugs it is meant “uppers” or amphetamines,

speed, angel dust, cocaine, crack, street drugs, heroin or mixtures.

___ ___ 7. Does he threaten to kill you and/or do you believe he is capable of

killing you?

___ ___ 8. Is he drunk every day or almost every day?

___ ___ 9. Does he control most of all your daily activities? For instance does he

tell you who you can be friends with, how much money you can take

with shopping, or when you can take the car.

___ ___ 10. Have you ever been beaten by him while you were pregnant?

___ ___ 11. Is he violently and constantly jealous of you? (For instance, does

he say “If I can’t have you, no one can?”

Total YES answers _______

THE GREATER THE NUMBER OF YES ANSWERS, THE GREATER THE RISK OF LIFE THREATENING VIOLENCE. PLEASE TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN THINKING ABOUT YOUR OPTIONS.