Citation

Douglas H, Walsh T. Violence Against Women 2010; 16(5): 537-542.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1077801210366291

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

We appreciate the opportunity to consider the responses from the four commentators to our discussion in the main article in this symposium. The workers we interviewed for the main article identified a disconnect between the domestic violence and child protections fields, and similarly the commentators, from four diverse professional backgrounds and from different jurisdictions and using different languages and metaphors, also accepted this was the current situation. Hester identifies what she refers to as three planets of domestic violence, child contact or visitation, and child protection. She observes that these planets have distinct cultural histories underpinning practices and outcomes. Humphreys similarly refers to the great divide between the community and voluntary sector and the statutory child protection services. Mandel refers to the need to improve “cross system dialog” and Goodmark appears to accept there is a need to improve relations “between” victimized mothers and child protection. This symposium in itself has provided an opportunity to engage professionally beyond these identified divisions.