Children’s exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) is a form of child abuse and can have serious detrimental consequences on their health and well-being. Research has shown that a strong relationship with a caring adult, often the mother, is a protective factor against those consequences. For this reason, this study attempts to understand the overall experiences of victimized mothers with perpetrators, professionals, and institutions in the years following IPV disclosure.
Victimized mothers continued to experience harmful behaviors from perpetrators/fathers after IPV disclosure. They reported feeling in danger and that the perpetrators/fathers benefited from a certain level of impunity. In parallel, the mothers were held accountable for the safety and well-being of their children in this context. These overall and multi-year experiences had short-term and long-term negative impacts on the mothers’ and children’s health, financial and administrative situation, relationship, and on school life. In this sample, the years following IPV disclosure were characterized by an enduring sense of ordeal.
Cattagni Kleiner, A., Romain-Glassey, N. How the Current Management of Intimate Partner Violence Can Endanger Victimized Mothers and Their Children. J Fam Viol (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-023-00596-6