Parenting in the Context of Domestic Violence
Parenting in the Context of
Domestic Violence: Initial
Findings
Children in Crisis Conference, 2013 Claire Troon, FASS, University of Waikato
Outline:
Overview of literature
Background to research
Initial findings
Implications
Overview of literature: Impact on children
High correlation between domestic violence against a spouse and child maltreatment
(Appel & Holden, 1998;
Edleson, 1999)
Behavioural, emotional and cognitive functions of children as well as their belief systems
(Jaffe, Hurley & Wolfe,
1990; Bancroft & Silverman, 2002)
Development adversely affected
(Margolin & Gordis, 2000)
Overview of literature: Impact on mothers
Mothers are more stressed and significant undermining of their parenting/authority
(Holden & Ritchie, 1991, Holden et al., 1998,
Levendosky, Lynch & Graham-Bermann, 2000)
Continuation of violence post-separation
(Jaffe, Lemon &
Poisson, 2002; Scott & Crooks, 2004)
Day-to-day care and contact arrangements may serve as means to further abuse children and women
(McMahon &
Pence, 1995; Perel & Peled, 2007)
Overview of literature: The batterer as parent
Attitudinal and behavioural characteristics provide grounding for parenting style
Authoritarian parenting practices
Underinvolvement/irresponsibility
Self-centredness
(Bancroft et al., 2012; Holden & Ritchie, 1991;
Margolin, John, Ghosh, & Gordis, 1996; Peled, 2000).
Maori family violence:
Traditional child-rearing practices: shared responsibility, children are taonga, importance of whakapapa
Breakdown of traditions and values due to colonisation
Traditional Maori child-care practices have changed (Balzer et al., 1997; Kruger et al., 2004)
Overview of literature: Recovery in aftermath of violence
Voices of mothers:
Separation of the ‘violent world’ and children’s world’
(Peled and Barak
Gil , 2011)
Children ought to have contact with fathers
(Tubbs & Williams, 2007; Jaffe &
Crook, 2007)
Cannot be ‘good fathers’ unless they change abusive behaviours
(Tubbs
& Williams, 2007).
Want more attention paid to ‘fathering’ in programmes
(Arean & Davis,
2007)
Children’s voices:
Ambivalent about their feelings towards their fathers
(Groves el al., 2007;
Peled, 2000)
Fathers perceptions:
Shame and remorse
(Litton Fox, Sayers & Bruce, 2001)
The ‘good father’ image
(Perel & Peled, 2008)
Yearn for close and warm relationships with children
(Perel & Peled,
2008)
Overview of literature: Facilitating Recovery
Children require a strong bond with non-abusing, nurturing parent
(Graham-Bermann & Levendosky, 1998; Jaffe & Geffner, 1998; Margolin
& Gordis, 2000)
Mothering interventions: focus on strengths and experiences/ healing mother-child relationship
(Levendosky, Lynch & Graham-Bermann,
2000)
Fathering interventions:
Stopping violence programmes: opportunity to address abusive men’s parenting (
Scott et al., 2007; Bancroft et al., 2012).
Standard parenting programmes not sufficient : unintended consequences
(Bancroft et al., 2012).
Attitudinal and behavioural characteristics to be addressed first
(Bancroft et al., 2012; Peled & Perel, 2007; Scott et al., 2007).
Purpose of research:
We need to know more about...
Parenting by men who batter:
Implications for father-child and mother-child relationships
Batterers’ perceptions of their parenting role
Intervention
Research objective:
1. What are the perceptions of women (as victims of domestic violence) and men (as perpetrators of domestic violence) on the impact of violence on children, and the ability to be a mother and father ?
Background to research: HAIP
The Hamilton Abuse Intervention Project (HAIP)
Coordinated community response
Curriculum
Pro-feminist model
DAIP/ Power and Control
Culturally adapted
Men’s programmes
Maori and tauiwi
26 weeks
Women’s programmes
Background to research: Methodology
Feminist perspective
Participant recruitment
Criteria: Men and women who have children (biological or are the parent/caregiver of children) who resided with one of the parties during the abusive relationship.
Data collection:
Semi-structured interviews with men (4 Maori/ 5 tauiwi)
Focus groups with women (5 Maori /5 tauiwi)
Thematic analysis
Initial findings: Impact on children
Women’s perceptions: Men’s perceptions:
Exposure to violence
Suppressed emotions
Social learning
Child as protector/parent
Fear
Social Learning
Child as protector
Children too young
Initial findings: Impact on women/mothers
Women’s perceptions:
Emotional impact
Isolation
Guilt/ self-blame
Supressed anger
Controlling parenting
Mother-child relationship
Becoming protector
Manipulation
Men’s perceptions:
Fear
Using child as weapon
No Impact (some men)
Initial findings: Impact on batterer’s parenting
Women’s perceptions:
Inactive parent
Authoritarian
Façade
Men’s perceptions:
Inactive parent
Authoritarian
Transgenerational violence
Motivation to complete/participate
Initial findings: The recovery process
Women’s perceptions:
Should have contact
Children need fathers
Importance of
Whanau/whakapapa
Better father now
Shouldn’t have contact
Continued abuse
Men’s perceptions:
Supervised access
Diminished bond
Remorse
Overview: Key findings
Significant effects of DV on children and mothers
Negative parenting practices evident
Violence continues post-separation (contact arrangements)
Emphasis on children’s needs in healing in aftermath of violence
Becoming a better father- source of motivation for change
Implications: intervention/policy and practice
Fathers need intervention to become non-violent parents
Emphasis on:
Ending violence against children's mother
Negative parenting practices
Format/ models?
Safety?
Supporting children’s relationships with non-abusive parent paramount
White Paper on Vulnerable children (2012)
Cultural considerations
Co-ordinated community response
