Participatory research methods increase the quality and relevance of a study and are a key element of community practice. However, participatory methods can be difficult to employ at the outset of a research study with vulnerable, hard-to-reach populations. Intimate partner violence survivors are a particularly vulnerable population who are at increased risk of experiencing abuse-related trauma and have distinct safety-related needs. In order to engage survivor populations, researchers can employ survivor-centered, trauma-informed approaches to build trust and develop relationships that facilitate increased engagement in the research process over time. This paper outlines the methods and strategies that academic partners used to establish, increase, and maintain participatory engagement with women who experienced harm by intimate partners. The process began with a community-based, qualitative needs assessment study for survivors whose partners were in a relationship violence intervention program. In addition to responding to specific aims, this study simultaneously helped to create a pool of potential collaborators. Academic partners used member checking to establish trustworthiness of the study findings and introduce the participants to the concepts of participatory engagement. Next, researchers established an advisory group to develop practice recommendations, which ultimately led to academic and community partners co-designing a community-based dissemination project. We discuss successes and tensions inherent in the engagement process, important lessons learned, and provide recommendations for future community practice.

As formal crisis responders, police are trained in de-escalation tactics that are expected to mitigate intimate partner violence and promote survivor safety. However, the alignment between expected and actual practice of police intervention varies, especially when the survivor does not initiate the call, police treat the survivor poorly, or provide an undesirable arrest outcome. At best, unsuccessful interventions do not change survivors’ risk level, and at worse, elevate their risk of experiencing harm. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore survivors’ perspectives on the process of police intervention, specifically how variations in initiation, quality of engagement, and arrest influence survivors’ safety. Twenty-four women whose partners were in a relationship violence intervention program were recruited to participate in the study. Results showed that many survivors described a range of ongoing, strategic violence perpetrated by their partners that required intervention; yet the complex nature of the violence often extended beyond police capacity. Either survivors called the police, or they were initiated externally by neighbors or strangers; some survivors had dual initiations. Whether survivors reported that police used safety practices during the intervention was related to who initiated the police. Arrests of abusive partners were inconsistent, and they varied based on number of previous calls to the police and visible signs of injury. Survivors of color, specifically Black women, self-initiated at higher rates, experienced fewer safety strategies used by police, and had fewer arrests. No matter the outcomes of police intervention, survivors actively engaged in strategies outside of formal systems to protect themselves and their families. Study results imply that police intervention may be ill-suited to support survivors’ safety goals and highlight a need for alternative interventions focused on de-escalation and prevention.