1. Post separation violence and the implications Dr Donna Chung Professor of Social Work Curtin University Western Australia

2. Outline of presentation DFV - longer term impacts of and post separation violence Parenting and Gender Fathering by men in the context of domestic violence Including a children’s perspective

3. National study of domestic violence longer term effects Sample of 658 39.5% had experienced violence from >1 partner 77% had children at time of IPV

4. Experience of Intimate Partner Violence IPV Length: 1-5 years across all age groups 63% of respondents reported IPV post separation. Average Duration 2.8 years 10% experiencing post separation at time of survey

5. Income and household 41% had income of $30,000 or less 31% income was Centrelink benefits 64% were employees or self-employed Most common household type: sole parent with children (36%) 5

6. Housing circumstances 67% had increased housing costs post- separation 10% had decreased housing costs 42% had to make a significant move (such as interstate) Effects of moving Costs and increased debt with decreased income Employment and school changes 6

7. Civil Society and involvement 7

8. Post separation impacts I don’t know it has stopped. I have exit routes worked out. He still tries to tell me how to spend my money and is constantly belittling me and badmouthing me to our daughter but I withstand it more. Even though I physically left in 2010 the abuse continued through courts etc and using our child against me. I have had to make a very tough, conscious decision to not let him affect me anymore, through lots of counselling. 8

9. Post separation tactics Finances Stalking and threatening her family and friends Refusing and delaying tactics for settlement of property or division of household goods Contesting protection orders Demands to see children long periods Refusal to pay child support Workplace and study interference 9

10. Parenting and gender In many situations deeply gendered divisions of labour and responsibility for children’s care Worker and participant perceptions, attitudes and beliefs Continuing dominance of mother blaming or mother’s sole responsibility for all (non- financial) aspects related to children Changing shape from pre-birth onwards

11. Parenting and gender “Two parents are (nearly) always better than one” “If a child loves his/her dad important for him/her to have contact” If the father professes love for the child then mostly entitled to have contact Importance of use of term fathering – active practice

12. Parenting and gender Men are fathering and caring in a diverse range of circumstances Biological children from 1 or more relationships Live with Not live with but have regular contact/residency No or rare contact (inc children in state care) Children of their partners Live with Have some contact When having contact with their children it may not be at children’s residence – others may be involved in care of child including new partner, paternal grandmother, aunt, friends etc Do current programs take these variations into account?

13. Findings about fathers who were domestic violence perpetrators Fathers as providers to their biological children Fathers as having rights to see their biological children When children were removed largely seen as the fault of poor mothering (due to mental illness, substance abuse) Limited knowledge about child development Expectations of children re motives and behaviours Men who grew up with violent fathers saw their mothers as to blame for not removing them from the situation (Heward-Belle 2014)

14. Findings about fathers who were domestic violence perpetrators Men perceived their violence towards their children as ‘not as bad as my dad’ Physical punishment as acceptable means of discipline Preference for children most like them Non-biological children – “I took on her kids” Little empathy for the children or their mother Limited insight into how children are affected by his use of violence and coercive control. (Heward-Belle 2014)

15. Current pathways and programming: Child protection Mothers still most likely to be primary focus of intervention but increasing awareness of need to intervene with father Issue is parenting roles still highly gendered so woman mostly still primary carer Service model largely 9-5 Remaining reluctance of CP workers to work with perpetrators

16. Current pathways and programming: Justice System Courts in relation to DV Referral to DV perpetrator program Courts in relation to Family Law Courts through child protection proceedings

17. Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programs (DVPPs) and Fathering Historically children as a motivator for change but without fathering content Few requirements for DVPPs to include a focus on fathering Fathering increasingly included in DVPPs not extensive A lack of children’s perspectives in these programs

18. DVPPs and Fathering A lack of children’s perspectives in these programs Australian programs where aspects about children were included focused on effects of DV on children and not fathering practice Other research: fathers found to grow in understanding of the impact of their behaviours on children through group process. So subtle differences. Small sample and self-report. (Westmarland & Kelly 2013)

19. Shifts in child welfare services in the US ‘Safe & Together’ (Mandel & Assoc) Focus on child safety and how to keep the non- offending parent and child(ren) safe from the perpetrator Moving away from relying on the mother to keep the child safe Particularly important given the high rate of post separation violence and its duration

20. Concluding comments Domestic violence has a ‘long tail’ Post separation violence is common Children’s and women’s economic, social and individual wellbeing continually eroded post separation – invisible unless physically unsafe Children’s perspective largely outside of the bounds of consideration of children: largely not child focused Parenting programs general Vs parenting programs for fathers who have perpetrated family violence Children and adolescent perspectives in programming for adults is overdue