Striving to be 'Good' Mothers: Abused Women's Experiences of Mothering

• NCJ Number: 232374
• Journal: Child Abuse Review Volume: 19 Issue: 5 Dated: September-October 2010 Pages: 342-357
• Author(s): Simon Lapierre
• Date Published: September 2010
• Length: 16 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la société et la culture (FQRSC); University of Warwick; Universities UK
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

This study examined women's experiences of mothering in the context of domestic violence.

Abstract

So far, limited work has focused on women's experiences of mothering in the context of domestic violence. This article presents the findings of a study that investigated women's experiences of mothering in the context of domestic violence and, while it accounts for the difficulties and challenges these women face, it emphasizes their desire to be 'good' mothers and the strategies they develop in order to achieve 'good' mothering. The findings demonstrate that abused women typically strive to be 'good' mothers, which requires them to put their children first and to protect and care for them. The recognition of these strategies provides ground to question current professional practices and to develop interventions that will best support women and children living with domestic violence. References (Published Abstract)