What is it about?
The article reports on the various strategies and responses used by abused mothers to protect their children from harm.
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Why is it important?
Understanding mothers' strategies is critical when developing interventions to support mothers and to protect children. Asking mothers about the numerous ways they have protected their children sends a powerful message that they are viewed as knowledgeable and invites them to be active participants in planning interventions. Asking about their use of strategies, including the use of informal supports, may result in less intrusive interventions.
Perspectives
This paper is about recognizing the protective capabilities and strengths of abused mothers. It challenges the common assumption that the "best" or most protective actions involve formal interventions, such as contacting the police or accessing an emergency shelter. Although these are important sites of safety for many women, they are not always effective or available. Asking mothers about how they protect their children and supporting them in these actions is critical for ensuring the safety and well-being of mothers and their children.
Dr. Kendra Nixon
University of Manitoba
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Protective Strategies of Mothers Abused by Intimate Partners: Rethinking the Deficit Model, Violence Against Women, August 2016, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/1077801216658978.
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