In this article we present findings from the Work, Love and Play (WLP) study: a survey completed by 445 same‐sex attracted parents across Australia and New Zealand. Comparisons of household division of labour are made between a sub‐sample of WLP participants, who were currently cohabiting with a same‐sex partner (n = 317), and 958 cohabiting opposite‐sex parents surveyed as part of a major Australian study, Negotiating the Life Course. This comparison showed that same‐sex couples divided household labour significantly more equally than heterosexual parents, and lesbian couples also shared parenting tasks more equally. Qualitative findings from the WLP study indicate that, for many same‐sex couples, major decisions around who gives up paid work and how many hours parents choose to work, as well as decisions around work/family balance, are negotiated on the basis of couple's preferences and circumstance rather than an assumption that one parent will be the primary child carer. It is speculated that this finding highlights an important point of difference between same‐sex couples and heterosexual couples where the division of household labour is often based on the assumption that the mother will almost always be the primary child carer and homemaker. The research is a collaborative partnership between La Trobe University, Deakin University, The University of Melbourne, and Relationships Australia Victoria.

Drawing on models of the divorce adjustment process, conflict theory, and previous research, a number of hypotheses were derived about the influence of divorce process variables on disputant behavior in mediation and mediation outcome. Premediation levels of attachment, anger, and sadness were assessed in 112 couples and the mediation sessions offifty of these were videotaped. An existing coding instrument was modijed to quantify disputant behaviors. Specijc behaviors in mediation were found to be predictive of mediation outcome. Antecedent attachment and anger were found to be predictive of behavior in mediation and mediation outcome. In this article, the impticationsfor mediation practice are discussed.Empirical research in divorce mediation is limited in quantity and scope. The majority of efforts have been directed toward demonstrating efficacy, as the field has needed to establish its credibility and jostle for position within an already crowded marketplace. Although generally positive, the efficacy research has demonstrated considerable variability in outcomes (Kressel, 1985), suggesting that the types of intervention and the various models of divorce mediation differ in their degree of effectiveness. However, much of the research has treated the mediation process as a "black box" (Benjamin and Irving, 1995), comparing intake data and agreement rates with limited reference to what actually transpires in mediation. Consequently, there is little common understanding of the mechanisms involved and the circumstances under which mediation is more or less effective (Kressel, Butler-DeFreitas, Forlema, and Wilcox, 1989).Part of the difficulty is the absence of a coherent theory to explain how individuals in conflict behave in mediation and how mediators can intervene

Whilst the advent of new and increasingly accessible communication technologies undoubtedly provides new, positive, and effective ways for individuals to communicate and connect with their communities, it simultaneously provides additional means and forums for perpetrators to abuse and harass their victims. Furthermore, such technologies enable perpetrators of family violence to overcome geographical boundaries and continue their abuse post-separation, particularly where there are children of the relationship. This paper reviews and classifies the existing literature on technology-facilitated abuse, identifying predominant themes in relation to context and focus, as well as the gaps. New forms of criminality as well as new ways to perpetrate existing forms of criminality are described. Key Points1 Current technologies provide perpetrators of family violence with new ways of abusing, controlling, stalking, and harassing their partners. In particular, such technologies allow ex-partners to overcome geographical boundaries so they can perpetrate abuse after separation, particularly where there are children. 2 Technology-facilitated abuse erodes the boundaries between public and private and can have far more sinister, insidious, and far-reaching effects. 3 Different technologies are used strategically for different purposes in the perpetration of abuse. Social media platforms are commonly used to humiliate, punish, and stalk victims, while text-based technologies are used to harass and verbally abuse victims. 4 Whilst some forms of technology make existing forms of stalking and harassment of victims easier, others such as social media have allowed a new form of criminality to emerge, whereby the private and intimate are subject to the purview of an inestimable number of strangers who are often motivated to 'join in' the victimisation and abuse. 5 The overwhelming theme in the literature with respect to a perpetrator's agenda in relation to the use of technology is the creation of a sense of omnipresence over their victim's daily life. 6 There is limited qualitative and longitudinal research that focuses on the use of technology by perpetrators of family violence post-separation where there are children of the relationship.Erosion of the private-public division has been enabled by social media, allowing a new kind of criminality to emerge whereby the private and the intimate are subject to the purview of an inestimable numbers of strangers. At the same time, technologies such as text and email, more akin to traditional forms of communication, have provided perpetrators with easier and more insidious ways to perform existing crimes such as stalking and harassment. Another common theme identified in the literature relates to the specific motives of perpetrators in using various technologies. Whilst

BackgroundWhile families headed by same-sex couples have achieved greater public visibility in recent years, there are still many challenges for these families in dealing with legal and community contexts that are not supportive of same-sex relationships. The Work, Love, Play study is a large longitudinal study of same-sex parents. It aims to investigate many facets of family life among this sample and examine how they change over time. The study focuses specifically on two key areas missing from the current literature: factors supporting resilience in same-sex parented families; and health and wellbeing outcomes for same-sex couples who undergo separation, including the negotiation of shared parenting arrangements post-separation. The current paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the design and methods of this longitudinal study and discuss its significance.Methods/DesignThe Work, Love, Play study is a mixed design, three wave, longitudinal cohort study of same-sex attracted parents. The sample includes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents in Australia and New Zealand (including single parents within these categories) caring for any children under the age of 18 years. The study will be conducted over six years from 2008 to 2014. Quantitative data are to be collected via three on-line surveys in 2008, 2010 and 2012 from the cohort of parents recruited in Wave1. Qualitative data will be collected via interviews with purposively selected subsamples in 2012 and 2013. Data collection began in 2008 and 355 respondents to Wave One of the study have agreed to participate in future surveys. Work is currently underway to increase this sample size. The methods and survey instruments are described.DiscussionThis study will make an important contribution to the existing research on same-sex parented families. Strengths of the study design include the longitudinal method, which will allow understanding of changes over time within internal family relationships and social supports. Further, the mixed method design enables triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data. A broad recruitment strategy has already enabled a large sample size with the inclusion of both gay men and lesbians.

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