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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon

Time: 9:43 pm

Results for victims of family violence

41 results found

Author: Fish, Ellen

Title: Bad Mothers and Invisible Fathers: Parenting in the Context of Domestic Violence

Summary: This discussion paper reviews research on mothering and fathering in the context of domestic violence. The paper draws on recent research from the United Kingdom, North America and Australia to illuminate how domestic violence affects women's abilities to mother a couple's children and how mothering in such situations can trap women in gendered violence.

Details: Collingwood, VIC: Domestic Violence and Incest Resource Centre, 2009. 50p.

Source: Discussion Paper No. 7

Year: 2009

Country: Australia

URL:

Shelf Number: 116307

Keywords:
Abused Wives
Domestic Violence
Family Violence
Victims of Family Violence

Author: Hindin, Michelle J.

Title: Intimate Partner Violence among Couples in 10 DHS Countries: Predictors and Health Outcomes

Summary: This report analyzes data from 10 recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS): Bangladesh (2004), Bolivia (2003/2004), the Dominican Republic (2002), Haiti (2005), Kenya (2003), Malawi (2004), Moldova (2005), Rwanda (2005), Zambia (2001/2002), and Zimbabwe (2005/2006). The first part of the report provides prevalence estimates of violence experienced by women within couples who were in marital or cohabiting partnerships at the time of the DHS survey. Next, the report uses characteristics of both women and their husbands/cohabiting partners and characteristics of their relationship, household, and community to evaluate which currently partnered women are most at risk. The final part of the report looks at health outcomes potentially related to women's experience of intimate partner violence. The report focuses on currently married or cohabiting women age 20-44. In addition, the correlates of violence analysis is restricted to couples in which both partners were interviewed; this restriction does not, however, apply to the section on the analysis of health outcomes.

Details: Calberton, MD: Macro International Inc., 2008. 78p.

Source: Internet Resource; DHS Analytical Studies No. 18

Year: 2008

Country: International

URL:

Shelf Number: 113243

Keywords:
Domestic Violence
Family Violence
Intimate Violence
Victims of Family Violence

Author: George, Christine C.

Title: Analysis of Shelter Utilization by Victims of Domestic Violence - Quantitative Analysis. Final Technical Report

Summary: This report addresses two primary issues: 1) The shelter and service utilization patterns and outcomes and housing needs of women who are domestic violence victims, and 2) the stages in the process by which they make changes in their situation.

Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2010. 206p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 118689

Keywords:
Domestic Violence (Chicago)
Family Violence
Shelters
Victims of Crime, Services for
Victims of Family Violence
Violence Against Women

Author: Chemonics International Inc.

Title: Creation of a Community Coordinated Response Team Against Domestic Violence in Albania

Summary: This manual is intended as a resource for law enforcement, prosecution, the health, social service and the NGO sector and the judiciary to begin the process of improving Albania's response to victims of domestic violence.

Details: Washington, DC: United Sttes Agency for International Development, 2006. 80p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2006

Country: Albania

URL:

Shelf Number: 118742

Keywords:
Domestic Violence, Manual
Family Violence
Victims of Family Violence

Author: Davis, Robert C.

Title: Effects of Second Responder Programs on Repeat Incidents of Family Abuse

Summary: This paper reports the results of a systematic review of the effects of second responder programs on repeat incidents of family violence. An exhaustive search yielded ten studies (including three that were unpublished) that met our criteria that included: (a) following a report of a family violence incident to the police, a second response that included a home visit, (b) a comparison group, and (c) at least one measure of repeat family violence. Fixed and random effects metaanalysis indicated that the second response intervention did not affect the likelihood of new abuse as reported on victim surveys, but did slightly increase the odds of a new report made to the police. We interpret these results to mean that the intervention does not affect the continuation or cessation of family violence, but does somewhat increase victims’ willingness to report incidents to the authorities when they occur.

Details: Oslo: Campbell Collaboration, 2008. 41p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2010 at: http://campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/233/

Year: 2008

Country: United States

URL: http://campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/233/

Shelf Number: 119744

Keywords:
Battered Women
Family Violence
Repeat Victimization
Spouse Abuse
Victims of Family Violence
Violence Against Women

Author: Logan, T.K.

Title: The Kentucky Civil Protective Order Study: A Rural and Urban Multiple Perspective Study of Protective Order Violation Consequences, Responses, and Cost

Summary: Intimate partner violence affects thousands of women each year and results in substantial personal and societal costs. In response to the need for victim protection, states have established civil protective orders (PO). This study addresses several gaps in the research literature on civil protective orders by examining PO effectiveness, enforcement, and cost effectiveness. A selected rural area and a selected urban area were compared to better understand subtle jurisdictional differences. This study used multiple data sources including victim self-reports, key informant interviews, and court data on offenders in order to address three major questions: (1) Rural versus urban similarities and differences: Do community contextual factors matter? This question was answered by examining official data and the current literature on rural versus urban differences and by examining rural and urban key informant (n=188) perceptions of factors associated with responses to PO violations to better understand community contextual factors in addressing partner violence. (2) Civil protective orders: Justice or just a piece of paper? This question was answered by following 106 rural and 107 urban women at baseline, 3-months, and 6-months after receiving a PO to examine partner violence prior to obtaining a PO and after obtaining a PO as well as the PO process, PO violations, victim decisions regarding whether or not to report the violations, and justice system responses to reported violations (99% follow-up rate, n=210). Also, civil and criminal system histories and justice system responses to PO violations were examined using official court records on PO respondents in the cases involving the rural and urban women who participated in the study. (3) Costs of protective orders versus partner violence: Is it really worth it? This question was answered by examining personal and societal costs of ongoing partner violence, including costs to the justice system and to victim quality of life, six months before and six months after a protective order was obtained to better understand the full spectrum of costs associated with partner violence and the economic impact of protective orders on partner violence and abuse. Results showed that half (50%) of the study participants indicated that the protective order had been violated while half did not during the six months after receiving the protective order. Even for those who experienced protective order violations, the abuse was significantly reduced over time. However, results also suggest that community contextual factors do matter in the protective order process and in the enforcement of protective orders. For example, more urban than rural PO violators had protective order violation charges during the six month follow-up period. Further, stalking the six months prior to obtaining the protective order was significantly associated with protective order violations even after controlling for a number of relevant variables. Finally, a wide range of costs was examined for each participant including medical, mental health, criminal justice, legal, lost earnings, property losses, and time lost for family and civic responsibilities as well as an index of quality of life six months before the protective order and six months after the protective order was issued. Overall, including changes in quality of life, protective orders saved the state $85 million in a single year, a moderate estimate of cost savings. When the quality of life index is excluded from the cost analysis, study results show that victim safety is positively impacted by protective orders at very little cost except in cases with stalking. This study advances knowledge about PO effectiveness, enforcement, and costs, and provides information for policies and practice to increase both the effectiveness of protective orders and ultimately the safety of women threatened by partner violence in different jurisdictions.

Details: Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky, Department of Behavioral Science, 2009. 175p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 10, 2010 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/228350.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/228350.pdf

Shelf Number: 116664

Keywords:
Costs of Crime
Intimate Partner Violence
Restraining Orders
Stalking
Victims of Family Violence
Violence Against Women

Author: Morgan, Mandy

Title: An Evaluation of the Waitakere Family Violence Court Protocols

Summary: The Waitakere Family Violence Court convenes weekly within the Waitakere District Court. It involves professional, state and community agents in a dynamic process of coordinated response to family violenc offences. The unique practices of the Corut are regulated by protocols that have evolved since 1992. The aims of the current protocols (2005) are: to overcome systemic delays in Court process; to minimize damage to families by delan; to concentrate specialist services within the Court process; to protect the victims of family violence consistent with the rights of defendants; to promote a holistic approach in the response to family violence; and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. This preliminary reports begins with a brief intoduction to the social context in which the Waitakere Family Violence Court is currently set. Following an introductory backgound, it presents the story of the Court that has emerged from a two stage analysis of participant data and documentary evidence.

Details: Palmerston North, New Zealand: Massey University; Waitakere City, New Zealand: WAVES, 2007. 98p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 13, 2010 at: http://www.massey.ac.nz/~psyweb/pdf/Family-Court-Protocols_Apr2007.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: New Zealand

URL: http://www.massey.ac.nz/~psyweb/pdf/Family-Court-Protocols_Apr2007.pdf

Shelf Number: 117323

Keywords:
Family Violence
Family Violence Courts
Victims of Family Violence

Author: U.S. Government Accountability Office

Title: Military Personnel: Sustained Leadership and Oversight Needed to Improve DOD's Prevention and Treatment of Domestic Abuse

Summary: In 2001, the Deputy Secretary of Defense stated that domestic violence will not be tolerated in the Department of Defense (DOD). Despite this posture, DOD's clinical database indicates that 8,223 incidents met criteria for domestic abuse in fiscal year 2009. However, because this database includes only cases reported to military clinical offices, it does not represent all cases. In response to a congressional request, GAO evaluated whether DOD is able to determine the effectiveness of its domestic abuse efforts. To conduct this review, GAO reviewed legislative requirements and DOD guidance, analyzed domestic abuse data, and interviewed officials involved in domestic abuse prevention and treatment and persons eligible to receive services at five military bases. DOD has taken some actions to prevent and treat domestic abuse in response to recommendations made by the Defense Task Force on Domestic Violence in 2001 through 2003 and by GAO in a 2006 report. However, DOD has no oversight framework with goals, milestones, and metrics with which to determine the effectiveness of its efforts. This issue is complicated by uncertainty regarding the completeness of DOD's data on domestic abuse. In 2007, DOD issued guidance on military protective orders after GAO had found that its lack of guidance had resulted in inconsistent practices. However, DOD closed its Family Violence Policy Office in 2007, which had staff dedicated to overseeing the implementation of recommendations made by the Defense Task Force, after DOD had taken action on some key recommendations. At that time, the specific responsibilities of that office for overseeing implementation of the remaining Task Force recommendations were not reassigned, although overall oversight responsibility remained with the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. DOD guidance assigns many domestic abuse-related responsibilities to this office, including responsibility for developing DOD's domestic abuse instruction and ensuring compliance. GAO found the following examples in which having sustained leadership attention and an oversight framework would have helped guide DOD in obtaining information that would allow it to fully manage its efforts and determine their effectiveness: (1) Significant DOD guidance has been in draft since 2006. As a result, the services are anticipating ways to implement the draft guidance, which contains, among other things, new guidelines for the services' clinical treatment and evaluation boards, without finalized guidance. (2) The database intended to satisfy legislative requirements enacted in 2000 continues to provide incomplete data, and DOD still collects domestic abuse data in two databases. In 2006, GAO reported on data discrepancies in these databases and recommended that they be reconciled. This recommendation remains open, and those problems continue today. Because DOD cannot provide accurate numbers of domestic abuse incidents, it cannot analyze trends. (3) It is DOD policy to target families most at risk of domestic abuse, but DOD has not defined goals for its efforts or metrics with which to measure progress. DOD collects only information on gender, rank, age, and substance use. Without information on other factors, such as length and number of deployments, DOD will be unable to fully analyze risk factors. During GAO's site visits, these factors were routinely mentioned. (4) DOD lacks metrics for measuring the effectiveness of its awareness campaigns. As a result, it does not know how to direct its resources most effectively. Without sustained leadership and an oversight framework, DOD will remain unable to assess the effectiveness of its efforts to prevent and treat domestic abuse. GAO recommends that DOD finalize guidance on how the services are to comply with DOD policies and develop an oversight framework to guide its efforts to prevent and treat domestic abuse that includes collecting data on contributing factors and establishing metrics to determine the effectiveness of DOD's awareness campaigns. In commenting on a draft of this report, DOD generally concurred with GAO's recommendations.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2010. 42p.

Source: Internet Resource: GAO-10-923: Accessed October 14, 2010 at: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10923.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10923.pdf

Shelf Number: 119965

Keywords:
Domestic Violence
Family Violence
Military Personnel
Spouse Abuse
Victims of Family Violence
Violence Against Women

Author: Lowe, Trudy

Title: Integrating the Independent Domestic Violence Advisor and Flying Start: A Process and Outcome Evaluation: Final Report

Summary: The objective of this research was to evaluate the innovative pilot provision of an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) working as part of a Flying Start team located within a defined school catchment area in Cardiff. The aim of this initiative is to explore how integrated multi-agency working can improve the quality of a victim-focussed service delivered in complex cases of children and adults at risk of violence in the home.

Details: Cardiff, Wales: Universities' Police Science Institute, Cardiff University, 2009. 54p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 28, 2010 at: http://www.upsi.org.uk/resources/IDVA.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.upsi.org.uk/resources/IDVA.pdf

Shelf Number: 120113

Keywords:
Child Abuse
Domestic Violence
Family Violence
Victims of Family Violence

Author: Meyer, Silke

Title: Responding to Intimate Partner Violence Victimisation: Effective Options for Help-Seeking

Summary: Approximately one in four women in most Western nations are at risk of becoming a victim of intimate partner violence (IPV). Interventions for IPV victims have shown to be significant in preventing negative outcomes. Using data from the International Violence Against Women Survey, this paper examines predictors of help-seeking by IPV victims and considers whether such responses are influenced by the severity of abuse experienced. Many IPV victims seek assistance informally from family and friends in the first instance and that experience may affect subsequent attempts to seek help from more formal sources. This study found that victims of IPV are more likely to explore formal avenues of support when married to the abusive partner, have children who have witnessed incidents of abuse, have used drugs or alcohol to cope with abuse and where the abusive partner has previously received counselling for his behaviour. It was found that in cases where the victim had experienced more severe types of abuse, and/or if they felt their life had been threatened during the most recent incident, there was a significantly increased likelihood of formal helpseeking. Collectively, these findings can inform the enhancement of current responses made by formal sources of support to better accommodate the needs of IPV victims and their children.

Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 6p.

Source: Internet Resource: Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 389: Accessed November 3, 2010 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/6/2/C/%7B62CAE35B-C4C7-4231-8163-911079CE46FE%7Dtandi389.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: International

URL: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/6/2/C/%7B62CAE35B-C4C7-4231-8163-911079CE46FE%7Dtandi389.pdf

Shelf Number: 120172

Keywords:
Family Violence
Intimate Partner Violence
Victims of Family Violence
Violence Against Women

Author: Quilgars, Deborah

Title: Meeting the Needs of Households at Risk of Domestic Violence in England: The Role of Accommodation and Housing-Related Support Services

Summary: This study explores the extent, scale and regional distribution of a wide range of housing related support for those at risk of domestic violence. It explores access to housing advice, refuge provision, other specialist accommodation, access to settled accommodation and the role of floating support.

Details: London: Department for Communities and Local Government, 2010. 193p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 27, 2010 at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/1778600.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/1778600.pdf

Shelf Number: 120286

Keywords:
Abused Wives
Domestic Violence
Family Violence
Housing
Victims of Crime, Services for
Victims of Family Violence

Author: National Council to Reduce Violence Against Women and Their Children

Title: Domestic Violence Laws in Australia

Summary: This report provides: an overview of all State and Territory and New Zealand domestic violence-specific laws providing for the making of protection orders; a comparative analysis of what behaviours constitute domestic violence for the purposes of those laws, and what relationship must exist between the persons concerned in order for the legislation to apply; a comparative analysis of the laws of each of the examined jurisdictions for the registration and enforcement of domestic violence protection orders made in other jurisdictions (‘portability’ of orders); a comparative analysis of the laws of the examined jurisdictions in relation to orders which operate to exclude a perpetrator of domestic violence from that person’s home (where the perpetrator and the victim would normally cohabit); a comparative analysis of the laws of the examined jurisdictions providing for counselling (both mandatory and voluntary) for perpetrators of domestic violence; an overview of the laws of the examined jurisdictions that make stalking an offence; an overview of the provisions in the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) that have particular significance in relation to domestic violence; and an analysis of areas where there is overlap and potential for conflict between orders or injunctions made under the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) and orders made under the State and Territory domestic violence protection orders legislation.

Details: Canberra: Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, 2009. 252p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 27, 2010 at: http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/women/pubs/violence/np_time_for_action/domestic_violence_laws/Documents/Domestic%20Violence%20Laws%20in%20Australia%20-%20June%202009.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/women/pubs/violence/np_time_for_action/domestic_violence_laws/Documents/Domestic%20Violence%20Laws%20in%20Australia%20-%20June%202009.pdf

Shelf Number: 120289

Keywords:
Domestic Violence (Australia)
Family Violence
Protection Orders
Stalking
Victims of Family Violence

Author: Krkeljic, Ljiljana

Title: Small Arms and Gender-Based Violence in Montenegro

Summary: Data shows that the family context, otherwise a synonym for protection and safety, in some situations becomes a source of violence and violation of fundamental human rights. It is known that domestic violence usually occurs when there is a need to gain and maintain dominance and control over another human being. All the data obtained in the course of this research show that women are the primary victims of family violence, and also suffer other forms of violence outside the home. The United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women describes violence against women as a “manifestation of historically unequal power relations between men and women”. At the same time, violence is one of the “crucial social mechanisms by which women are forced into a subordinate position compared with men.” Although domestic violence in Montenegro, just like anywhere else in the world, violates many rights protected by international human rights conventions and also constitutes a violation of domestic laws, one of the biggest obstacles in recognising family violence as a violation of human rights is the belief that “personal” bodily injuries and emotional distress suffered within one’s family are not subject to any law, be it domestic or international. This is also one of the biggest obstacles to victims seeking help and protection. Considering the fact that in such a social environment we see a willingness on the part of women to seek and receive help, the results obtained are highly relevant for understanding gender-based violence. As for domestic violence in Montenegro, defined as a pattern of abuse and use of force including threats, isolation and intimidation, the use of firearms deepens the issue of violence considerably, posing a direct threat to the life of the victim, and to her physical and mental integrity. Since it is men who mostly own arms, and judging by the statements of battered women that it is their husbands, partners, brothers and sons who threaten them with weapons, women are paying a high price for the presence of firearms in the home. Violence against women involving the use of firearms is not an inevitable phenomenon, but a result of tolerance of, and leniency and towards the issue, which is part of Montenegrinhistoric and cultural patterns. No matter what the social context of domestic violence and violence against women may be like, the presence of weapons always has the same effect – the more weapons there are, the more danger to women they pose. Montenegrin society has some serious issues to tackle in order to prevent the abuse of small arms and to curb the culture of armed violence, which is, considering the current situation (vis-a vis the presence of arms in Montenegrin homes) a highly complex task. The reasons for this lie in the immediate destructive effect of the use of firearms in violent behaviour, as well as in the socialisation effects of such patterns, which may have a trans-generational character as role models for behaviour. Awareness of the fact that armed violence poses a risk to life and health, and that the family context in which it happens does not reduce this risk, should be a high priority issue when considering strategies for the reduction of civilian possession of small arms. The pattern of keeping armed violence within the boundaries of family secrets and the traditional role of women as their guardians means that responses to violence necessitate help both for the victim and for the perpetrator. In order to develop such awareness in Montenegrin society there needs to be proper victim protection mechanisms in order to develop a sense of safety and trust in society’s response to domestic violence. Protection mechanisms would function most effectively if they operate within a multi-sectoral approach and involve various forms of protection from the police, the judiciary, and social and health care sectors at the same time as activities aimed at changing public attitudes and prejudices upon which many patterns of behaviour concerning the possession, carrying and use of arms are based.

Details: Porgorica, Montenegro: United Nations Development Programme, Montenegro, 2007. 50p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 14, 2010 at: http://www.seesac.org/uploads/Small_Arms_and_Gender-Based_Violence_in_Montenegro.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Europe

URL: http://www.seesac.org/uploads/Small_Arms_and_Gender-Based_Violence_in_Montenegro.pdf

Shelf Number: 120501

Keywords:
Battered Women
Domestic Violence (Montenegro)
Firearms
Victims of Family Violence
Violence Against Women

Author: Northern Ireland. Criminal Justice Inspection

Title: Domestic Violence and Abuse: A Thematic Inspection of the Handling of Domestic Violence and Abuse Cases by the Criminal Justice System in Northern Ireland

Summary: Domestic violence occurs regardless of gender, social group, class, religion, race, age, disability or sexuality. The problem is significant, with one domestic violence incident reported every 21 minutes. Whilst domestic violence and abuse has been found to significantly impact on women and children, men can also be victims of domestic violence and it also occurs in same sex relationships. This inspection considered the response of the criminal justice system to cases of domestic violence and abuse from initial reporting of the incident through to its investigation, prosecution and eventual court disposal. Tackling incidents of domestic violence is a complex problem for which there are no quick fix answers. As with other difficult crime areas, there are issues around the number of crimes reported to the police and the extent to which they are followed through the justice system. There is a clear need for justice organisations to ensure that victims of domestic violence and abuse receive the best possible service throughout Northern Ireland. The report identifies improvements in the approach adopted by justice agencies with a movement away from attitudes of ‘just another domestic’. This is to be welcomed as experience has shown that incidents of domestic violence and abuse if not dealt with appropriately, can escalate to often very tragic conclusions. This inspection did not find there was one single issue arising from the work of the system that would significantly improve its overall performance. Instead the report focuses on a series of steps that each of the justice agencies could undertake to improve the overall support provided to victims and ensure justice. The inspection identified some good practice including the links between the justice agencies and the voluntary and community sector and the service provided by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Domestic Abuse Officers. At the same time, the inspection identified areas for improvement including the need to provide greater consistency of service across PSNI Districts, the need to improve the quality of prosecutions presented in Court and the need for Independent Domestic Violence Advisors to advocate for and provide greater support to victims throughout the process.

Details: Belfast: Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland, 2010. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 16, 2010 at: http://www.prosenteret.no/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=218:foreign-prostitution-in-oslo-pro-sentret-v-bjrg-norli-2006&catid=17:prostitusjon&Itemid=60

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.prosenteret.no/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=218:foreign-prostitution-in-oslo-pro-sentret-v-bjrg-norli-2006&catid=17:prostitusjon&Itemid=60

Shelf Number: 120530

Keywords:
Battered Women
Domestic Violence (Northern Ireland)
Family Violence
Intimate Partner Violence
Victims of Family Violence

Author: Edleson, Jeffrey L.

Title: Multiple Perspectives on Battered Mothers and their Children Fleeing to the United States for Safety: A Study of Hague Convention Cases

Summary: Mothers who flee with their children because of domestic violence may have few other options to ensure their safety and that of their children in the face of their partner’s violence. Yet when their flight takes them across international boundaries, they become vulnerable to being legally treated as an “abducting” parent by the courts. This report focuses on the situations of women who experienced abuse in another country and came to the United States in an effort to protect themselves and their children, but who then faced civil actions in U.S. state or federal courts for child abduction under international legal agreements. We interviewed battered mothers around the world, their attorneys, their husbands’ attorneys and examined published judicial decisions in cases involving the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction where there were also allegations of domestic violence by one parent against the other. The research team interviewed 22 mothers who responded to Hague petitions in U.S. courts, 23 attorneys representing both mothers and fathers in these cases and five specialists, such as expert witnesses. The research team also analyzed 47 published U.S. Hague Convention court decisions involving allegations of domestic violence. Battered mothers who fled across borders to the U.S. to receive help from their families were often victims of life threatening violence, and their children were frequently directly or indirectly exposed to the father’s violence. The women sought but received little help from foreign authorities or social service agencies and received little help from U.S. authorities once they came to the U.S. In fact, these mothers – most of whom were U.S. citizens – often faced U.S. courts that were unsympathetic to their safety concerns and subsequently sent their children back to the custody of the abusive fathers in the other country, creating potential serious risks for the children and mothers.

Details: Final report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2010. 404p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 17, 2011 at: http://www.haguedv.org/reports/finalreport.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: International

URL: http://www.haguedv.org/reports/finalreport.pdf

Shelf Number: 121061

Keywords:
Battered Women
Child Abduction
Domestic Violence - Hague Convention
Family Violence
Victims of Family Violence

Author: Australia. Family Law Council.

Title: Improving Responses to Family Violence in the Family Law System: An Advice on the Intersection of Family Violence and Family Law Issues

Summary: This report to the Federal Attorney-General focuses on family violence if and when it becomes visible in the Family Law system in Australia. This visible pattern is only the tip of the iceberg of family violence, alcoholism, drug addiction and mental illness which is apparently entrenched in Australia. The Family Law Council report is only one of the multiple studies in progress at present on the causes, effects and responses to family violence in Australia. The report recommends: The definition of “family violence” in the Family Law Act be widened to include a range of threatening behaviour. That the Attorney General establish an expert panel under the direction of the Australian Institute of Family Studies to create an easy-to-understand “common knowledge base” on the known patterns and effects of family violence. This easily accessible information will assist to provide common and up-to-date information to all those involved in the family relationship and legal systems, including parents, relatives, counsellors, mediators, FRCS, legal aid officers, lawyers and courts. The Law Council of Australia and the Family Law Council co-operate to revise the booklet “Best Practice Guidelines for Lawyers Doing Family Law Work” to incorporate detailed information on family violence. A number of reforms take place to improve co-ordination and collaboration between the state and territory child protection agencies, and the federal Family Law Act, including: the transportability of state family violence injunctive orders; the establishment of a national register of family and violence orders ; and the establishment of a network data base which records family violence orders, and a residual family court power to require state Child Protection Agencies to become parties to Family Law Court proceedings about children. A further report be prepared on whether FDRP should be required to provide a report to the Family Law Courts or other bodies in some or all structure where family violence is admitted or suspected. The forms notifying the Family Law Courts about family violence be simplified. Consideration be given on how to educate the Australian public about certain widespread misunderstandings of the Family Law Act including: o Recurrent gossip that notification of family violence may lead to a judicial perception that the notifier is an “unfriendly parent” o Widespread perception that each parent now has a “starting right” to equal time (50/50) with children o Common belief that a parent will receive both substantial time with a child, and equal shared parental responsibility, (similar to historic (“guardianship”), despite a history of poor communication and hostility between parents; and despite the long term health and emotional consequences for children as casualties on such parental battlefields. These recommendations of the Family Law Council will need to be amalgamated with the various reports on family violence emerging in the next year.

Details: Barton, ACT, AUS: Family Law Council, 2009. 102p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2011 at: http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/rwpattach.nsf/VAP/(3273BD3F76A7A5DEDAE36942A54D7D90)~Family_Violence_Report.pdf/$file/Family_Violence_Report.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/rwpattach.nsf/VAP/(3273BD3F76A7A5DEDAE36942A54D7D90)~Family_Violence_Report.pdf/$file/Family_Violence_Report.pdf

Shelf Number: 121451

Keywords:
Child Protection
Domestic Violence
Family Violence (Australia)
Victims of Family Violence

Author: City Policy Associates

Title: City Responses to Domestic Violence: A 77-City Survey

Summary: In late October 2009, Mayor Cooper (Hallandale Beach, FL) invited mayors to submit information on approaches to domestic violence issues and programs in their cities – including how domestic violence has affected police department organization and staffing, the extent to which shelters for victims are available, and the extent to which public-private partnerships have been developed to address domestic violence. Responses were received from 77 cities in 31 states. These cities, listed at the end of this report, range in population from 8,000 (Mount Carmel, IL) to 8,000,000 (New York City). As a group, the cities reported a total of 444,414 domestic violence calls for service in 2008 and a slightly (.08 percent) smaller total of 440,822 in 2009. Cities experiencing increases and decreases in numbers of calls were fairly evenly divided, with 46 percent reporting increases, four percent reporting no change, and half reporting decreases. Most cities supplied information on calls for service, but a few were able to provide only information on reports or arrests that were made. On the impact of the domestic violence problem, the survey found that: • About two-thirds (66 percent) of the cities said the number of domestic violence calls has had an impact on police department staffing; the balance said it has not. Many of the cities explained that they require a minimum of two officers to respond to any domestic violence call because of the danger involved. Many also mentioned the amount of time needed for paperwork and follow-up when an arrest is made. • Just over half (51 percent) of the cities have a separate domestic violence unit in their police departments. • Nine in 10 of the cities have a victim advocate. Mentioned most frequently in an open-ended question as a funding source for the victim advocate are: 􀂃 federal grants, by 29 cities; 􀂃 city government funds, by 26 cities; 􀂃 county government funds, by nine cities; and 􀂃 state government funds, by eight cities. A few cities reported that local nonprofit organizations or volunteers provide assistance. • In 72 percent of the cities there is a shelter or safe haven for victims of domestic violence. Among those which do not have a shelter within the city limits, most report there is a shelter within five to 15 miles. • Eighty-three percent of the cities have developed public/private partnerships to help reduce domestic violence. In response to an open-ended question, these cities identified a variety of funding sources to support their partnerships, including: 􀂃 grants, by 18 cities; 􀂃 city government funds, by 12 cities; 􀂃 federal funds, by 12 cities; 􀂃 donations and fund-raising activities, by 11 cities; 􀂃 private organizations, by 10 cities; 􀂃 county government funds, by five cities; 􀂃 state government funds, by five cities; 􀂃 volunteers, by three cities; and 􀂃 foundations, by three cities.

Details: Washington, DC: United States Conference of Mayors, 2010. 27p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 18, 2011 at: http://www.usmayors.org/publications/DomesticViolence10.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.usmayors.org/publications/DomesticViolence10.pdf

Shelf Number: 122096

Keywords:
Domestic Violence
Family Violence
Intimate Partner Violence
Victims of Family Violence

Author: Rhodes, Karin V.

Title: Victim Participation in Intimate Partner Violence Prosecution: Implications for Safety

Summary: Internationally, intimate partner violence (IPV) is recognized as a major public health problem affecting millions of families and resulting in long-lasting health complications (World Health Organization [WHO], 2009). The intergenerational transmission of violence calls for urgent responses. By the late 20th century, the United States responded to IPV by criminalizing behavior and redefining the prosecutorial role. Currently, all 50 states have enacted laws that address IPV through prosecutorial responses that complement aggressive policing responses, such as mandatory and permissive arrest policies. Prosecutors are encouraged to employ evidence-based prosecutions and discourage victims from dropping charges. This longitudinal mixed-methods study examines to what extent female IPV victim participation in prosecution is associated with their future safety. In essence, we asked, are victims who participate in prosecution safer than those who do not? Given findings that protection orders can reduce future harm to victims, it is essential to understand how a victim’s participation along the continuum of calling 911, talking to the prosecutor, and engaging in criminal prosecution, impacts safety. We hypothesized that participation would improve IPV victims’ safety. Subsequent IPV was defined as a future documented IPV-related police incident or an ED visit for IPV or injury. Within a Midwestern county utilizing coordinated community response, we conducted focus groups with survivors and criminal justice agencies and medical providers. These focus groups along with in-depth qualitative analysis of a stratified random sample of individual IPV cases, informed our data abstraction and analysis of the administrative data. In our study victim communication with a prosecutor appears to be protective against future IPV documented events regardless of defendant incarceration. This finding holds across both the pre- and post-disposition periods. Direct contact or communication with the prosecutor’s office may provide victims the sort of legal leverage necessary to “rebalance” power in relationships through the criminal justice system, as postulated by earlier work. This also suggests that victims have the agency to use the criminal justice system to their advantage, given the continuum of options as to “when” to engage: calling the police, talking to the prosecutor, engaging with the case processing, or seeking redress in the face of future abuse. Findings call into question the issue of prosecutorial frustration with victims who initially press charges and then later want to drop the charges or fail to follow-through with participation in the prosecution process. A victim’s decision to drop charges or to let charges drop through non-participation does not necessarily indicate that the criminal justice system has failed to assist her. Rather, it is likely that the system has served the victim’s needs without prosecution, or that the costs of moving forward with charges outweigh the benefits. Alternatively, it might be that she does want prosecution, and might even consider that prosecution would be more beneficial than dropping charges but other forces inhibit her ability to participate. Our qualitative findings suggest that victims make these decisions after great deliberation and over time may change their mind about the best course of action. Our key finding is that victim participation in prosecution does not increase her help seeking via police calls for service that generate an incident report, nor the likelihood of future ED visits for IPV and injury. These results are important in light of the current pro-prosecution strategies, which support evidence-based trials that proceed regardless of the victim’s presence or testimony. Based on study findings, special prosecution units, vertical prosecution, continuances sensitive to victims needs, combined with court-based victim advocacy and victim input into prosecution outcomes, should continue to be considered best practices. Policy recommendations include increasing communication between the prosecutor’s office and victims, improving referral to advocacy organizations, and reducing logistical barriers for victims to participate in prosecution.

Details: Report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2011. 153p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 26, 2011 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/235284.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/235284.pdf

Shelf Number: 122159

Keywords:
Domestic Violence
Family Violence
Intimate Partner Violence
Prosecution, Victim Participation
Victims of Family Violence

Author: Grech, Katrina

Title: Trends and Patterns in Domestic Violence Assaults: 2001 to 2010

Summary: Recent estimates suggest that close to 1.8 million Australians have been victims of domestic violence (Access Economics, 2004) and that nearly a quarter of all recent assaults are related to domestic violence (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006). Although we now have fairly accurate estimates of the prevalence of domestic violence, it is difficult to fashion effective prevention strategies without an understanding of when, where and in what circumstances domestic violence occurs. Six years ago the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research published a report examining trends and patterns in domestic violence in NSW (People, 2005). The aim of this report is to update and extend People’s (2005) analysis. Section 1 of this report begins by describing trends and patterns of domestic assault in NSW between 2001 and 2010. A descriptive analysis of incidents of domestic assaults recorded by police in 2010 then follows. This includes information on the premises types on which incidents occur, temporal variation in incidents by time of day and day of week and the involvement of alcohol. Where relevant, details on nondomestic assault are included as a comparison. Section 1 also provides new information on regional variation in domestic assault. In Section 2, we explore characteristics of both victims and offenders involved in domestic assault. Key factors explored are the age, gender and Indigenous status of both the victim and the offender, as well as the victim-offender relationship. Section 3 then compares the general characteristics of victims who reported the most recent incident of domestic assault to the police with those who did not. For this last part of the analysis we used data from the regular crime victimisation survey collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2011. 14p.

Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper no. 61: Accessed August 11, 2011 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/BB61.pdf/$file/BB61.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/BB61.pdf/$file/BB61.pdf

Shelf Number: 122362

Keywords:
Crime Victimization
Domestic Assault
Domestic Violence (Australia)
Family Violence
Victims of Family Violence

Author: Speir, John

Title: Georgia’s Automated Protective Order Registry

Summary: This study examined numerous questions related to access and utilization of protective order information within Georgia’s criminal justice community. This study does not address whether the protective order, as a legal instrument, actually enhances victim safety, although the survey component does measure whether practitioners perceive protective orders as an effective tool to protect victims. To assist policy makers in improving the registry, several questions were examined: 1. Do law enforcement agencies routinely access the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) web-based Protective Order Registry (POR) in those cases where the protective order is not listed with the National Crime Information Center (NCIC)? 2. What is the extent of POR utilization among Georgia prosecutors (district attorneys and solicitors) and state and superior court personnel? 3. Do prosecutors use the POR to learn about a defendant’s prior protective order history to make sentence recommendations? 4. Do Georgia judges take prior POR history into account when sentencing a defendant? 5. What is the relationship between POR utilization among the criminal justice community and the prevalence of domestic violence in Georgia counties?

Details: Atlanta, GA: Applied Research Services, Inc., 2005. 25p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 31, 2011 at: http://ars-corp.com/_view/PDF_Files/GeorgiaAutomatedProtectiveOrderRegistry_2005.pdf

Year: 2005

Country: United States

URL: http://ars-corp.com/_view/PDF_Files/GeorgiaAutomatedProtectiveOrderRegistry_2005.pdf

Shelf Number: 122565

Keywords:
Domestic Violence (Georgia)
Family Violence
Intimate Partner Violence
Victims of Family Violence

Author: Yoshihama, Mieko

Title: Lifecourse Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence and Help-Seeking among Filipina, Indian, and Pakistani Women: Implications for Justice System Responses

Summary: Research on intimate partner violence (IPV) in Asian communities is critical given a nexus of interrelated, complex factors: high prevalence estimates of IPV against Asian women, the over-representation of Asian victims in IPV-related homicides, the lack of socio-culturally tailored and linguistically accessible assistance programs, the under-utilization of outside help by Asian battered women, and myriad structural, institutional, and socio-cultural barriers to helpseeking (Crites, 1990; Ho, 1990; Kanuha, 1987; McDonnell & Abdulla, 2001; Shimtuh, 2000; Tran, 1997; Raj, Silverman, McLeary-Sills, & Liu, 2004; Yoshihama, 2000, 2002; Yoshihama & Dabby, 2009; Yoshioka, Gilbert, El-Bassel, Baig-Amin, 2003). There are virtually no studies that specifically examine Asian battered women’s experiences with the criminal justice system (CJS). Research on IPV over the lifecourse and related help-seeking efforts is also scarce but necessary given that IPV often recurs over the lifecourse and that survivors’ decisions to seek help and the preferred and actual sources of help change over time and are shaped by the current situation, as well as past experiences of IPV and help-seeking (Bachman & Coker, 1995; Duterte et al., 2008; Fleury, Sullivan, Bybee, & Davidson, 1998; Hickman & Simpson, 2003; Jasinski, 2003). The goal of this research project is to enhance the understanding of Asian battered women’s experiences in seeking help from the criminal justice system (CJS) and other (non-CJS) programs and develop recommendations for system responses to IPV in Asian communities. This project focused on selected Asian ethnic groups – Filipina, Indian and Pakistani. This project was jointly conducted by the University of Michigan School of Social Work and the Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum. This report addressed the following research questions: • When do Asian battered women experience various types of IPV over their lifecourse? • When do Asian battered women come into contact with CJS and non-CJS agencies? • What kinds of responses do Asian battered women receive from CJS and non-CJS agencies? • What responses do Asian battered women perceive as helpful? • What are the barriers to contacting CJS agencies? • What suggestions do Asian battered women have for improving CJS responses to IPV in Asian communities?

Details: Final Report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2010. 187p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2011 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/236174.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/236174.pdf

Shelf Number: 123064

Keywords:
Asian Women
Battered Women
Domestic Violence
Family Violence
Intimate Partner Violence
Victims of Family Violence

Author: Connors, Edward

Title: National Evaluation of the Legal Assistance for Victims Program

Summary: In November 2000, the National Institute of Justice, with funding support from the Office on Violence Against Women, awarded a grant to the Institute for Law and Justice (ILJ), in partnership with the National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC), to conduct a national evaluation of the Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) grant program. The LAV program provides funding to organizations throughout the country to provide comprehensive, free or low-cost civil legal and advocacy services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The evaluation focused on the provision of civil legal and other services to victims of domestic violence and examined LAV projects that were funded in 1998 through 2000. Overall, the LAV program has been a success. LAV has made it possible to provide desperately needed civil legal services to more victims of domestic violence who cannot afford a private attorney. It has also promoted the delivery of high quality, comprehensive services by encouraging collaboration and cross-training among legal services organizations and domestic violence victim services programs. Yet even with LAV funding, there is still a chronic unmet need for attorneys and other personnel to assist and represent domestic violence victims who cannot pay legal fees, either because of their poverty or because their access to financial resources is controlled by the batterer. The LAV grant program is authorized under the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, as amended, and is administered by the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), which awarded the first LAV grants in 1998. The purpose of the LAV program is to increase the capacity of local organizations—primarily legal services agencies, domestic violence victim services programs, bar associations, and law schools—to provide free or low cost, comprehensive civil legal and advocacy services to victims of domestic violence. The LAV program was expanded in 2000 to include civil legal and advocacy services to victims of sexual assault and stalking.1 The LAV program advocates a holistic approach to delivering high quality services. It is concerned with the whole system of service providers and with all of a victim’s needs, both legal and non-legal. Local organizations receiving LAV funding provide (1) legal assistance and representation with protection orders and other family law matters; (2) advocacy services that address victims’ safety, health, and other needs; and (3) legal services to resolve housing, employment, public benefits, and other issues. Because very few organizations are able by themselves to fully address all three of these program elements, OVW requires that LAV projects represent collaborations among organizations, and that the projects conduct cross-training of attorneys and victim advocates. Individual LAV projects are given the flexibility to employ various approaches to meet the specific needs identified in their jurisdictions. In addition to hiring staff attorneys to provide legal assistance and representation, many LAV projects develop pro bono programs (in which private attorneys provide services free of charge); hold legal clinics and develop materials for victims who proceed with their cases pro se (on their own); and conduct outreach to traditionally underserved populations, including members of racial, ethnic, and cultural minority groups and victims living in rural areas.

Details: Alexandria, VA: Institute for Law and Justice, 2005. 325p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 9, 2011 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/208612.pdf

Year: 2005

Country: United States

URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/208612.pdf

Shelf Number: 123269

Keywords:
Domestic Violence
Legal Aid
Restraining Orders
Victim Services
Victims of Family Violence

Author: Kelly, Liz

Title: Into the Foreground: An Evaluation of the Jacana Parenting Programme

Summary: The Jacana Parenting Service was a pilot programme developed and delivered in partnership between the nia project and Domestic Violence Intervention Project (DVIP) to support parents affected by current and historic domestic violence (DV) in Hackney. The programme offered separate interventions for men as perpetrators and support to women as victim-survivors, using individual and group work, and was funded by the Parenting Fund. The programme emerged out of the relative neglect of the mother-child/father-child relationship within much existing direct work with victim-survivors and perpetrators, although these themes have been addressed in social research. Lessons from the pilot were to be integrated into specialised DV support and intervention, and hopefully extend into wide parenting programmes where DV is often not addressed explicitly. Specifically, the aims were to: · develop a model that synthesises international best practice to address parenting in the context of abusive relationships; · improve the parenting skills of women and men involved in abusive relationships; · enable parents to understand violence/abuse from the child’s perspective and to minimise its impacts; · work with mothers/carers and children to create safety plans; · risk assess abusive fathers to better enable practitioners to minimise and manage risks; · share best practice with practitioners. The programme for women victim-survivors was based on the twin pillars of safety and the impact of domestic violence on mothering. Work with men aimed to extend current models of perpetrator programmes to deepen the content on fathering, although the aim to change men’s abusive behaviours is not explicitly stated. Success criteria were articulated by both developers and deliverers as: increased safety of women and children; enhanced relationships between mothers and children and fathers and children; enhanced capacity to parent in a child-centred way. In short, addressing the relational legacies of domestic violence. This evaluation was commissioned by the nia project to explore both processes and outcomes of the pilot programme. While data for the latter is limited and outcomes in themselves not straight forward to establish, the experiences of women and men who participated in the programme are drawn on to illustrate how Jacana enabled change and new beginnings. A key part of the evaluation was assessing the process of implementing the programme, and what lessons can be gleaned about development, delivery, practice, and negotiating multi-agency responses.

Details: London: Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit, London Metropolitan University, 2011. 59p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 10, 2011 at: http://www.ccrm.org.uk/images/docs/10.2ainto%20the%20foreground%20-%20jacana%20evaluation%20report.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.ccrm.org.uk/images/docs/10.2ainto%20the%20foreground%20-%20jacana%20evaluation%20report.pdf

Shelf Number: 123306

Keywords:
Abusers, Male
Domestic Violence
Family Violence (U.K.)
Victims of Family Violence
Violence Against Women

Author: Vlachova, Marie

Title: Women in an Insecure World: Violence against Women - Facts, Figures and Analysis

Summary: According to estimates by the United Nations, up to 200 million women and girls are demographically ‘missing’. The euphemism hides one of the most shocking crimes against humanity. Given the biological norm of 100 new-born girls to every 103 new-born boys, millions more women should be living amongst us. If they are not, if they are ‘missing’, then they have been killed, or have died through neglect and mistreatment. Women live in a very insecure world indeed. Many fall victim to gender selective abortion and infanticide (boys being preferred to girls). Others do not receive the same amount of food and medical attention as their brothers, fathers and husbands. Others again fall prey to sexual offenders, to ‘honour killings’ and to acid attacks (most often for refusing a suitor). An estimated 5,000 women are burnt to death each year in ‘kitchen accidents’ because their dowry was seen as being too modest. Scores succumb to the special horrors and hardships that conflict, war and post-conflict situations reserve for girls and women. A shocking number of women are killed within their own walls through domestic violence. Rape and sexual exploitation remain, moreover, a reality for countless women; millions are trafficked; some sold like cattle. The full magnitude of the issue sinks in only if we put the figures into perspective: The number of the ‘missing’ women, killed for gender-related reasons, is of the same order of magnitude as the estimated 191 million human beings who have lost their lives directly or indirectly as a result of all the conflicts and wars of the 20th century – which was, with two world wars and numerous other murderous conflicts, the most violent period in human history so far. A sustained demographic ‘deficit’ of 100- 200 million women implies that each year 1.5 to 3 million girls and women are killed through gender related violence. In comparison: each year some 2.8 million people die of AIDS, 1.27 million of malaria. Or, put in the most horrible terms: violence against women causes every 2 to 4 years a mountain of corpses equal to the Jewish Holocaust. Globally, women aged between fifteen and forty-four are more likely to be injured or die as a result of male violence than through cancer, traffic accidents, malaria and war combined. Women in an Insecure World has, therefore, tried to bring together in one book – in probably the most comprehensive effort so far – the facts and figures. Often these figures are not more than best estimates – for violence against women goes all too often unreported. The recognition that – in face of a problem of such magnitude – we cannot even count on good statistics is in itself a shocking and unacceptable fact.

Details: Geneva, Switzerland: Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, 2005. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 17, 2012 at http://www.unicef.org/emerg/files/women_insecure_world.pdf

Year: 2005

Country: International

URL: http://www.unicef.org/emerg/files/women_insecure_world.pdf

Shelf Number: 124162

Keywords:
Domestic Violence
Victimization
Victims of Family Violence
Violence Against Women

Author: Cussen, Tracy

Title: ACT Family Violence Intervention Program Review

Summary: This Technical and Background Paper reports on an AIC review of the Australian Capital Territory’s Family Violence Intervention Program (FVIP). The FVIP provides an interagency response to family violence matters that have come to the attention of police and then proceeded to prosecution. The scope of the review was to analyse the program’s activities and outcomes using 2007–08 data provided by participating agencies, supported by in-depth interviews with key stakeholders including victims whose matters had been finalised in court. After the completion of this report, additional data from 2008–09 and 2009–10 was made available by some FVIP participating agencies. Although not within the scope of this evaluation, these data pointed to some preliminary improvements in the FVIP.

Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 166p.

Source: Internet Resource: Technical and Background Paper 52: Accessed October 24, 2012 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tbp/41-60/tbp052.aspx

Year: 2012

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tbp/41-60/tbp052.aspx

Shelf Number: 126795

Keywords:
Domestic Violence
Family Violence (Australia)
Victims of Family Violence
Violence Against Women

Author: Laing, Lesley

Title: Evaluation of the Green Valley Liverpool Domestic Violence Service (GVLDVS)

Summary: THE Green Valley Liverpool Domestic Violence Service (GVLDVS) is one of six specialist domestic violence services funded under the Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Services Program (ID&FVSP). Originally providing a service only to women and children in Green Valley, the service was expanded under the ID&FVSP program to comprise six staff and extended to cover the Liverpool LGA. The GVLDVS is auspiced by the South Western Sydney Local Health District, and is one of only two specialist domestic violence services located within the NSW Health sector. The brief of the service extends beyond the provision of direct services to women and children experiencing domestic violence to include an explicit focus on the promotion of a coordinated interagency response to domestic violence. Expanding the service beyond the Green Valley post code area was a recommendation of the evaluation of the original Green Valley service. This established common service boundaries with other agencies in the Liverpool area, overcoming barriers to referral and coordination that had limited the availability of this specialist service to many women and children. Whereas the GVDVS was the sole, specialist domestic violence service in Green Valley, the expanded GVLDVS is one of a number of services providing support to women experiencing domestic violence in the wider Liverpool area. These other services include a number of long-established women’s services and two new domestic violence services: Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV), which works to enable women to remain in their homes, where it is safe to do so and the Domestic Violence Support Western Sydney Service (DVSWSS) which was established in response to the NSW Government’s Homelessness Action Plan. This more complex service delivery context calls for attention to collaboration to ensure the best use of domestic violence resources, to avoid duplication and service delivery ‘gaps’ that can jeopardize the safety of women and children. This evaluation aimed to explore: The impact the GVLDVS has on women and children living in the Liverpool LGA who have experienced domestic violence; Awareness and understanding of the GVLDVS by interagency partners in Liverpool; The impact the GVLDVS has on interagency collaboration and coordination, looking particularly at developing partnerships in the context of the GVLDVS expansion into the wider Liverpool area; The impact the GVLDVS has on education, training and community development around the issue of domestic violence in the Liverpool area. The evaluation also examines the ways in which the GVLDVS fulfils its objectives to: Enhance the safety of women and children; Assist women and children to overcome the effects of domestic violence on their lives and relationships; Promote coordinated responses to domestic violence by a range of services including police, courts, health, child protection, housing and non-government agencies. mixed methodology involving the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data was used to evaluate this program, consistent with evaluations carried out in complex service delivery contexts (Keys Young, 2000). Including the voices of service users, those delivering the service and interagency partners, is essential in domestic violence service evaluation (Sulllivan, 2001). Data was collected from multiple sources: 6 Evaluation of the Green Valley Liverpool Domestic Violence Service Women who have used the service (where their safe participation could be organised); Staff of the GVLDVS; Interagency partners; Data collected under the ID&FVSP evaluation strategy on referrals to and from the GVLDVS, types of services provided and client demographics; Documentation of interagency partnerships; education, training and preventive initiatives; and therapeutic and support groups; Documentation of the reinvigorated partnership between the GVLDVS and the Green Valley police. Chapter 1 sets the context for the evaluation and outlines the methodology used. Chapter 2 draws on data from interviews with GVLDVS staff and interagency partners to paint a picture of the current context of service delivery to women and children experiencing domestic violence in Liverpool. It provides a context for the findings from interviews with women clients and interagency partners about the operations of the GVLDVS which are presented in the following chapters. While there is considerable consistency in the issues raised by both groups of respondents, each also identified particular challenges for coordinated service delivery. The GVLDVS participants identified the particular issues faced by women with children who find themselves at the intersection of the domestic violence, Family Law and child protection systems. Chapter 3 places the voices of women who have used the GVLDVS at the centre of the evaluation. They talk about the impact of the service on their and their children’s safety and well-being and on the ways in which the GVLDVS ‘walks with them’ on a journey away from violence. Some data from the interviews with GVLDVS staff is presented at the end of this chapter, to illustrate the consistency between the ways in which the staff approach service delivery and the ways in which this is experienced by women. Chapter 4 provides the perspectives of interagency partners about the role of the GVLDVS in direct service delivery to women and children, promoting collaborative partnerships and a wide range of awareness-raising and education activities. Chapter 5 provides data about the scope of the work of the GVLDVS in direct service delivery, community development, prevention, education and training, and partnership improvements. Read with the qualitative data in the preceding 2 chapters, this provides information on the variety and depth of the work of the GVLDVS team. Chapter 6 documents the efforts undertaken during the period of the evaluation to strengthen the partnership with Green Valley Police, which has been integral to the service since its pilot stage. In line with best practice directions, a coordinated case management response is being developed, aimed at identifying high risk cases and developing a coordinated approach to reducing identified risks. Chapter 7 brings together the key findings and discusses them against the current research literature about service provision to victim/survivors of domestic violence in the context of interagency collaboration and makes some recommendations for the future development of the GVLDVS.

Details: Sydney: Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney, 2012. 76p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 27, 2012 at: http://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/bitstream/2123/8683/2/GVLDVS_Evaluation_report_web.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Australia

URL: http://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/bitstream/2123/8683/2/GVLDVS_Evaluation_report_web.pdf

Shelf Number: 127009

Keywords:
Abused Wives
Battered Women
Domestic Violence (Australia)
Family Violence
Victims of Family Violence
Victims Services

Author: Fox, Claire L.

Title: From Boys to Men: Phase One Key Findings

Summary: The research found evidence of young people experiencing domestic violence both within relationships and at home. Young people had been victims, witnesses and perpetrators of violent or controlling behaviours. Those who experienced abusive behaviour, either as a victim or witness reported a reluctance to report such experiences to an adult or figure of authority. Boys were more likely than girls to think it was ok for a man/woman to hit his/her partner. 34% of young people reported witnessing abuse involving an adult who looks after them. Girls reported witnessing more abuse than boys. 27% of young people witnessed emotional abuse or controlling behaviour. 19% of young people witnessed physical violence. 45% of young people reported having experienced at least one of the types of domestic abuse listed in the questionnaire. 38% reported experiencing emotional abuse and controlling behaviours. 17% had experienced physical abuse. 14% had experienced sexual coercion. Half of those who had been victimised had also been abusive. Girls reported more sexual victimisation than boys.

Details: London: From Boys to Men Project, 2012? 10p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 22, 2013 at: www.boystomenproject.com

Year: 2012

Country: United Kingdom

URL:

Shelf Number: 128079

Keywords:
Domestic Violence
Family Violence
Intimate Partner Violence
Victims of Family Violence

Author: Kaili, Christina

Title: REACT to Domestic Violence: Building a Support System for Victims of Domestic Violence. Cyprus Mapping Study: Implementation of the Domestic Violence Legislation, Policies and the Existing Victim Support System

Summary: This report is the result of a research project conducted by the Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies (MIGS) within the framework of the project REACT to Domestic Violence: Building a Support System for Victims of Domestic Violence, funded by the European Commission Daphne III Programme, and coordinated by the Legal Informational Centre for NGOs Slovenia (PIC). The project’s main aim was to raise awareness, knowledge and sensitivity among legal practitioners, judges and prosecutors involved in domestic violence as well as to increase the capacity of the NGO support system to effectively respond to victim’s needs. This mapping study aims to gain and share knowledge and understanding on domestic violence in Cyprus, as well as to assess all aspects of implementation of the relevant legislation and policies on domestic violence, with a particular focus on the victim support system. The research was conducted from a gender perspective. The qualitative analysis is based on eight semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted with policy makers and government officials from all relevant ministries and government departments, as well as with front line services providers including the police, the social welfare services and non-governmental organisations. The themes addressed in this report include the examination of existing and planned policies to combat domestic violence; challenges relating to the implementation of relevant legislation and policy measures; views and attitudes regarding the situation of domestic violence in Cyprus; as well as recommendations for the improvement of the existing victim support system. Information was also gathered through the existing National Action Plan on Prevention and Combating Violence in the Family (2010-2015) that was recently adopted by the Council of Ministers. Additionally, police criminal statistics, statistics from the Association for the Prevention and Handling of Family Violence, and other studies, such as those conducted by the Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies (MIGS) and other research centres, were also used for the purposes of this report.

Details: Nicosia, Cyprus: Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies, 2011. 37p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 16, 2013 at: http://www.medinstgenderstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/REACT_ENG.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Cyprus

URL: http://www.medinstgenderstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/REACT_ENG.pdf

Shelf Number: 128389

Keywords:
Domestic Violence (Cyprus)
Family Violence
Intimate Partner Violence
Victims of Family Violence
Violence Against Women

Author: Robertson, Neville

Title: Evaluation of the Whānau Ora Wellbeing Service of Te Whakaruruhau : final report

Summary: Domestic violence and child abuse represent significant threats to whanau ora. Conversely, the weakening or loss of whanau ties can increase the vulnerability of whanau members to domestic violence and child abuse. Thus enhancing whanau ora in the context of domestic violence and child abuse is both a high priority and a significant challenge. Te Whakaruruhau Maori Women's Refuge has been providing safe housing, support and advocacy to women and children for over two decades and has become a key agency in family violence networks in Kirikiriroa. The development of the Whanau Ora Wellbeing Service, the focus of this evaluation, was a logical extension of Refuge services as Te Whakaruruhau broadened its interventions from an initial focus on safe housing to advocacy within the community, from a focus on crisis to supporting women and children to make a successful transition to violence‐free lives in the community, and from advocating for women and children in the context of Crown and other services to advocating for them in the context of whanau, hapu and iwi. The aim of the Whanau Ora Wellbeing Service is "to strengthen and achieve whanau ora through interventions which empower (whanau) to live their lives free from violence (Te Whakaruruhau, p.4). It is based on an assumption "that whānau empowered are whānau who can manage and reduce crisis while increasing opportunities and pathways to success" (Te Whakaruruhau, 2010, p.3). The Maori and Psychology Research Unit was commissioned in mid‐2011 to conduct this evaluation. It is based on ten case studies of clients in the programme, interviews with Te Whakaruruhau staff and key informants in allied agencies, and participant‐observation of Refuge activities. The case studies provide insights into the lived experience of women dealing with violence, their attempts to protect themselves and their children, and their experiences of - and reflections upon � the Whanau Ora Wellbeing programme. The case studies reveal all the women to have experienced significant physical assaults, threats of assaults, emotional abuse and intimidation. Even though some of the women sustained serious injuries, when they described the impact of the abuse, the women typically highlighted the damage it had done to them emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. The use of alcohol and/or other drugs to self‐medicate against the psychic pain of the abuse featured in several case studies. Women also gave accounts of how the violence had affected their children. Often, recognising this impact was an important factor in their decision to seek help

Details: Hamilton, N.Z. : Māori and Psychology Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2013. 88p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 6, 2013 at: http://www.nzfvc.org.nz/sites/nzfvc.org.nz/files/whanau-ora-TWH-final-report-2013.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: New Zealand

URL: http://www.nzfvc.org.nz/sites/nzfvc.org.nz/files/whanau-ora-TWH-final-report-2013.pdf

Shelf Number: 131591

Keywords:
Child Abuse and Neglect
Domestic Violence
Family Violence (New Zealand)
Gender-Related Violence
Intimate Partner Violence
Maori
Victims of Family Violence

Author: Kelly, Liz

Title: Evaluation of the Pilot of Domestic Violence Protection Orders

Summary: Domestic Violence Protection Orders (DVPOs) were piloted in three police force areas in 2011-12. DVPOs are a new civil provision designed to provide immediate protection for victim-survivors of domestic violence where no other enforceable restrictions can be placed upon the perpetrator. This evaluation of the pilot suggests that DVPOs were generally seen positively by practitioners and victim-survivors and were associated with a reduction in re-victimisation, particularly when used in 'chronic' cases. While a negative cost impact was found over the pilot period, there are likely to be further benefits that the evaluation could not quantify (e.g. preventing escalating violence), and over the long term the benefits increase relative to costs. The evaluation recommends wider roll out of DVPOs. Domestic abuse or violence is a crime and should be reported to the police, there are also other organisations who can offer you help and support. Call 999 if it's an emergency or you're in immediate danger. The police take domestic violence seriously and will be able to help and protect you. If it's not an emergency, contact your local neighbourhood policing team.

Details: London: Home Office, 2013. 79p.

Source: Internet Resource: Home Office Research Report 76 : Accessed November 27, 2013 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/260897/horr76.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/260897/horr76.pdf

Shelf Number: 131721

Keywords:
Domestic Violence (U.K.)
Protection Orders
Victims of Family Violence
Violence Against Women

Author: Ramsay, Jean

Title: Interventions to Reduce Violence and Promote the Physical and Psychosocial Well-Being of Women Who Experience Partner Violence: A Systematic Review of Controlled Evaluations

Summary: Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions relevant to health care for the reduction of violence or improvement of the physical and psychosocial well-being of women who have experienced or are experiencing partner violence. The review was concerned with an examination of the evidence provided by (1) controlled intervention studies, and (2) interventions that targeted only the women who have been abused (an not the perpetrators), or the organisations and professionals that may have contact with abused women.

Details: London: Barts and The London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, 2005. 178p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2014 at: http://www.equation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Interventions-a-systematic-review-of-controlled-evaluations.pdf

Year: 2005

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.equation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Interventions-a-systematic-review-of-controlled-evaluations.pdf

Shelf Number: 132133

Keywords:
Domestic Violence
Interventions
Intimate Partner Violence
Victim Services
Victims of Family Violence
Violence Against Women

Author: Kahui, Sherilee

Title: Productivity Gains from Workplace Protection of Victims of Domestic Violence

Summary: Domestic violence is a workplace issue. It is estimated to cost employers in New Zealand at least $368 million for the June year 2014. If nothing is done, projections indicate that the total costs will be at least $3.7 billion dollars when combined over the next ten years. Employment is a key pathway out of domestic violence. The body of research about domestic violence over the past 30 years finds conclusively that staying in employment is critical to reducing the effects of violence. Security of employment enables those affected by domestic violence to maintain domestic and economic stability, in this way assisting them to find a pathway out of violence and to successfully re-build their lives. Employers have the potential of productivity gains from implementing workplace protections that support victims of domestic violence. There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that as well as the potential for breaking the cycle of domestic violence, the introduction of workplace protections for people affected by domestic violence both saves employers costs (recruitment, retention, re-training, health and safety) and increases productivity. The PSA commissioned this project to examine the impact of workplace protections on domestic violence victims, other staff and colleagues, the employer and overall productivity. Experience in New Zealand to date indicates that there are barriers to the implementation of workplace protections. These barriers are due in part to current attitudes towards workplace Health and Safety training which can overstate the costs and understate the benefits from lower costs of recruitment, retention and retraining. A framework has been developed for this project that specifies the determinants of these costs and then proceeds to calculate them. These include the costs to find a replacement worker and the average annual cost of training when a victim's employment is terminated by her employer. In 2014, $153 million is estimated to be lost across the New Zealand workforce due to these two factors. This is an under estimation of the total cost of victims leaving their employment as the effect of women resigning their current job has not been taken into account. For every woman whose experience of violence is prevented as result of the workplace protections in a particular year, an average of $3,371 in production-related costs can be avoided. This number is conservative as outlined in the body of the report.

Details: Wellington, NA: MoreMedia Enterprises, 2014. 65p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 6, 2014 at: http://psa.org.nz/Libraries/Documents_2014/Workplace_Productivity_Improvements_for_DV_21_May_2014.sflb.ashx

Year: 2014

Country: New Zealand

URL: http://psa.org.nz/Libraries/Documents_2014/Workplace_Productivity_Improvements_for_DV_21_May_2014.sflb.ashx

Shelf Number: 132252

Keywords:
Costs of Criminal Justice
Domestic Violence (New Zealand)
Family Violence
Victims of Family Violence
Violence Against Women
Workplace

Author: Patton, Shirley

Title: Pathways: How women leave violent men

Summary: At the Justice and Change Conference held in Canberra (1999), Professor Liz Kelly (Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit, University of North London) argued that there should be a shift in the direction of domestic violence policy and service research, from what prevents women from leaving a male partner who assaults them, to what enables them to do so. This research is a response to that challenge. It has focused on who and what enabled women to leave a male partner who had assaulted them - the pathways to leaving and establishing a new life. The study differs from previous research in that it focuses on: 1. Women's own identification of what enabled them to negotiate their way successfully out of violent relationships. 2. The identification and analysis of effective supports, services and strategies for establishing violence-free lives. The research is of both National and State significance, with the issue of domestic violence on political agendas at both levels. Most recently, the Tasmanian Government committed to: 'Reduce by one-third the incidence of family violence by 2020' (Tasmania Together 2001). Women Tasmania, the government department that has key responsibility for women's policy issues, commissioned this research, with funding provided by the Federal Partnerships Against Domestic Violence (PADV) strategy. Research aims and questions The primary aim of the research has been to identify how and where government and nongovernment policy makers and service providers could best use their resources to provide more timely and appropriate assistance to women leaving violent male partners, and to maximise their safety. To this end, it worked with women in Tasmania to identify and explore the formal and informal pathways they used to leave a male partner who assaulted them, the pathways they used to establish and maintain a new, violence-free life for themselves and their children, and what has assisted them in this process. The main research question was: What are women's perceptions of the turning points and pathways in leaving and remaining out of a violent relationship with a male partner?

Details: Hobart, Tasmania: Women Tasmania, Department of Premier and Cabinet, 2003. 222p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 10, 2014 at: http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/47012/pathways_how_women_leave_violent_men.pdf

Year: 2003

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/47012/pathways_how_women_leave_violent_men.pdf

Shelf Number: 132642

Keywords:
Abusive Men
Domestic Violence
Family Violence
Intimate Partner Violence
Victim Services
Victims of Family Violence
Violence Against Women (Australia)

Author: Meyer, Silke

Title: Victims' Experiences of Short- and Long-Term Safety and Wellbeing: Findings from an examination of an integrated response to domestic violence

Summary: One in three Australian women experience domestic violence at some point during their adult life and it is women and their children who typically suffer the most severe short and long-term consequences of this violence. In this paper the findings are presented from an evaluation of a Queensland police-led integrated service response to domestic violence incidents that was designed to better address women and children's needs for short and long-term safety. The findings indicated that a significant improvement in women's self-rated safety and well-being was generated throughout the initial six-week support period. However, subsequent follow-up interviews with a sample of participants identified that the women had continued to experience a range of abuse, harassment and stalking after the initial support period had ended. This suggests a need to provide ongoing support to women and children escaping domestic violence, as well as a stronger focus on perpetrator accountability, if improvements to the safety and well-being of women and children escaping domestic violence are to be sustained.

Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 7p.

Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice No. 478: Accessed July 11, 2014 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi478.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Australia

URL: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi478.pdf

Shelf Number: 132653

Keywords:
Family Violence
Intimate Partner Violence
Victims of Family Violence
Victims Services
Violence Against Women

Author: Brooks, Oona

Title: Violence Against Women: Effective Interventions and Practices with Perpetrators: A literature review

Summary: This report presents a review of literature on effective interventions and practices to deal with perpetrators of violence against women. The key focus is with those interventions and practices which are aimed at reducing re-offending, rather than primary prevention and or public education work. The review was commissioned by the Scottish Government in order to inform development of Scotland's strategy for preventing the causes and consequences of violence against women. Many initiatives in relation to violence against women, in particular in relation to domestic abuse, rape prevention and stalking, operate with the twin aim of improving responses to both victims and perpetrators. While this review focuses on what works to deal with perpetrators, it is important to acknowledge that appropriate responses to victims will improve their engagement with the criminal justice system and therefore facilitate improved legal responses to violence against women.

Details: Glasgow: Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research, 2014. 72p.

Source: Internet Resource: Report No. 01/2014: Accessed July 16, 2014 at: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/VAW-Literature-Review-SCCJR-Report-No-05-20141.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: International

URL: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/VAW-Literature-Review-SCCJR-Report-No-05-20141.pdf

Shelf Number: 132696

Keywords:
Abusive Men
Domestic Violence
Family Violence
Interventions
Sexual Violence
Victims of Family Violence
Violence Against Women

Author: Breckenridge, Jan

Title: Traversing the Maze of 'Evidence' and 'Best Practice' in Domestic and Family Violence Service Provision in Australia

Summary: This paper considers how 'evidence' is constructed and translated into 'best practice'. It contends that the experience and understanding of practitioners within domestic and family violence (DFV) services constitute important contributing knowledge for the evidence-base. However, practice wisdom alone is not sufficient, since other forms of knowledge also play an important role in optimising outcomes. Ultimately this paper promotes the engagement of DFV practitioners in formal research and evaluation, not only to substantially inform the evidence but also to critically examine the effects of their interventions against all manner of valid evidence, in a recursive process of knowledge translation. It is suggested that a critical, reflexive engagement with formal evidence is ultimately the defining feature of 'best practice' in the continuous drive towards an effective response to violence against women.

Details: Sydney: Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse, 2014. 15p.

Source: Internet Resource: Issues Paper 26: Accessed July 7, 2014 at: http://anrows.org.au/sites/default/files/page-attachments/IssuesPaper26-May2014.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Australia

URL: http://anrows.org.au/sites/default/files/page-attachments/IssuesPaper26-May2014.pdf

Shelf Number: 132738

Keywords:
Domestic Violence (Australia)
Evidence-Based Practices
Family Violence
Victim Services
Victims of Family Violence
Violence Against Women

Author: Corr, Mary-Louise

Title: From Boys to Men: Phase Two Key Findings

Summary: This document reports on the findings of the second phase of The From Boys to Men Project. This entailed thirteen focus group discussions with 69 young people, aged 13-19. The focus groups explored young men's attitudes to domestic abuse by inviting responses to a government anti-violence publicity campaign and a series of hypothetical vignettes. Groups were selected on the basis that they may have a potentially distinctive relationship to violence and/or intimacy and so included young people who had completed a school-based domestic abuse prevention programme; young people who were attending an alternative education programme; school students attending an anger management programme; two groups of young men undergoing Youth Offending Team supervision, one with a history of violence towards their girlfriends; young gay men; young Asian men; young men attending a substance use programme; and young men who had witnessed violence at home. Differences between the groups in terms of their attitudes towards violence, however, were not as overt and consistent as might have been expected. For example, in general terms at least, there was broad consensus in every group that abuse in relationships is wrong. Abuse encompassed controlling behaviour, including the exercise of emotional control, as much as physical and/or sexual violence. Participants' initial reactions to televised scenes of domestic abuse were universally condemnatory. Despite this broad condemnation, it was quite common for participants to justify the use of controlling behaviour - and in fewer cases, physical violence - where low levels of trust were identified in a relationship. While trust was regarded by the young men we spoke to as a fundamental feature of any good relationship, romantic relationships lacking in trust were described as not worth having, even if providing sexual gratification. Leaving a relationship lacking in trust was regarded as a better option than violence. But some young men thought a breach of trust, for example when a partner has been - or has the potential to be - unfaithful, justified controlling behaviour. Others viewed controlling behaviour as necessary to protect naive young women from the risks posed by dangerous men, or even to avoid a report to the police if accusations of rape might be made. Insecurities - either generally felt or linked to current or past relationships - were highlighted as an underlying cause of some young men's controlling behaviours and attitudes. In some instances, it was evident that participants could 'see themselves' in the anti-violence publicity shown, and that this recognition was difficult to admit to, generating defensive victim-blaming responses in some instances. Insecurities were commonly projected onto women who 'dressed like slags', whose behaviour many thought ought to be moderated, even if misguided in motive. They were also disowned and attributed to 'control freaks', 'scumbags', 'mad men' 'Muslims', 'Somalians' 'chavs', 'gang' members, drunks and drug addicts, even 'poofs'. In other words, imagined out-groups of men, deemed lesser in terms of their social standing and respect for women. Retributive violence could be justified against them, not only to protect vulnerable women and girls, but also to distinguish oneself as different and better. Such dynamics highlight the distinction between what young men know about domestic abuse, i.e. that it involves emotional, verbal and financial components as well as controlling and threatening behaviours that can take place between partners or ex-partners of any age, and the working assumptions that come into play when the experience is personal. Even those who had recently undergone a programme of relationship education tended to lapse periodically into the assumption that 'real' domestic abuse only happens in adult relationships where men repeatedly assaulted women, if not because they are 'freaks', then because of the pressures engendered by work and family related stresses. Participants from all groups struggled to suggest ways of preventing and responding to domestic abuse, whether perpetrated in the families of young men, or by a young man who had pushed a girl in his school and called her a 'slag'. No-one doubted that in the latter scenario the boy would get excluded, though opinions varied on whether or not this was either a sufficient response or an overreaction to something trivial - the latter view most articulated by those who had been in trouble themselves for this kind of behaviour. When prompted, most young men welcomed initiatives to provide preventative domestic abuse education in schools and specialist advice and counselling provision for victims, witnesses and perpetrators alike. Young people were, however, more cautious about social service intervention, and generally sceptical about whether criminal justice responses would achieve intended results. Confronting perpetrators with physical violence was a reaction that emerged repeatedly and spontaneously in many of the discussions, however, suggesting that policy and practice interventions construed in terms of 'challenging men' risk unwittingly accentuating the connections between masculinity and violence in some instances. Some young people with histories of school exclusion pointed out that classroom-based learning consistently fails to reach those whose attendance is minimal. This might include those living in care, many of whom would have lived with abusive parents. While none of the participants commented on the potential of social marketing, our discussions revealed that exposure to material from a recent government anti-violence campaign was sufficient to get most young people talking about the complexity of the issue of domestic abuse. Exposure to this material evoked a range of reactions: condemnation and outrage; self-reflection and defensiveness; the desire for vengeance and empathy and understanding; and a willingness to intervene amidst limited knowledge of what effective intervention might entail. The extent to which exposure to such campaigning creates opportunities for reorienting young men at risk of becoming prone to perpetrating domestic violence merits further research.

Details: London: From Boys to Men Project, 2012. 21p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 15, 2014 at: http://www.boystomenproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Phase-Two-Key-Findings.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.boystomenproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Phase-Two-Key-Findings.pdf

Shelf Number: 133314

Keywords:
Abusive Men
Domestic Violence
Family Violence
Intimate Partner Violence
Victims of Family Violence
Violence Against Women

Author: Gadd, David

Title: From Boys to Men: Phase Three Key Findings

Summary: This report presents the findings of the third phase of the From Boys to Men study. The aim of this phase of the research was to understand the experiences of young men affected by domestic abuse. We were specifically interested in how some young men become victims or perpetrators of domestic abuse. In-depth interviews were undertaken with 30 men, aged 16-21, who had been affected by domestic violence, having experienced it as either a victim, witness or as a perpetrator. Participants were recruited through youth offending services, probation, an alternative education programme and family support services. Accounts were sometimes guarded, though most participants provided detailed accounts of violence, in some cases despite the discomfort this caused them. Most disclosed a range of personal vulnerabilities and multiple forms of social disadvantage, including: Histories of institutional care; Poor mental health and alcohol and substance misuse. School exclusions, learning difficulties and attention deficits; Involvement in crime, periods of imprisonment, community based supervision and electronic surveillance.

Details: Manchester, UK: University of Manchester; 2013. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 15, 2014 at: https://www.escholar.manchester.ac.uk/api/datastream?publicationPid=uk-ac-man-scw:225724&datastreamId=FULL-TEXT.PDF

Year: 2013

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.escholar.manchester.ac.uk/api/datastream?publicationPid=uk-ac-man-scw:225724&datastreamId=FULL-TEXT.PDF

Shelf Number: 133315

Keywords:
Domestic Violence
Family Violence
Intimate Partner Violence
Life Histories
Male Victims (U.K.)
Victims of Family Violence

Author: Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria

Title: Specialist Family Violence Services: The Heart of an Effective System

Summary: DV Vic welcomes the opportunity created by the Royal Commission into Family Violence to interrogate and strengthen the family violence system in Victoria. We believe that a stronger, more effective system will improve the safety and well-being of women and children experiencing family violence and reduce the incidence of serious harm through more effective and earlier interventions. It would also address the social and structural causes of violence against women through community prevention and policy and legislative reforms for gender inequality. There is little doubt that a comprehensive review of the Victorian family violence sector is urgently required. Notwithstanding the well-acknowledged and serious limitations on accurate family violence data, the available statistics paint a dire picture of the prevalence of family violence in Victoria. There were 68,134 police incident reports in 2014, an increase of 82.2 per cent since 2010. Over 25,104 women and children sought help from homelessness services in 2013-14 as a result of family violence. Contacts to family violence services report dramatic increases, community legal services are unable to meet the increasing demand for family violence-related matters, and the national referral and counselling service is unable to meet demand, reporting over 18,000 calls going unanswered this year. And this is a very partial reflection of the true extent of family violence. It does not capture self-referrals to family violence services, women who do not require homelessness services nor the numbers of women who haven't been in contact with any services about family violence. Unsurprisingly, the family violence system - specialist family violence services, legal services, the police, the courts, corrections, child protection - is struggling to cope under the weight of this unprecedented and growing demand. As community awareness about family violence increases, so do the pressures on the system to provide safety and future security for those experiencing it. There is reasonable community expectation that the family violence system is able to provide timely and effective responses but the evidence is overwhelming to show that it currently cannot. DV Vic does not believe that this is evidence of a system that is 'broken', rather it reflects a system that has evolved and adapted over decades in response to the growing and changing needs of women and children experiencing family violence, in the absence of a coherent and consistent policy platform and appropriate funding. Despite this, the family violence sector has achieved some significant reforms and built capacity in skills and practice to meet the increasing demand for services which should not be disregarded by the Commission. That said, DV Vic is acutely aware of gaps, barriers and concerns about the ways the family violence system responds to the safety and long-term well-being of women and children. In particular we recognise that there is a gaping hole in relation to perpetrator accountability across the system. However, we argue that the important and innovative sectoral reforms developed through the comprehensive and collaborative processes from 2002-2010 under the previous Labor government are not disregarded. These reforms were not fully implemented, being sidelined a by the incoming Coalition government. In our view, it is critical that these reforms are used as the basis to build future reforms of the system. That reform process involved a collaborative critical examination of the system and generated a variety of strategies to address identified gaps and barriers. DV Vic believes that these strategies remain highly pertinent to the work of the Royal Commission.

Details: Melbourne: Domestic Violence Victoria, 2015. 61p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 8, 2015 at: http://www.rcfv.com.au/getattachment/F655224B-FC9A-4F22-B7E5-63A720BA6FE1/Domestic-Violence-Victoria---02

Year: 2015

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.rcfv.com.au/getattachment/F655224B-FC9A-4F22-B7E5-63A720BA6FE1/Domestic-Violence-Victoria---02

Shelf Number: 136365

Keywords:
Domestic Violence
Family Violence
Victims of Family Violence
Victims Services

Author: Western Australia. Office of the Auditor General

Title: A Measure of Protection: Management and Effectiveness of Restraining Orders

Summary: Public and personal safety are issues of major significance to the community. For some time the community has been expressing concern about a perceived deterioration in safety and doubts have been raised about the effectiveness of restraining orders as a method of ensuring individual safety. The Restraining Orders Act 1997 has now been in place for five years and it is timely to look at how effectively it has been implemented and whether it affords the community a measure of protection. Restraining orders are court orders designed to prevent acts of violence or misconduct by requiring a person to behave in certain ways, such as to maintain a prescribed distance from the applicant. A restraining order is worded to fit particular circumstances and breaching the terms of an order can result in a fine or imprisonment. Restraining orders were first introduced in Western Australia in 1982 as an amendment to the Justices Act 1902 to deter breaches of the peace. However, over time it became apparent that there were a number of inadequacies in the use of restraining orders, including overuse of orders, inappropriate use of orders where alternative options may be more effective, difficulties with the serving of orders, and inconsistency in addressing breaches. A review of restraining orders was undertaken in 1995 and resulted in the Restraining Orders Act 1997. The new Act introduced two forms of order: violence restraining orders to deal specifically with incidents of personal violence, and misconduct restraining orders to address other non-violent forms of public nuisance such as damage to property. This dichotomy was intended to give greater priority to violence restraining orders. This examination focuses on the management and effectiveness of restraining orders. In particular, the examination uses the information gathered during the then Ministry of Justice evaluation of the 1997 Act, carried out in December 1998, as baseline data to make a comparative study of applications for restraining orders before and after the introduction of the Act. None of the evaluation's 33 recommendations for changes to legislation and regulation have been fully implemented across the State. Although restraining orders are not a stand-alone solution, they can and do work effectively within existing resources in some districts and regions of the State, but only if there is appropriate support and coordination. This is demonstrated by the coordinated approach used in the Geraldton and Armadale regions. On the whole, however, the flaws and variations in the system render the orders relatively ineffective for the protection of victims of violence. The Act has been in place for five years and yet restraining orders are not demonstrably more effective in the protection of victims of violence.

Details: Perth: Western Australia Auditor General, 2002. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Report No. 5: Accessed August 26, 2015 at: https://audit.wa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/report2002_05.pdf

Year: 2002

Country: Australia

URL: https://audit.wa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/report2002_05.pdf

Shelf Number: 136592

Keywords:
Court Orders
Domestic Violence
Restraining Orders
Victims of Family Violence

Author: Carswell, Sue

Title: Formative Evaluation of the Christchurch Metro Police Safety Order Project

Summary: This report presents the findings of a formative evaluation of the Christchurch Metro Police Safety Order Project. The project is a joint collaboration between the New Zealand Police, Stopping Violence Services (SVS), Battered Women's Trust (BWT), Otautahi Maori Women's Refuge (OWR), West Christchurch Women's Refuge (WWR) and Aviva (formerly known as Christchurch Women's Refuge). The Metro PSO Project commenced as a pilot project on the 25th December 2012. The evaluation examines pilot implementation from January - December 2013. Police Safety Orders (PSO) were introduced nationally on the 1st July 2010 by the Domestic Violence Amendment Act 2009 (Domestic Violence Act insertion Part 6A, sections 124A - 124S). A PSO is issued by Police at family violence events to persons at risk of committing family violence (bound person) where there is no arrest; however an officer has reasonable grounds to believe that temporary separation is necessary to ensure the safety of persons at risk in the household. A PSO aims to deescalate a violent situation as the person bound by the order has to leave the household and cannot contact the persons at risk or the children who reside with them. The effect of the PSO can last up to five days. The Christchurch Metro Police Safety Order Project aims to improve safety within families by providing early intervention/prevention services to bound persons within the PSO timeframe where possible. The intervention services are provided by Stopping Violence Services, who contact bound persons to provide brief intervention including planning safety strategies to reduce the likelihood of family violence. SVS offers bound persons free access to further SVS services and information about other services they can access. The SVS approach is based on enabling people to take responsibility and be accountable for their behaviour. The Metro Project is based on a collaborative approach towards family safety and complements the crisis intervention already provided by Refuges to persons identified as being at risk on Police family violence reports (POL1310) where a PSO had been served. Similar to Refuge, SVS endeavour to contact bound persons as soon as possible services separately to avoid any inadvertent disclosure of information that may compromise safety. The pilot is integrated into the Family Violence Interagency Response System (FVIARS) and the FVIARS coordinator has oversight of referral processes. Bound persons are under no obligation to engage with SVS services and any engagement would be voluntary. The timing of offering intervention services was hypothesised as optimal for engagement as the bound person may be more receptive and motivated to engage shortly after receiving a PSO. The pilot has been managed by an interagency Project Management Team including NZ Police, SVS and Refuges, and is supported by an Advisory Group from the wider sector. A cross-agency professional supervision group supports operational staff after the incident.

Details: Christchurch, NZ: Te Awatea Violence Research Centre, University of Canterbury, 2014. 81p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 5, 2016 at: http://www.vrc.canterbury.ac.nz/docs/Formative%20Evaluation%20of%20Christchurch%20Metro%20Police%20Safety%20Order%20Project%2028.3.14.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: New Zealand

URL: http://www.vrc.canterbury.ac.nz/docs/Formative%20Evaluation%20of%20Christchurch%20Metro%20Police%20Safety%20Order%20Project%2028.3.14.pdf

Shelf Number: 137775

Keywords:
Battered Women
Collaboration
Family Violence
Family Violence Prevention
Policing
Protection Orders
Victims of Family Violence
Violence Prevention

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