Screening for Gambling Addiction at Domestic Violence Centers

Doctors have determined there to be a link between gambling addiction and domestic violence. A recent study concluded that a spouse with a partner addicted to gambling is 27.5 times more likely to experience intimate partner violence (Liao 1). The study definitively concluded that the risk factor is much greater for a person in a relationship with someone who engages in problem gambling. With that said, it seemed like gambling addiction would be a condition domestic violence centers would screen for, especially considering the high prevalence of domestic abuse involving those who engage in problem gambling.

In order to determine if domestic violence centers screen for gambling, as well as drug and alcohol addictions, it was important to contact a domestic violence center to ask a few questions. I felt it would be best to consult an inner-city domestic violence center that deals with many patients on a yearly bases from all races and economic backgrounds. Therefore, I chose to contact the 1736 Family Crisis in Los Angeles, California. The center is a nonprofit domestic violence shelter located in Central Los Angeles that specializes in providing assistance to victims of domestic violence, as well as those who are homeless. In addition to offering 24-hour support, the center also attempts to provide entertainment for the community in the form of shows and concerts.

Upon contacting the center, I spoke with a woman who claimed to be the director of operations. She was very helpful and was willing to answer any questions regarding how the center operated and their standard procedures. The first question I asked was whether the center screens victims or perpetrators for gambling addictions. She claimed that they do not screen for any gambling addictions, and usually do not inquire about whether a patient engages in such practices, but she did state they are willing to discuss the matter if the patient brings up the matter on their own.

I next asked if the center screens for drug and alcohol problems, to which she responded that they also do not screen for these conditions either. Finding it interesting that they do not screen for either drug or alcohol problems or gambling addiction, I asked if there were any particular reasons the center did not inquire about such conditions. The woman said that the primary reason the center does not screen for the conditions is because they focus solely on domestic violence and providing support to victims, and they do not feel it necessary to also deal with drug, alcohol, and gambling problems in-house.

Instead, she said they work closely with other centers in the city that do specialize in drug and alcohol, as well as gambling treatment. If it is determined that a patient suffers from one of these conditions, 1736 Family Crisis will then refer the patient to the appropriate center that can better handle their situation. This allows for the patient to receive specialized care at all stages of the healing process. She concluded that, in her opinion, it offered the most effective approach because it allowed for the patient to receive specialized domestic violence care at 1736 Family Crisis, while still having the option to be referred to another center in order to deal with drug, alcohol, or gambling addiction.

Ultimately, I tend to agree with her assessment. It seems unreasonable that a single center would be capable of dealing with a multitude of problems, especially ones as complex as domestic violence and various addictions. Instead of trying to create a one-stop-shop for care, the approach employed by 1736 Family Crisis allows for patients to be in contact with specialists at all stages of the process. After all, one does not visit a family doctor to receive diagnosis, MRI scanning, and surgery. Instead, they visit a different specialist at each stage of the process, and it makes sense to do the same when dealing with domestic violence and gambling addiction.

References

1736 Family Crisis Center (2010). Building brighter tomorrows. Retrieved November 12, 2013, from http://www.1736familycrisiscenter.org/services.html

Liao, Michael S. (2008). Intimate partner violence within the Chinese community in San Francisco: Problem gambling as a risk factor. J Fam Viol. Retrieved from http://apiproblemgambling.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Problem-Gambling-and- Domestic-Violence.pdf