NOTEPAD
Transforming
legal understandings of
intimate partner violence
ANROWS Notepad | 27 June 2019
Transforming legal understandings of intimate partner violence
Despite reforms aimed at recognising self-defence against intimate partner violence (IPV), in practice, the reforms are not operating as intended.
These findings come from an ANROWS-funded research project, launched today in Perth. Transforming legal understandings of intimate partner violence by Stella Tarrant (University of Western Australia) and Julia Tolmie (University of Auckland) examines homicide trials in which a self-defence claim is raised by women who have killed an abusive intimate partner.
The full report and the implications for policy and practice can now be found on the ANROWS website.
The research report explores how legal professionals and experts understand IPV, influencing which facts are considered relevant to understanding the homicide, the language used to frame those facts, and the conclusions drawn from them. The researchers have proposed a new ‘social entrapment’ framework for use in cases that involve IPV, enabling legal professionals to properly assess the facts of the case.
This project involved a close analysis of the case Western Australia v Liyanage, which demonstrates the way in which women’s claims to have acted in self-defence against an abusive partner are systematically rejected.
An art exhibition featuring 14 paintings by Chamari Liyanage has been launched with the report. As well as providing a path to healing, Ms Liyanage’s artwork has played a crucial role in communicating her experiences as a survivor. The exhibition grounds and extends the key messages and learnings of the report, offering a new medium to think through reform and change.
The artwork will be on display until 9 August at the Beasley Law Library, University of Western Australia. This location recognises the importance of different ways of understanding the legal system and its impact, and provides young lawyers and students with a unique way of engaging with this research.
Early intervention: Two new projects supported by funds from the Luke Batty Foundation
ANROWS is delighted to announce two new projects on early intervention programs for mothers and children who have experienced domestic and family violence: the Safe Nest Group program for mothers and infants, and the RECOVER program for mothers and pre-schoolers. These projects build on previous ANROWS work led by Dr Rae Kaspiew on domestic and family violence and parenting, which identified repairing the mother-child relationship as a high priority.
These projects are funded with monies distributed from the Luke Batty Foundation, which closed its doors last year. Rosie Batty, founder and former CEO of the Luke Batty Foundation, said: “It is so vital to have this focus on early intervention. Trauma-informed support for both mothers and children can make a huge difference. But we need to make sure programs are feasible and effective before we roll them out. These research projects will help inform good practice models in the future.”
Read more about the projects here.
Local Councils conduct Action Research on DFV Prevention
Preventing domestic and family violence: Action research reports from five Australian local government councils provides insights into work undertaken across Australia as part of the trial of the Australian Government Department of Social Services’ forthcoming Local council domestic and family violence prevention toolkit.
The action research report suggests a range of ideas about cost-effective domestic and family violence (DFV) prevention initiatives that councils can integrate into their ‘business as usual’ work. It also shows that action research offers a straightforward way for local governments to evaluate their DFV prevention initiatives as part of their project work.
ANROWS CEO participating in
exchange with Brazilian family violence experts
Five Australian experts in gender and family violence prevention, including ANROWS CEO Heather Nancarrow, have travelled to Brazil as part of an international exchange. Dr Nancarrow will attend a program of events, speaking at public and academic forums.
Funded by the Australian Embassy in Brazil, the second phase of the project will see a group of Brazilian practitioners and academics visit Australia to further connections and exchange of knowledge.
New research & resources
Research
Decker, M., Holliday, C., Hameeduddin, Z., Shah, R., Miller, J., Dantzler, J., Goodmark, L. (2019). “You Do Not Think of Me as a Human Being”: Race and Gender Inequities Intersect to Discourage Police Reporting of Violence against Women, Journal of Urban Health.
Hanson GC, Messing JT, Anderson JC, Thaller J, Perrin NA, Glass NE (2019). Patterns and Usefulness of Safety Behaviors Among Community-Based Women Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence, Journal of Interpersonal Violence.
Hegarty, K., Tarzia, L., Valpied, J., Murray, E., Taft, A., Novy, K., Gold, L., Glass, N. (2019). An online healthy relationship tool and safety decision aid for women experiencing intimate partner violence (I-DECIDE): a randomised controlled trial. The Lancet.
Fleming PJ, Barrington C, Maman S, Lerebours L, Donastorg Y, Brito MO (2019). Competition and humiliation: how masculine norms shape men’s sexual and violent behaviors, Men and Masculinities.
Oliver, K., Kothari, A., Mays, N. (2019). The dark side of coproduction: do the costs outweigh the benefits for health research?, Health Research Policy and Systems.
Thomas, K., Fitz-Gibbon, K., & Maher, J. (2019). The use of protection orders in response to adolescent family violence: mapping divergent Australian approaches and the merits of this criminal justice intervention, Current Issues in Criminal Justice.
Mujal, G., Taylor, M., Fry, J. (2019). A Systematic Review of Bystander Interventions for the Prevention of Sexual Violence, Trauma, Violence & Abuse.
Niolon PH, Vivolo-Kantor AM, Tracy AJ, Latzman NE, Little TD, DeGue S, et al. (2019) An RCT of dating matters: effects on teen dating violence and relationship behaviors, American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Meyer, S., Lasater, M., Garcia-Moreno, C. (2019). Violence against older women: a protocol for a systematic review of qualitative literature, BMJ Open.
Barroso, C., Sinding, S., (2019). Sexual and reproductive health and rights and population policies: from “either/or” to “both/and”, The Lancet.
Reports
UN Women: Progress of the World’s Women 2019-2020: Families in a Changing World.
The Equality Institute: Global scoping of advocacy and funding for the prevention of violence against women and girls
Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia: The Aboriginal Gender Study
Sexualities and Genders Research, Western Sydney University & ACON: Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer Men’s Attitudes and Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Assault
Domestic violence survivors more likely to be evicted from social housing
Reproductive coercion affects one in three female domestic violence victims, study shows
New research series reveals how the gender health gap affects us all
‘It’s like you go to abuse school’: how domestic violence always follows the same script
Women’s Family Law Support Service may end after NSW Government cuts funding
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