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Re: Domestic Violence as child abuse in the U.S.
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Indeed the practice of holding the mother accountable
for the perpetrators actions has been a problem across the US. It was so rampant
in New York State that a group of mothers, who had lost custody of their
children because they themselves were victims of domestic violence, brought a
class-action lawsuit against the NYS agency that investigates incidents of child
maltreatment. See <A
href="http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/1553/context/archive";>http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/1553/context/archive</A> for
an article that summarizes the arguments. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>After much deliberation, the mothers won. The
case went to the NYS Court of Appeals where the decision
of the lower courts was upheld. Although, some child protective
workers have been slow to embrace the decision. </FONT><FONT
face=Arial>Testimony in the case can be heard at <A
href="http://www.nycourts.gov/ctapps/090704webcast.htm";>http://www.nycourts.gov/ctapps/090704webcast.htm</A> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>This decision was considered a huge victory for those of
us in the business of helping Domestic Violence victims and their children
obtain safety. The ruling can be viewed at <A
href="http://www.courts.state.ny.us/ctapps/decisions/oct04/113opn04.pdf";>http://www.courts.state.ny.us/ctapps/decisions/oct04/113opn04.pdf</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>S</FONT><FONT face=Arial>hawn Smith<BR>Prevention
Education Coordinator <BR>YWCA of Cortland <BR>14 Clayton Avenue <BR>Cortland,
NY 13045<BR> <BR>eliminating racism<BR>empowering women<BR>YWCA<BR>(607)
753-9651 <BR>(607) 753-8774 (fax) <BR><A
href="mailto:avveducator@cortlandywca.org";>avveducator@cortlandywca.org</A>
</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=tena_koe@msn.com href="mailto:tena_koe@msn.com";>Ray & Tien</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu
href="mailto:CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu";>Child Maltreatment
Researchers</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, October 06, 2005 8:52
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Canadian Incidence vs the
U.S.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><!--[gte IE 5]><?xml:namespace prefix="v" /><?xml:namespace prefix="o" /><![endif]-->
<DIV>
<DIV>thank you for your comment lisa. I absolutely agree with your point
about risk factors and gender <EM>biases </EM>that exists against women
involved in the ecology of child protection as it pertains to issues of
domestic violence. I think the findings are a concrete indicator
of that bias which is more than an irony. what is disseminated in
research and how it is worded has strong impact on policy and field
work. when I was working at the department of social services the issue
that you highlight was rampant - there are many examples in practice of
similar biases - of women being held accountable by the cps organization, by
the courts, etc. for the men's battering behaviors, so again - thank you for
putting it out there and encouraging critical thought about how to interpret
and report research findings.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>best,</DIV>
<DIV>tien ung, licsw, abd</DIV>
<DIV>simmons school of social work</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>From:</B> <A title=mailto:lfontes@rcn.com
href="mailto:lfontes@rcn.com";>Lisa fontes</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=mailto:CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu
href="mailto:CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu";>Child Maltreatment
Researchers</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, October 04, 2005 7:51
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Canadian Incidence vs the U.S.
</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>I am grateful to Aron Shlonsky for reporting on the Canadian
study to us<BR>(message below), and am left with two
questions/comments:<BR><BR>1) It appears to me that rates of substantiated
emotional maltreatment<BR>are higher in Canada than the U.S, as a proportion
of total abuse, at<BR>least (I don't know per capita). In the U.S. these are
difficult cases<BR>and are often coded as neglect. Does anyone know how the
U.S. and Canada<BR>differ in their reporting or defining or investigating or
substantiating<BR>that would account for this difference?<BR><BR>2) Also,
his report notes:<BR>"The most prevalent risk factors for female caregivers
were domestic<BR>violence (51%), lack of social supports (40%) and mental
health issues<BR>(27%). For male caregivers, lack of social supports (33%),
alcohol abuse<BR>(30%), and mental health issues (18%) were the most
prevalent risk<BR>factors."<BR><BR>There is a certain irony here, since
Domestic Violence is NOT apparently<BR>a risk factor for the male
caregivers, yet the odds are male caregivers<BR>are the perpetrators of the
DV. So it appears that we are (mostly)<BR>seeing a situation where women are
being seen as the caregivers and are<BR>found to be responsible for exposing
a child to DV, even though she is<BR>not the one perpetrating it. At least
some of the time.<BR><BR>Anyone else see this a problematic?<BR>Certainly,
this is a problem we've seen elsewhere before, but it just<BR>jumped out at
me in this reporting of the data.<BR><BR>Lisa Fontes, Ph.D.<BR>-----Original
Message-----<BR>From: <A
title=mailto:owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu
href="mailto:owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu";>owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu</A><BR>[mailto:owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu]
On Behalf Of<BR>Aron Shlonsky<BR>Sent: Tuesday, October 04, 2005 10:52
AM<BR>To: Child Maltreatment Researchers<BR>Subject: New Release - Canadian
Incidence Study<BR><BR>CIS-2003 data shows increase in substantiated child
maltreatment in<BR>Canada<BR><BR>The second Canadian Incidence Study of
Reported Child Abuse and Neglect<BR>(CIS-2003), released on October 4, 2005,
shows that the rate of<BR>substantiated<BR>maltreatment in Canada (excluding
Quebec) increased 125%, from 9.64<BR>substantiated cases per thousand
children in 1998 to 21.71 in 2003.<BR>This<BR>increase may be explained by
improved reporting and investigation<BR>procedures,<BR>including changes in
case substantiation practices, more systematic<BR>identification of
victimized siblings, and greater awareness of<BR>emotional<BR>maltreatment
and exposure to domestic violence.<BR><BR>Neglect (30%), exposure to
domestic violence (28%), and physical abuse<BR>(24%)<BR>were the three
primary categories of substantiated
maltreatment.<BR>Emotional<BR>maltreatment accounted for another 15% of
cases while sexual abuse cases<BR>represented only 3% of all substantiated
investigations.<BR><BR>Many children come to the attention of child welfare
authorities for<BR>preventative intervention before they have been severely
harmed.<BR>Physical harm<BR>was noted in 10% of cases of substantiated
maltreatment and was severe<BR>enough to<BR>require medical intervention in
3% of these cases. Emotional harm was<BR>noted in<BR>20% of
substantiated cases. <BR><BR>Other highlights<BR>. Girls were more
often victims of sexual abuse and boys were more<BR>often victims<BR>of
physical abuse. <BR><BR>. Physical and sexual abuse is more prevalent
among older<BR>children, whereas<BR>younger children are more often victims
of exposure to domestic<BR>violence.<BR><BR>. Children living in two-parent
families represented 52% of<BR>substantiated cases. <BR><BR>. The most
prevalent risk factors for female caregivers were<BR>domestic
violence<BR>(51%), lack of social supports (40%) and mental health issues
(27%). For<BR>male<BR>caregivers, lack of social supports (33%), alcohol
abuse (30%), and<BR>mental<BR>health issues (18%) were the most prevalent
risk factors.<BR><BR>. The police (31%) and school personnel (21%)
accounting for more<BR>than half of<BR>all referrals. <BR><BR>. Sixty-one
percent of substantiated investigations involved<BR>families known
to<BR>have had previous contact with child welfare services. <BR><BR>.
Following investigation, 44% of substantiated cases were kept<BR>open for
ongoing<BR>services. <BR><BR>. Eight percent of substantiated
investigations led to a child<BR>being placed in a<BR>foster home, group
home or a residential treatment centre. <BR><BR>Centre of Excellence for
Child Welfare (<A title=http://www.cecw-cepb.ca/
href="http://www.cecw-cepb.ca";>www.cecw-cepb.ca</A>)<BR>CIS-2003 Information
Sheets<BR><BR>Physical abuse of children in Canada <BR><BR>Sexual abuse of
children in Canada <BR><BR>Child neglect in Canada<BR><BR>Child abuse and
neglect investigations in Canada: Comparing 1998 and<BR>2003 data
<BR><BR>The full CIS report, Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child
Abuse<BR>and<BR>Neglect-2003: Major Findings (2005) by Nico Trocmé, Barbara
Fallon,<BR>Bruce<BR>MacLaurin, Joanne Daciuk, Caroline Felstiner, Tara
Black, can be<BR>downloaded from<BR>Public Health Agency of Canada<BR>(<A
title=http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/cm-vee/csca-ecve/index.html
href="http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/cm-vee/csca-ecve/index.html";>http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/cm-vee/csca-ecve/index.html</A>)<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>Aron
Shlonsky<BR>Associate Professor<BR>University of Toronto<BR>Faculty of
Social Work<BR>246 Bloor St. W.<BR>Toronto, Ontario M5S
1A1<BR>Canada<BR>Phone: (416) 978-6718<BR>Fax: (416) 978-7072<BR>email: <A
title=mailto:aron.shlonsky@utoronto.ca
href="mailto:aron.shlonsky@utoronto.ca";>aron.shlonsky@utoronto.ca</A><BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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