Citation

Laing L. Violence Against Women 2017; 23(11): 1314-1335.

Affiliation

University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia lesley.laing@sydney.edu.au.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1077801216659942

PMID

27555598

Abstract

This qualitative study explored the experiences of 22 domestic violence survivors attempting to negotiate safe post-separation parenting arrangements through the Australian family law system. Their allegations of violence put them at odds with a system that values mediated settlements and shared parenting. Skeptical responses, accusations of parental alienation, and pressure to agree to unsafe arrangements exacerbated the effects of post-separation violence. Core themes in the women's narratives of engagement with the family law system-silencing, control, and undermining the mother-child relationship-mirrored domestic violence dynamics, suggesting the concept of secondary victimization as a useful lens for understanding their experiences.

© The Author(s) 2016.

Language: en