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The links between Domestic Violence and Child Abuse: how to move away from blaming mothers?

Rosana Morgado (ESS/UFRJ/Brazil)

+University of Hertfordshire

Post PHD Programme: Professor Shulamit Ramon – Centre for Mental Health Recovery(UH) - 2010

Research: Main Interest: How are mothers seen by the professionals when their children are victims of Child Abuse?

Methodology:

- Systematic Literature Review;

- Analysing different programmes;

- Interviewing: key professionals from different services/programmes.

+A snapshot of Brazilian demography

Total area (km2): 851.4876.599

Total Population in 2000: 170 million

2010 : 190.732.694 million

Men: 93.390.532 million

Women: 97.342.162 million

Amazon Forest

Rio de Janeiro

+Inequalities

Of the 15 most unequal countries in the world Brazil is in third position. The GINI index is: 0.56 Behind: Bolivia (0.60) and South Africa (0.59) (PNUD- 2010)

Over the past 10 years people living in slums have decreased 16%. Nevertheless, according to ONU (2010), one of the "urban corridors" slums in Brazil is the region between the cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, which has 43 million inhabitants, about one third of the population.

In 2008 - 18, 7 million people lived on less than ¼ of minimum wage per month (= $ 25 pounds)

16% of young people between 15-17 years are out of school (2008)

+Violence against Women

Brazil is the12th position in the world ranking of homicides against women, with a rate of 4.2 murders per 100.000 inhabitants (in Europe the rate is 0.5 per 100.000 inhabitants);

A woman is killed every two hours40% of them are between 18 and 30 years old;

Some Brazilian cities, such as Alto Alegre (North- Roraima) and Silva Jardim (Rio de Janeiro) record murder rates of women near the highest in the world.

+Is DV a priority in Brazil?

No, Domestic Violence is not considered a priority problem compared with other kinds of violence or inequalities.

WHY? Some reasons:

The 60s - System of Dictatorship

Early 80s - re-democratization - reorganization of political parties and social movements

In 1988 - Adoption of New Constitution to guarantee and expand social and political rights.

+Conceptualization

In Brazil DV is a category used to explain violence against women, as well as violence against children and adolescents. It is used to analyze the violence in family relations or in relations between close people, such as godparents.

DV is still considered as an individual problem, linked to poverty and as a result of the misuse of alcohol or other drugs. Frequently the victims, mostly women and teenagers, are blamed. The gender perspective that explains DV as a result of power relations is not much discussed by the front line professionals.

+Laws and Policies – Children and Adolescents and Women In 1990, the approval of the National ‘Chart of Rights of the Child and

the Adolescent’ (ECA);

In 2002 - The National Plan Facing Sexual Violence against Children And Adolescents;

The implementation since 2006 of the Services for Facing Violence, Abuse and Sexual Exploitation of Children;

The creation in 2003 of The Special National Department of Policies for Women;

The approval in 2004 of the National Plan of Policies for Women;

The approval, in 2006, of the law known as “Maria da Penha” that criminalizes domestic violence against women and created Special Courts to DV. Although we have reached some achievements in recent years…

+The links between children

protection and women protection

“If a woman is abused there is a high probability that her children will also be abused. (A study of hospital cases of child abuse found violence to the mother from the father recorded in 45% of them. (Radford, Blacklock and Iwi, 2006)” (National evaluation report: Sure Start Local Programmes and Domestic Abuse, 2007).

Humphreys, et al, highlighted that: “The earlier section on the research evidence in relation to children and domestic abuse makes clear the links between women and children’s experiences of domestic abuse. This raises particular issues for responding to the child protection and child abuse issues for children”. (Humphreys, et al, 2008)

+The links between children

protection and women protection

“Women have been either urged to stay with their abuse partners for the sake of the children or more recently blamed for the ‘failure to protect’ through not separating from violent men” (Stanley & Humphreys, 2006:9).

The “Three Planets” Developed by Hester (2004):

Planet A: Domestic Violence: Violent Male Partner: criminal and civil law, considered a crime, gendered: “male perpetrators”; Planet B : Child Protection: Mother Failing to protect: (public law) welfare approach rather than criminalized, state intervention is abusive families, not gendered: “ abusive families”; Planet C : Visitation and Contact: “Good enough father” : (private law) negotiated or mediated outcome, neutral and ungendered; parental responsibility.”

+The links between children

protection and women protection

Women/mothers continue to be blamed for not protecting their children, without considering what are their real chances to be protective. One of the strategies developed by violent men is to destroy women’s self-esteem, causing them doubts about their capabilities, including their ability to be a good mother. Without appropriate professional training it will not be possible to overcome this blame culture.

“From blaming mothers to providing positive support”. (Radford & Hester, 2006).

+The links between children

protection and women protection

It is important to note that mothers develop some strategies to protect their children, and it is also very important to ask them about their strategies in order to strength them: a) Sending children to the home of friends or family (especially if violence occurs more on weekends); b) Sleep in the same room with the children; c) Put the children to sleep before the partner arrives; d) Never leave children alone with the partner. (Davies and Lyons, 1998:75)

+The links between children

protection and women protection

When society or professionals expect that the woman alone should be capable of protecting children from a violent man, this leads yet again to blaming her.

Humphreys highlighted twelve years ago how important it is to overcome blaming mothers to support them, as a way to protect children: “Progressing the idea that protecting and supporting the child’s mother in situation of DV is also good child protection” (Humphreys, 2000: vii)

And highlighted it again eight years later: “Without the recognition that abused women require a support service in their own right, the ability for them to respond appropriately to the child protection needs of their children may be limited”.(Humphreys, et al.2008)

+Working Together

Serious Cases Review:

In Brazil, when cases come to the news they are quickly discarded, without leading to no review on what could have been done to protect the child. Anyway, I think that SCRs procedures should always be adopted with caution seconded by Munro(2008): “it is not a case of blaming one or another professional, but to improve the protection system”.

I think it is an excellent recommendation to Brazil.

+Working Together

MARAC

I consider this type of conference very productive to increase the safety of the victims. In Brazil we don’t have this kind of systematic meeting. When a case is discussed by professionals from different services it happens by individual initiative rather than by an institutional protocol.

+Challenges in Brazil

To Make DV a priority in the political agenda of Brazilian’s Govermment;

To Develop Local and National data;

To Develop awareness that DV is a social phenomenon;

To Increase the number of Services and Programmes;

To Increase the number of professionals;

To Intensify professional ongoing training;

To Intensify the co-ordanation beteween Services and Programmes – Developing Protocols.

+References

Lord Laming (2009) “The Protection of Children in England: a Progress Report”.

HESTER, M. (2006) “Asking about Domestic Violence – Implications for Practice”. In: Domestic Violence and Child Protection. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Home Office Statistical Bulletin, Crime in England & Wales 2007/08.

HUMPHREYS, C. and STANLEY, N. (2006) Domestic Violence and Child Protection. Directions for Good Practice. London: Jessica K. Publishers. 

HUMPHREYS, C. (2000). Social Work, domestic violence and child protections. University of Bristol.

MUNRO, E. (2008). Effective Child Protection. 2nd edition, London: Sage Publications.

RADFORD, L. and HESTER, M. (2006) Mothering Through Domestic Violence. Jessica K. Publishers.

STAFFORD, A., VICENT, S., PARTON, N. (2010) Child protection reform across the UK. Scotland: Dunedin Academic Press Ltd.

Stanley, N., Miller, P., Richardson Foster, H, Thomson, G.. (2010) Children and families experiencing domestic violence: Police and children’s social services’ responses ,www.nspcc.org.uk/inform

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