Child Custody & Domestic Violence

A Call for Safety and Accountability

This book is published by Sage and can be ordered from them directly.

Peter Jaffe, Nancy Lemon & Samantha Poisson (2003)
Domestic violence doesn't always end with separation. In fact, separation may be the most dangerous period for abused women. Violence and abuse of power may be played out thorough a battle for custody or liberal visitation to the children. Batterers may want custody only to punish their partners or utilize visitation rights for ongoing threats and harassment. Judges, lawyers, mental health and social services providers need to confront these issues in a direct manner. This 194-page book brings together recent clinical and legal issues in the field from North American and elsewhere in considering the prevalence of divorce and domestic violence as well as the relevance of domestic violence in custody disputes.

Key Features:

• Addresses difficult issues such as parent alienation syndrome, false allegations, and mutual abuse

• Reviews recent legislation and guidelines in custody disputes involving domestic violence in four countries: the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia

• Outlines significant judicial decisions in custody disputes, highlighting the inconsistency and unpredictability of the decisions and their impact on the desired outcome

• Offers recommendations for legislative improvements, increased training for legal and mental health professionals, enhanced services and programs, and the development of new policies to deal with domestic violence in custody disputes

• Legal and mental health professionals who provide services to divorcing parents will find this a much-needed reference, as will anyone whose life has been affected by child custody disputes and domestic violence.

The authors conclude by outlining the essential differences between custody disputes with and without allegations and findings of domestic violence. Key community strategies such as legal and clinical training, specialized resources for the courts (including supervised visitation centers), and well-coordinated community planning are discussed in the final chapter.

Table of Contents

Why Domestic Violence is Relevant in Child Custody Disputes

Assessing Safety and Responsibility in Child Custody Disputes

Changing Legislation and Legal Practice to Recognize Domestic Violence in Child Custody Proceedings

From Theory to Practice: The Varying Responses of the Court System to Domestic Violence in Child Custody Cases

A Framework for Action by Courts and Communities to Recognize the Plight of Abused Victims and Their Children After Separation

Ordering

This volume may be purchased directly from Sage Publishers.

Children and Domestic Violence Resource Page

In one place, you can find all the Centre's many training resources and research reports on children exposed to family violence, most of which are available for download at no cost. For example, see the Helping Children Thrive resource to help mothers as they parent in the aftermath of domestic violence. See also the Ten Tips for Parenting after you've left an abusive relationship. We also list all the resources generated from our "Best Evidence to Inform Better Practice" Project including a bibliography of the almost 400 sources used in that review and a list of available program manuals.