NCJ Number
230497
Journal
Violence Against Women Volume: 16 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2010 Pages: 516-523
Date Published
May 2010
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This commentary examines the issues brought to the forefront by Douglas and Walsh's research on the often problematic and negative outcomes for both women and children experiencing violence resulting from contradictory practices of professionals dealing with domestic violence, as it applies within the English context.
Abstract
Douglas and Walsh's research in Australia shows destructive patterns at the interface between child protection and women living with domestic violence. Though the research is about Australia, this issue is equally valid and relevant in many countries. Douglas and Walsh's research supports the view that children are sometimes better supported where the battered woman is properly supported and protected; supporting a holistic approach to service delivery. However, in England the approach used by social workers to assess families (the Framework for Assessment) relies on a notion of families as dysfunctional, not separating parents into (violent) fathers and (protective) mothers. The tools provided for social workers on the child protection issue do not make it easy to understand the dynamics of domestic violence, nor why women may behave and react as they do when they are victimized by male partners. Note and references