Virginia is for Children is an organization that works for the safety and well being of Virginia’s children and their mothers through advocacy, research and education. We are committed to working together with institutions and organizations that are trying to eradicate distinct forms of abuse and domestic violence.
Our organization has seen many cases in Virginia where domestic violence is present against women and children, yet Virginia judges and attorneys advocate for women and children to stay with their abusers. Many of Virginia’s children (and children around the country) are being placed in the custody of known abusers, even when partners/spouses sever the relationship. We reject the idea that women and children are safe in relationships with fathers/partners that have a known history of abuse against individuals who are weaker or more vulnerable. Research has shown that when males become more aggressive toward their spouses, they also become more violent toward their children.[1]
“It is currently estimated that between 2 and 4 million women are physically battered annually in the United States (US) by their male partners. Woman battering and child abuse are intricately connected. Within a group of children that had been flagged as suspected victims of child abuse or neglect, 45 percent of their mothers had also been battered” (Wright, Wright and Isaac, 1997, pg. 186).
Employees and professionals of the legal, economic, social and global systems of society have contributed to the failure of said systems to protect battered mothers and their children after experiencing domestic and sexual violence by a domestic partner and father.
Although the research shows that children of battered mothers are often abused themselves, no community structure has been established to efficiently protect the children from the domestic abuser. The current legal system is also not concurrently and appropriately addressing the dynamics of domestic violence on the needs of the mother and the child, and the legal system often takes legal custody of the child away from the battered mother, invalidating her parental and maternal role. The researcher examines six pieces of literature and intertwines the ideas that the battered mother and her children receive poor access to adequate healthcare and employment, lack of protection and understanding from community organizations and the legal systems that are supposed to protect them, and increased vulnerability to additional physical, sexual and emotional abuse due to these gaps in provisions.
“In the US, from 3.3 million to 10 million children are estimated to witness parental violence annually. Studies indicate that 40 to 60 percent of child abuse victims have witnessed the abuse of their mothers on more than one occasion” (Wright, Wright and Isaac, 1997, pg. 186).
“Men who batter women pose significant risks to the emotional and physical health of children living in the home” (Daigle, 1998, pg. 288).
“[Child welfare systems] in the United States respond to battered mothers with numerous and often conflicting efforts to address the violence in their homes. [Oftentimes], the parental fitness of a battered woman is at issue, [and] Child Protective Services (CPS) [and the court systems] focus on her ability to separate from the batterer … and reunification of children with nonviolent, battered mothers” (Daigle, 1998, pgs. 290-291).
[1] Ross, S. (1996). Risk of physical abuse to children of spouse abusing parents. Child Abuse and Neglect, 20, 7, 589-598.
Our organization has seen many cases in Virginia where domestic violence is present against women and children, yet Virginia judges and attorneys advocate for women and children to stay with their abusers. Many of Virginia’s children (and children around the country) are being placed in the custody of known abusers, even when partners/spouses sever the relationship. We reject the idea that women and children are safe in relationships with fathers/partners that have a known history of abuse against individuals who are weaker or more vulnerable. Research has shown that when males become more aggressive toward their spouses, they also become more violent toward their children.[1]
“It is currently estimated that between 2 and 4 million women are physically battered annually in the United States (US) by their male partners. Woman battering and child abuse are intricately connected. Within a group of children that had been flagged as suspected victims of child abuse or neglect, 45 percent of their mothers had also been battered” (Wright, Wright and Isaac, 1997, pg. 186).
Employees and professionals of the legal, economic, social and global systems of society have contributed to the failure of said systems to protect battered mothers and their children after experiencing domestic and sexual violence by a domestic partner and father.
Although the research shows that children of battered mothers are often abused themselves, no community structure has been established to efficiently protect the children from the domestic abuser. The current legal system is also not concurrently and appropriately addressing the dynamics of domestic violence on the needs of the mother and the child, and the legal system often takes legal custody of the child away from the battered mother, invalidating her parental and maternal role. The researcher examines six pieces of literature and intertwines the ideas that the battered mother and her children receive poor access to adequate healthcare and employment, lack of protection and understanding from community organizations and the legal systems that are supposed to protect them, and increased vulnerability to additional physical, sexual and emotional abuse due to these gaps in provisions.
“In the US, from 3.3 million to 10 million children are estimated to witness parental violence annually. Studies indicate that 40 to 60 percent of child abuse victims have witnessed the abuse of their mothers on more than one occasion” (Wright, Wright and Isaac, 1997, pg. 186).
“Men who batter women pose significant risks to the emotional and physical health of children living in the home” (Daigle, 1998, pg. 288).
“[Child welfare systems] in the United States respond to battered mothers with numerous and often conflicting efforts to address the violence in their homes. [Oftentimes], the parental fitness of a battered woman is at issue, [and] Child Protective Services (CPS) [and the court systems] focus on her ability to separate from the batterer … and reunification of children with nonviolent, battered mothers” (Daigle, 1998, pgs. 290-291).
[1] Ross, S. (1996). Risk of physical abuse to children of spouse abusing parents. Child Abuse and Neglect, 20, 7, 589-598.