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. (from the Executive Summary).