A Study In Mothering And Violence

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 25 Jul 2008 - 1:00 PST

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The traumatic effect of watching a parent suffer abuse has been well-documented. Children can be psychologically, physically, and emotionally damaged. Whether they witness it or experience it themselves, children growing up with violence in the home are more likely to develop psychological or behavioral disorders.

However, documentation of cases of families with intimate partner violence is largely based on the retrospective eye of children who experienced incidents of it at an older age. A new study funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) being conducted by researchers from UNB, Dalhousie, UPEI and CBU is looking at the effects of intimate partner violence on small infants and their mothers, focusing on the interaction between them.

"Most of what we know about family violence we know from those who recall the experience much later often years following the experience," says Jean Hughes, Associate Professor at the Dalhousie School of Nursing and one of the investigators involved in the study. Prof. Hughes notes while many children feel the effects of violence very strongly, others appear less affected as if they rise above it.

"The Mothering Study" aims to create a new understanding of what behaviors and services help the mother to protect her young child or children from these lasting psychological and behavioral effects. Researchers want to learn how to better help women in abusive relationships, especially those with infants.

In order to do this, they are interviewing mothers, videotaping interactions between mother and child, and talking to service providers who help mothers in (or formerly in) abusive relationships. This includes talking to formal providers, such as doctors, as well as community providers such as shelters and support groups. Prof. Hughes stresses there is complete confidentiality for all who participate.

Though researchers have interviewed women from across the Maritimes and from all different socio-economic backgrounds, the victims have a lot in common. "By and large, they're all telling us the same kinds of stories," says Prof. Hughes. She adds the mothers interviewed articulated that it felt good to tell their stories, especially if it would make a difference for other mothers.

Nevertheless, recruitment for participants in the study is slow. "It takes a lot of gumption to pick up a phone and say, I've been in an abusive relationship," affirms Prof. Hughes. This is especially true for the group they're looking to interview women with young children in abusive relationships often have a hard time acknowledging that they are in them, or struggle with leaving. The mothers "worry there may not be a change for the better." They are fearful of the consequences financial, emotional, psychological or physical that could come with ending the relationship.

So what should family members and friends of women in abusive relationships do? Jean Hughes thinks the most important thing is to be supportive, and make sure they know that they are loved unconditionally. Offering ultimatums is not the way to help, as hard as it is to watch a loved one get hurt. Instead, start by convincing them to commit important phone numbers to memory, so when they are in need of help or ready to reach out for support, they know where to turn.

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