NCJ Number
230496
Journal
Violence Against Women Volume: 16 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2010 Pages: 509-515
Date Published
May 2010
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article reviews and responds to Douglas and Walsh's naming of several aspects of the unsatisfactory and problematic interface between child protection and its work with women living with domestic violence.
Abstract
In an article written by Douglas and Walsh, workers in the specialist domestic violence organizations, at least 10 different aspects of the unsatisfactory crossing point between child protection and its work with women living with domestic violence were outlined. The structure and nature of the problem goes beyond the intentions and practice of individual workers. This article focuses on two of these aspects flagged by Douglas and Walsh: the drawing of a narrow boundary around child protection concerns which fail to take account of post-separation violence, and the lack of understanding of the domestic violence dynamic which includes an attack on the mother-child relationship. Today many significant inroads are being made to try to break the unhelpful divide between the domestic violence and child protection sectors. However, given the entrenched nature of child protection practice, the difficulties ahead should not be underestimated. The solution requires new resources, new practices, and new skills that break through the traditional stereotypes developed in each sector. References