Question

Police have called you to the scene of a domestic disturbance. At the scene, you find a woman with a lacerated lip and a man in police custody. Both parties are denying that any abuse occurred; however, a neighbor reports hearing 'angry screaming.' After conferring with law enforcement, which of the following pieces of information would most raise your index of suspicion for partner abuse?

1) The woman has a history of self-inflicted injuries
2) The man has a criminal record for assault
3) The woman has a history of mental illness
4) The man has a history of substance abuse

Answer 1

The man having a criminal record for assault would most raise suspicion for partner abuse.

Step-by-step explanation:

The piece of information that would most raise suspicion for partner abuse in this scenario is option 2) The man has a criminal record for assault.

A criminal record for assault indicates a history of violent behavior, which increases the likelihood of partner abuse. It suggests that the man has a propensity for physical violence, making it more plausible that he could have inflicted the laceration on the woman's lip.

Although the other options contain relevant information, such as the woman's history of self-inflicted injuries and mental illness, and the man's history of substance abuse, none of these factors directly indicate a likelihood of partner abuse in this specific situation, so they would not raise suspicion as much as the criminal record for assault.