What is IPV?
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) screening is used to identify power imbalances between you and your former partner that could compromise the negotiation of your separation agreement or the parenting coordination process.
This screening may be required for anyone who participates in collaborative family law, mediation or mediation/arbitration. The screening assesses each client’s ability to participate in these processes and provides recommendations to the professionals regarding how to address the IPV issues.
The goal of IPV screening is to address concerns about the emotional, mental and physical safety of our clients and mitigate their impact on the design or outcomes of the process.
What are Power Imbalances?
IPV Screening looks for areas where power imbalances could occur that may compromise the outcomes of the process.
Some examples are:
- Any form of abuse, violence or intimidation
- Being denied access to information on topics such as finances, child support, children, or property and assets
- Personal challenges such as chronic physical illness, mental illness, disability, illiteracy, or lack of access to reliable translation services
How Results are Used
The confidential information from the IPV screening is used to create safeguards for both the process and the potential outcomes.
Examples of practical adjustments during the mediation process may be having clients conduct the meeting from separate rooms or clients having staggered arrival and departure times.
Agreements reached may include specific guidelines like how and where child exchanges are conducted or details around how child or spousal support payments are made.
The screening is done in individual, private meetings and the findings of the IPV are not shared with the other parent. Once complete, a verbal and/or written report of the IPV screening is shared confidentially with the professionals involved.