Mothering Through Domestic Violence

Radford (research, National Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, UK) and Hester (gender, violence and international policy, U. of Bristol) build upon their own decades of research to explain how undermining mothering in cases when the mother is the non-abusing partner locks women into abusive relationships and increases the damage done by domestic violence. They describe conditions in which battered women must mother, the persistent blaming of mothers for others' abuse of them, the link between domestic violence and maltreatment of children, the impact of domestic violence on children and their resilience, power and control in child visitation and contact, and mother-blaming in the courts. They offer insights on improving safety for women and children and providing positive support. Annotation c2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Lorraine Radford is Head of Research at the NSPCC in London. Marianne Hester is Professor of Gender, Violence and International Policy at the University of Bristol, UK and is co-author of Making an Impact: Children and Domestic Violence - A Reader, also by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.