Australian Community Psychologist, 28(1): 59-78 (Open access)

"There has been increasing recognition that children are harmed by witnessing assaults or abuse that their mothers experience as victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). At the
same time, an expectation that mothers can and will protect their children from harm is widespread. This paper discusses how mothers’ understandings of protecting their children
are intertwined with the complexities of IPV in the context of legal interventions. We draw on accounts by mothers and advocates who participated in two qualitative studies evaluating of the kinds of services provided for them after criminal justice interventions brought their partners before a specialist family violence court in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Although we did not specifically ask about protection of children, crucial issues around their children’s safety were frequently addressed by the women and their advocates during the interviews. We discuss how the women made sense of their responsibilities for protecting their children at different times during their relationship and how the meaning of protecting their children changed as they engaged with court processes and advocacy services." (Authors' abstract). Record #5197