Custody Disputes Involving Allegations of Domestic Violence: Toward a Differentiated Approach to Parenting Plans

Abstract

Premised on the understanding that domestic violence is a broad concept that encompasses a wide range of behaviors from isolated events to a pattern of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse that controls the victim, this article addresses the need for a differentiated approach to developing parenting plans after separation when domestic violence is alleged. A method of assessing risk by screening for the potency , pattern , and primary perpetrator of the violence is proposed as a foundation for generating hypotheses about the type of and potential for future violence as well as parental functioning. This kind of differential screening for risk in cases where domestic violence is alleged provides preliminary guidance in identifying parenting arrangements that are appropriate for the specific child and family and, if confirmed by a more in-depth assessment, may be the basis for a long-term plan. A series of parenting plans are proposed, with criteria and guidelines for usage depending upon this differential screening, ranging from highly restricted access arrangements (no contact with perpetrators of family violence and supervised access or monitored exchange) to relatively unrestricted ones (parallel parenting) and even co-parenting. Implications for practice are considered within the context of available resources.

Abusive Men’s Indirect Control of Their Partner During the Process of Separation

“…When reconciliation no longer seems like an option to the abuser, child custody disputes and visitation become ways to continue abusing the woman (Jaffe et al 2008;Sauders 1994;Shepard 1992). Abusive men are frequently at an advantage in custody disputes since they are the ones who retained control of the money or they did not let their partner work (Bancroft and Silverman 2002).…”

“…The abuser is also not the one who has been subjected to years of physical abuse and control. The woman's parenting skills may suffer as a result of the control and abusive behavior she has experienced (Jaffe et al 2008). He may request sole custody because of the mother's supposed parenting deficits that are a result of his behavior (Dalton 1999).…”

Le meilleur intérêt de l’enfant dont la garde est contestée : enjeux, contexte et pratiques

“…De même, le conflit qui émane d'un désir des deux parents d'être impliqués dans la vie de leurs enfants doit être distingué de celui caractérisé par des stratégies de contrôle (physique ou autres) associées à la violence conjugale, bien que les deux situations puissent être vues comme hautement conflictuelles (Birnbaum et Bala, 2010). Il apparaît également important de distinguer la violence susceptible de se manifester entre les ex-conjoints qui vivent une séparation hautement conflictuelle (violence bidirectionnelle liée à l'escalade des conflits dans le couple) et la violence plus grave appelée « terrorisme intime » qui comporte généralement des actes violents et de coercition de même qu'un déséquilibre de pouvoir entre les ex-conjoints (Anderson et al, 2010;Jaffe et al, 2008;Johnston, 2006). Des recherches (Johnston et Campbell, 1993a, 1993b) menées auprès d'exconjoints en litige pour la garde (n=140) ont permis l'élaboration d'une typologie clinique de violence interparentale qui montre qu'elle peut prendre des formes variées dans ces situations : en plus de la violence physique perpétrée par l'homme, il y a des cas où la violence est amorcée par la femme, où les deux ex-conjoints participent à l'escalade des conflits, mais où le contrôle est repris par l'homme, où les comportements violents sont ponctuels et reliés au traumatisme de la séparation ou caractérisés par des réactions psychotiques ou de paranoïa.…”

A Framework for Addressing Allegations of Domestic Violence in Child Custody Disputes

“…In effect, the type and severity of violence and the safety of the victim must be assessed for both child and adult victims. This contextual assessment is a complicated undertaking, and we refer readers to Jaffe, Johnston, Crooks, and Bala (2008) for a more detailed analysis and guidelines.…”