Understanding Women's Experiences Parenting in the Context of Domestic Violence: Implications for Community and Court-Related Service Providers

• NCJ Number: 221755
• Author(s): Peter G. Jaffe Ph.D.; Claire V. Crooks Ph.D.
• Date Published: February 2005
• Length: 15 pages
• Grant Number(s): 98-WT-VX-K001
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women
• Sale Source: NCJRS Photocopy Services; Minnesota Ctr Against Violence & Abuse (MINCAVA)
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper identifies and discusses seven central themes that highlight the intersection between woman abuse and parenting, and offers specific implications and recommendations for community and court service providers.

Abstract

Seven identified themes central in understanding the dynamics of domestic violence and parenting include: (1) women's parenting may be affected by the experience of violence; (2) professionals struggle to differentiate conflict from violence; (3) abused women often face continuing risks from their partner after separation; (4) children are negatively affected by exposure to domestic violence; (5) domestic violence is highly relevant to the determination of child custody; (6) the significance of domestic violence is often overlooked by family courts, lawyers, and court-related services; and (7) abused women often experience difficulty accessing appropriate legal and mental health for themselves and their children. Based on these themes, five recommendations are offered for providing appropriate services to abused women and their children in the context of community and court-related services. These recommendations include: (1) a need for ongoing risk assessment and management; (2) a need for service providers to be trained about children's exposure to domestic violence, and how to discuss these concerns with mothers; (3) the need for safety to be prioritized in intervention planning; (4) domestic violence needs to be assessed in custody proceedings; and (5) the need of court personnel to require specific training. Even though there is an increasing recognition in the social service and justice systems that domestic violence has a pervasive, negative impact on victims, the understanding of this impact is typically not extended to women functioning as parents. This paper identifies and discusses seven central themes that highlight the intersection between woman abuse and parenting. Community and court service providers are offered specific implications and recommendations. References