Learning to Listen, Learning to Help

Understanding Woman Abuse and Its Effects on Children

by Linda Baker & Alison Cunningham (2005)

A resource for students (and volunteers) in the helping professions funded by the Ontario Women's Directorate.

A concise handbook for students and volunteers entering the helping professions, to prepare them to recognize and respond to families in which there is or was violence at home. Topics include background material on the dynamics of woman abuse, the concept of power and control, facts and figures, how to support women and help them find appropriate resources, how children are affected by violence, how children cope with violence at home, how to respond to child disclosure of abuse and neglect, standards of professional conduct, taking stock of your own attitudes, and suggestions for how you can make a difference to end violence. In one place, students will find all the relevant and up-to-date information and are directed to easily accessible resources for further study.

Download a Copy

This 33-page resource is available in both English and French.

Learning to Listen, Learning to Help

Apprendre à écouter, apprendre à aider

Key Features

• in 33 pages, the most pertinent information is summarized in an easy-to-read format

• material chosen based on the best and latest research and extensive experience helping women and children

• includes direction to the easiest available and most relevant sources of information for further study

• web-search activities guide readers to pertinent material of greater depth

• also available in French: Apprendre à écouter, apprendre à aider.

Table of Contents

• Why learn about woman abuse and its effects on children?

• What is woman abuse?

• Glossary of terms

• Power & Control Wheel

• Equality Wheel

• Facts and figures

• What causes woman abuse?

• Advocay Wheel

• How to support a woman

• Anti-violence services

• Finding resources for women and children

• Woman abuse and children

• The need for differential response

• Potential impacts of violence at different ages

• Coping and survival strategies of young people

• Responding to child disclosures of abuse and neglect

• How to support a child during a disclosure

• Barriers to child disclosure

• Reporting child maltreatment

• Standards of professional conduct

• Taking stock of your own attitudes

• Taking care of yourself

• Can I make a difference?

• Where to get more information

Ordering Information

You can order copies for $20.00 each plus postage and handling. See our order form for details.

Other Resources on Children and Domestic Violence

The Centre for Children and Families in the Justice System (formerly called the London Family Court Clinic) is known around the world for our innovative approach to understanding children exposed to domestic violence, supporting their mothers, and creating resources for service deliverers. A range of resources is available to assist students, front-line professionals, volunteers, educators, and mothers who themselves have survived woman abuse. On our Children and Domestic Violence Resource Page, you find links to all the material on our web site related to this important topic.