Can Mikvah Attendants Spot Abuse? Sweifach & LaPorte say "Yes!"

Dr. Jay Sweifach and Dr. Heidi Heft LaPorte are conducting research investigating the extent to which mikvah (ritual bath) attendents recognize and respond to cases of domestic violence. Sweifach and LaPorte believe that Mikvah attendants are in a unique position to respond to domestic violence, in that they are responsible for checking women before they immerse in the water and may see evidence of abuse. The researchers believe that attendents can be trained to spot abuse, and preliminary findings suggest that some attendents have already been trained to do so. The researchers believe that findings from the research can be used to refine and develop protocols that can assist mikvah attendants in enhancing their role as front line responders to domestic violence and other types of abuse.