Citation

Devoe ER, Smith EL. J. Interpers. Violence 2002; 17(10): 1075-1101.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/088626002236661

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Applying focus group methodology, this article explores urban battered mothers' perceptions oftheir preschool children's exposure to domestic violence. It also examines mothers' reportsabout their young children's functioning and traumatic stress symptoms and the connectionswomen make between their own experiences of victimization by partners and their children's difficulties.Finally, this research describes the challenges abused mothers relate in their efforts toparent in the context of domestic violence. The sample consists of 43 women from diversesociodemographic backgrounds who participated in five focus groups in New York City. Findingssuggest that battered mothers have a wide range of awareness of their children's exposure todomestic violence and its possible effects on their preschoolers, including traumatic impact.Women identified parenting burdens related to domestic violence including efforts to preventaggression and victimization in their children. The implications for intervention with batteredwomen and their preschool children are presented.