good thesis statement on domestic violence

153 Domestic Violence Topics & Essay Examples

A domestic violence essay can deal with society, gender, family, and youth. To help you decide which aspect to research, our team provided this list of 153 topics .

📑 Aspects to Cover in a Domestic Violence Essay

🏆 best domestic violence titles & essay examples, ⭐ interesting domestic violence topics for an essay, 🎓 good research topics about domestic violence, ❓ research questions on domestic violence.

Domestic violence is a significant problem and one of the acute topics of today’s society. It affects people of all genders and sexualities.

Domestic violence involves many types of abuse, including sexual and emotional one. Essays on domestic violence can enhance students’ awareness of the issue and its causes. Our tips will be useful for those wanting to write outstanding domestic violence essays.

Start with choosing a topic for your paper. Here are some examples of domestic violence essay titles:

• Causes of domestic violence and the ways to eliminate them
• The consequences of domestic violence
• The importance of public domestic violence speech
• Ways to reduce domestic violence
• The prevalence of domestic violence in the United States (or other countries)
• The link between domestic violence and mental health problems among children

Now that you have selected one of the titles for your essay, you can start working on the paper. We have prepared some tips on the aspects you should cover in your work:

• Start with researching the issue you have selected. Analyze its causes, consequences, and effects. Remember that you should include some of the findings in the paper using in-text citations.
• Develop a domestic violence essay outline. The structure of your paper will depend on the problem you have selected. In general, there should be an introductory and a concluding paragraph, as well as three (or more) body paragraphs. Hint: Keep in mind the purpose of your essay while developing its structure.
• Present your domestic violence essay thesis clearly. The last sentence of your introductory paragraph should be the thesis statement. Here are some examples of a thesis statement:

Domestic violence has a crucial impact on children’s mental health. / Domestic violence affects women more than men.

• Present a definition of domestic violence. What actions does the term involve? Include several possible perspectives on domestic violence.
• Discuss the victims of domestic violence and the impact it has on them too. Provide statistical data, if possible.
• Help your audience to understand the issue better by discussing the consequences of domestic violence, even if it is not the primary purpose of your paper. The essay should show why it is necessary to eliminate this problem.
• You can include some relevant quotes on domestic violence to make your arguments more persuasive. Remember to use citations from relevant sources only. Such sources include peer-reviewed articles and scholarly publications. If you are not sure whether you can use a piece of literature, consult your professor to avoid possible mistakes.
• Support your claims with evidence. Ask your professor in advance about the sources you can use in your paper. Avoid utilizing Wikipedia, as this website is not reliable.
• Stick to a formal language. Although you may want to criticize domestic violence, do not use offensive terms. Your paper should look professional.
• Pay attention to the type of paper you should write. If it is an argumentative essay, discuss opposing views on domestic violence and prove that they are unreliable.
• Remember that you should include a domestic violence essay conclusion in your paper too. This section of the paper should present your main ideas and findings. Remember not to present any new information or citations in the concluding paragraph.

There are some free samples we have prepared for you, too. Check them out!

• Domestic Violence and Conflict Theory in Society The Conflict Theory explains remarkable events in history and the changing patterns of race and gender relations and also emphasizes the struggles to explain the impact of technological development on society and the changes to […]
• Domestic Violence against Women Domestic violence against women refers to “any act of gender-based violence that results in or is likely to result in physical, sexual, and mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts as […]
• Domestic Violence and Repeat Victimisation Theory Domestic violence is a crime which often happens because of a bad relationship between a man and woman and usually continues to be repeated until one of the parties leaves the relationship; hence victims of […]
• Domestic Violence and COVID-19: Literature Review The “stay safe, stay at home” mantra used by the governments and public health organizations was the opposite of safety for the victims of domestic violence.
• Domestic Violence Ethical Dilemmas in Criminal Justice Various ethical issues such as the code of silence, the mental status of the offender, and limited evidence play a vital role in challenging the discretion of police officers in arresting the DV perpetrators.
• Victimology and Domestic Violence In this situation there are many victims; Anne is a victim of domestic violence and the children are also victims of the same as well as the tragic death of their father.
• Break the Silence: Domestic Violence Case The campaign in question aimed to instruct victims of domestic violence on how to cope with the problem and where to address to get assistance.
• Behind Closed Doors: Domestic Violence The term “domestic violence” is used to denote the physical or emotional abuse that occurs in the homes. Therefore, it has contributed to the spread of domestic violence in the country.
• Community and Domestic Violence: Elder Abuse In addition, the fact the elderly people cannot defend themselves because of the physical frailty that they encounter, they will experience most of the elderly abuse.
• Theories of Domestic Violence It is important to point out that women have received the short end of the stick in regards to domestic violence. A third reason why people commit domestic violence according to the Family Violence Theory […]
• Effects of Domestic Violence on Children’s Social and Emotional Development In the case of wife-husband violence, always, one parent will be the offender and the other one the victim; in an ideal situation, a child needs the love of a both parents. When brought up […]
• Affordable, Effective Legal Assistance for Victims of Domestic Violence Legal assistance significantly increases the chances for domestic abuse victims to obtain restraining orders, divorce, and custody of their children. Helping victims of domestic violence with inexpensive legal aid is a critical step in assisting […]
• Domestic Violence: Far-Right Conspiracy Theory in Australia’s Culture Wars The phenomenon of violence is directly related to the violation of human rights and requires legal punishment for the perpetrators and support for the victims.
• Domestic Violence and Black Women’s Experiences Overall, the story’s exploration of the reality of life for an African American married woman in a patriarchal society, and the challenges faced by black women, is relevant to the broader reality of domestic violence […]
• Domestic Violence: Criminal Justice In addition, the usage of illegal substances such as bhang, cocaine, and other drugs contributes to the increasing DV in society.
• Witnessed Domestic Violence and Juvenile Detention Research The primary purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between witnessed domestic violence and juvenile detention. Research has pointed to a relationship between witnessed violence and juvenile delinquency, and this study holds that […]
• Domestic Violence Against Women in Melbourne Thus, it is possible to introduce the hypothesis that unemployment and related financial struggles determined by pandemic restrictions lead to increased rates of domestic violence against women in Melbourne.
• Intersectionality in Domestic Violence Another way an organization that serves racial minorities may address the unique needs of domestic violence victims is to offer additional educational and consultancy activities for women of color.
• Healthcare Testing of a Domestic Violence Victim Accordingly, the negative aspects of this exam include difficulties in identifying and predicting the further outcome of events and the course of side effects.
• Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, or Elder Abuse In every health facility, a nurse who notices the signs of abuse and domestic violence must report them to the relevant authorities.
• Educational Services for Children in Domestic Violence Shelters In order to meet the objectives of the research, Chanmugam et al.needed to reach out to the representatives of emergency domestic violence shelters located in the state of Texas well-aware of the shelters’ and schools’ […]
• The Domestic Violence Arrest Laws According to the National Institute of Justice, mandatory arrest laws are the most prevalent in US states, indicating a widespread agreement on their effectiveness.
• Environmental Scan for Hart City Domestic Violence Resource Center In particular, it identifies the target population, outlines the key resources, and provides an overview of data sources for assessing key factors and trends that may affect the Resource Center in the future.
• Domestic Violence Investigation Procedure If they claim guilty, the case is proceeded to the hearing to estimate the sentencing based on the defendant’s criminal record and the scope of assault. The issue of domestic abuse in households is terrifyingly […]
• Educational Group Session on Domestic Violence This will be the first counseling activity where the counselor assists the women to appreciate the concepts of domestic violence and the ways of identifying the various kinds of violence.
• What Causes Domestic Violence? Domestic abuse, which is also known as domestic violence, is a dominance of one family member over another or the other. As a result, the probability of them becoming abusers later in life is considerably […]
• The Impact of COVID-19 on Domestic Violence in the US Anurudran et al.argue that the new measures taken to fight COVID-19 infections heightened the risk of domestic abuse. The pandemic paradox: The consequences of COVID 19 on domestic violence.
• Rachel Louise Snyder’s Research on Domestic Violence Language and framing play a significant role in manipulating people’s understanding of domestic violence and the nature of the problem. However, it is challenging to gather precise data on the affected people and keep track […]
• Domestic Violence Restraining Orders: Renewals and Legal Recourse Since upon the expiry of a restraining order, a victim can file a renewal petition the current task is to determine whether the original DVRO of our client has expired, the burden of obtaining a […]
• Annotated Bibliography on Domestic Violence Against Women They evaluate 134 studies from various countries that provide enough evidence of the prevalence of domestic violence against women and the adverse effects the vice has had for a decade.
• Alcoholism, Domestic Violence and Drug Abuse Kaur and Ajinkya researched to investigate the “psychological impact of adult alcoholism on spouses and children”. The work of Kaur and Ajinkya, reveals a link between chronic alcoholism and emotional problems on the spouse and […]
• Domestic Violence Counselling Program Evaluation The evaluation will be based upon the mission of the program and the objectives it states for the participants. The counselors arrange treatment for both sides of the conflict: the victims and offenders, and special […]
• Sociological Imagination: Domestic Violence and Suicide Risk Hence, considering these facts, it is necessary to put the notion of suicide risk in perspective when related to the issue of domestic violence.
• The Roles of Domestic Violence Advocates Domestic conflict advocates assist victims in getting the help needed to cope and move forward. Moreover, these advocates help the survivors in communicating to employers, family members, and lawyers.
• Ambivalence on Part of the Police in Response to Domestic Violence The police have been accused of ambivalence by their dismissive attitudes and through sexism and empathy towards perpetrators of violence against women.
• Domestic Violence: The Impact of Law Enforcement Home Visits As the study concludes, despite the increase in general awareness concerning domestic violence cases, it is still a significant threat to the victims and their children.
• Domestic Violence: How Is It Adressed? At this stage, when the family members of the battered women do this to them, it becomes the responsibility of the people to do something about this.
• Domestic Violence: Qualitative & Quantitative Research This research seeks to determine the impacts of domestic violence orders in reducing the escalating cases of family brutality in most households. N1: There is a significant relationship between domestic violence orders and the occurrence […]
• Domestic Violence Factors Among Police Officers The objective of this research is to establish the level of domestic violence among police officers and relative the behavior to stress, divorce, police subculture, and child mistreatment.
• “The Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment” by Sherman and Berk The experiment conducted by the authors throws light on the three stages of the research circle. This is one of the arguments that can be advanced.
• Domestic Violence and Drug-Related Offenders in Australia The article is very informative since outlines a couple of the reasons behind the rampant increase in cases of negligence and lack of concern, especially from the government.
• An Investigation on Domestic Violence This particular experiment aimed to evaluate the nature of relationship and the magnitude of domestic violence meted on either of the partners.
• Educational Program on Domestic Violence The reason why I have chosen this as the topic for my educational program is that victims of domestic violence often feel that they do not have any rights and hence are compelled to live […]
• Supporting Female Victims of Domestic Violence and Abuse: NGO Establishment The presence of such a model continues to transform lives and make it easier for more women to support and provide basic education to their children.
• Family and Domestic Violence: Enhancing Protective Factors Current partner Previous partner Percentage of children When children are exposed to violence, they encounter numerous difficulties in their various levels of development.
• Domestic Violence in Women’s Experiences Worldwide Despite the fact the author of the article discusses a controversial problem of domestic violence against women based on the data from recent researches and focusing on such causes for violence as the problematic economic […]
• Parenting in Battered Women: The Effects of Domestic Violence In this study, ‘Parenting in Battered Women: The Effects of Domestic Violence on Women and their Children,’ Alytia A. It is commendable that at this stage in stating the problem the journalists seek to conclude […]
• Domestic Violence Types and Causes This is acknowledged by the law in most countries of the world as one of the most brutal symbols of inequality.
• Alcohol and Domestic Violence in Day-To-Day Social Life My paper will have a comprehensive literature review that will seek to analyze the above topic in order to assist the reader understand the alcohol contributions in the domestic and social violence in our society.
• Power and Control: Domestic Violence in America The abusive spouse wants to feel powerful and in control of the family so he, usually the abusive spouse is the man, beats his wife and children to assert his superiority.
• Domestic or Intimate Partner Violence Intervention Purpose of the study: The safety promoting behavior of the abused women is to be increased using a telephone intervention. They were allocated to either of the groups by virtue of the week of enrolment […]
• Substance Abuse and Domestic Violence: Comprehensive Discussion Substance abuse refers to the misuse of a drug or any other chemical resulting in its dependence, leading to harmful mental and physical effects to the individual and the wellbeing of the society.
• Environmental Trends and Conditions: Domestic Violence in the Workplace Despite the fact that on average the literacy rate and the rate of civilization in the world have been increasing in the past few decades, the statistics for domestic violence have been increasing on an […]
• Domestic Violence in the Organizations Despite the fact that on average the literacy rate and the rate of civilization in the world has been increasing in the past few decades, the statistics for domestic violence have been increasing on an […]
• Domestic Violence and Honor Killing Analysis Justice and gender equality are important aspects of the totality of mankind that measure social and economic development in the world. The cultural justification is to maintain the dignity and seniority framework of the family.
• Facts About Domestic Violence All aspects of the society – which starts from the smallest unit, that is the family, to the church and even to the government sectors are all keen on finding solutions on how to eliminate, […]
• Domestic Violence in Marriage and Family While there are enormous reports of intimate partner homicides, murders, rapes, and assaults, it is important to note that victims of all this violence find it very difficult to explain the matter and incidents to […]
• One-Group Posttest-Only Design in the Context of Domestic Violence Problem This application must unveil the risks and their solutions by researching the variables and the threats to the validity of the research.
• Domestic Violence as a Social Issue It is one of the main factors which stimulate the study’s conduction, and among the rest, one can also mention the number of unexplored violence questions yet to be answered.
• Reflections on Domestic Violence in the Case of Dr. Mile Crawford Nevertheless, the only way out of this situation is to escape and seek help from the legal system. From a personal standpoint, to help her would be the right thing to do.
• Gender Studies: Combating Domestic Violence The purpose of this paper is to provide a detailed description of domestic violence, as well as the development of an action plan that can help in this situation.
• Domestic Violence Funding and Impact on Society The number of domestic violence cases in the US, both reported and unreported, is significant. The recent decision of Trump’s administration to reduce the expenses for domestic violence victims from $480,000,000 to $40,000,000 in the […]
• Campaign against Domestic Violence: Program Plan In addition, men who used to witness aggressive behavior at home or in the family as children, or learned about it from stories, are two times more disposed to practice violence against their partners than […]
• Domestic Violence and Bullying in Schools It also states the major variables related to bullying in schools. They will confirm that social-economic status, gender, and race can contribute to bullying in schools.
• Domestic Violence Within the US Military In most of the recorded domestic violence cases, females are mostly the victims of the dispute while the males are the aggressors of the violence.
• Reporting Decisions in Child Maltreatment: A Mixed Methodology Approach The present research aims to address both the general population and social workers to examine the overall attitudes to the reporting of child maltreatment.
• Domestic Violence in Australia: Budget Allocation and Victim Support On the other hand, the allocation of financial resources with the focus on awareness campaigns has also led to a lack of financial support for centres that provide the frontline services to victims of domestic […]
• Domestic Violence and Social Interventions In conclusion, social learning theory supports the idea that children have a high likelihood of learning and simulating domestic violence through experiences at home.
• Domestic Violence and Child’s Brain Development The video “First Impressions: Exposure to Violence and a Child’s Developing Brain” answers some questions of the dependence of exposure to domestic violence and the development of brain structures of children. At the beginning of […]
• Local Domestic Violence Victim Resources in Kent The focus of this paper is to document the local domestic violence victim resources found within a community in Kent County, Delaware, and also to discuss the importance of these resources to the community.
• The Impact of Domestic Violence Laws: Social Norms and Legal Consequences I also suppose that some of these people may start lifting their voices against the law, paying particular attention to the idea that it is theoretically allowable that the law can punish people for other […]
• Domestic Violence Abuse: Laws in Maryland The Peace and Protective Orders-Burden of Proof regulation in Maryland and the Violence against Women Act are some of the laws that have been created to deal with domestic violence.
• Domestic Violence in Australia: Policy Issue In this paper, DV in Australia will be regarded as a problem that requires policy decision-making, and the related terminology and theory will be used to gain insights into the reasons for the persistence of […]
• Nondiscriminatory Education Against Domestic Violence The recent event that prompted the proposed advocacy is the criticism of a banner that depicts a man as the victim of abuse.
• Domestic Violence in International Criminal Justice The United Nations organization is deeply concerned with the high level of violence experienced by women in the family, the number of women killed, and the latency of sexual violence.
• Same-Sex Domestic Violence Problem Domestic violence in gay or lesbian relationships is a serious matter since the rates of domestic violence in such relationships are almost equivalent to domestic violence in heterosexual relationships. There are a number of misconceptions […]
• Domestic, Dating and Sexual Violence Dating violence is the sexual or physical violence in a relationship which includes verbal and emotional violence. The rate of sexual violence in other nations like Japan and Ethiopia, range from 15 to 71 percent.
• Anger Management Counseling and Treatment of Domestic Violence by the Capital Area Michigan Works These aspects include: the problem that the program intends to solve, the results produced by the program, the activities of the program, and the resources that are used to achieve the overall goal.
• Understanding Women’s Responses to Domestic Violence The author’s research orientation is a mix of interpretive, positivism and critical science – interpretive in informing social workers or practitioners on how to enhance their effectiveness as they deal with cases related to violence […]
• Poverty and Domestic Violence It is based on this that in the next section, I have utilized my educational experience in order to create a method to address the issue of domestic violence from the perspective of a social […]
• National Coalition Against Domestic Violence In addition, NCADV hopes to make the public know that the symbol of the purple ribbon represents the mission of the organization, which is to bring peace to all American households.
• Evaluation of the Partnership Against Domestic Violence According to the official mission statement of the organization, PADV is aimed at improving the overall wellbeing of families all over the world and helping those that suffer from domestic violence The organization’s primary goal […]
• Cross-Cultural Aspects of Domestic Violence This is one of the limitations that should be taken account. This is one of the problems that should not be overlooked.
• Domestic Violence in the Lives of Women She gives particular focus on the social and traditional aspects of the community that heavily contribute to the eruption and sustenance of violence against women in households. In the part 1 of the book, Renzetti […]
• Financial Planning and Management for Domestic Violence Victims Acquisition of resources used in criminal justice require financial resources hence the need to manage the same so as to provide the best machines and equipments.
• Violence against Women: Domestic, National, and Global Rape as a weapon for the enemy Majority of cultures in war zones still accept and regard rape to be a weapon of war that an enemy should be punished with.
• Effects of Domestic Violence on Children Development In cases where children are exposed to such violence, then they become emotionally troubled: In the above, case them the dependent variable is children emotions while the independent variable is domestic violence: Emotions = f […]
• Evaluation of Anger Management Counseling and Treatment of Domestic Violence by the Capital Area Michigan Works These aspects include: the problem that the program intends to solve, the results produced by the program, the activities of the program, and the resources that are used to achieve the overall goal.
• Knowledge and Attitudes of Nurses Regarding Domestic Violence and Their Effect on the Identification of Battered Women In conducting this research, the authors sought the consent of the prospective participants where the purpose of the study was explained to participants and confidentiality of information to be collected was reassured.
• Domestic Violence Dangers Mount With Economic, Seasonal Pressures These variables are believed to be able to prompt the family to explore the experiences and meanings of stress and stress management.
• Impact of the Economic Status on Domestic Violence This article investigates the possible factors that may help in explaining the status of women who are homeless and their capacity to experience domestic violence.
• Dominance and “Power Plays” in Relationships to Assist Clients to Leave Domestic Violence According to psychologists, the problem of domestic violence is based on the fact that one partner needs to be in control of the other.
• Social Marketing Campaign on Domestic Violence In this marketing campaign strategy the focus would be centered on violence against women, as a form of domestic violence that is currently experience in many countries across the globe.
• Domestic Violence: Reason, Forms and Measures The main aim of this paper is to determine the reason behind the rapid increase of domestic violence, forms of domestic violence and measures that should be taken to reduce its effects.
• Art Therapy With Women Who Have Suffered Domestic Violence One of the most significant benefits of art therapy is the fact the patients get to understand and interpret their own situations which puts them in a better position to creatively participate in own healing […]
• Collaborative Crisis Intervention at a Domestic Violence Shelter The first visit is meant to collect the information that the professional in domestic violence deem crucial concerning the precipitating incidence and history of violence.
• Domestic Violence Exposure in Colombian Adolescents In this topic, the authors intend to discover the extent of association of drug abuse to domestic violence exposure, violent and prosocial behavior among adolescents.
• Domestic Violence and Social Initiatives in Solving the Problem The absence of the correct social programs at schools and the lack of desire of government and police to pay more attention to the prevention of the problem while it is not too late are […]
• Domestic Violence in the African American Community Previous research has suggested this due to the many causes and effects that are experienced by the members and especially the male members of the African American community.
• Domestic Violence: Predicting and Solutions There are several factors which predict the state of domestic violence in the future and this will help in preventing domestic violence.
• Domestic Violence: Signs of Abuse and Abusive Relationships The unprecedented rejuvenation of such a vile act, prompted the formation of factions within society, that are sensitive to the plight of women, and fight for the cognizance of their rights in society.
• Domestic Violence against South Asian Women Again, this strategy is premised on the idea that domestic violence can be explained by the financial dependence of women in these communities.
• The Effects of Domestic Violence According to statistics and research provided in the handout, women are at a higher risk of being victims of domestic violence.
• Effect of Domestic Violence on Children This is done with the aim of ensuring that the child is disciplined and is meant as a legitimate punishment. Most of our children have been neglected and this has contributed to the increase in […]
• Domestic Violence and Elderly Abuse- A Policy Statement Though this figure has been changing with the change in the method of survey that was conducted and the nature of samples that were taken during the research process, it is widely accepted fact that […]
• Domestic Violence as a Social and Public Health Problem The article, authored by Lisa Simpson Strange, discusses the extent of domestic violence especially in women and the dangers it exposes the victims to, insisting that severe actions should be taken against those who commit […]
• Guilty until Proven Otherwise: Domestic Violence Cases The presumption of the guilt of a man in domestic violence cases is further proven by the decision of the court in which the man is required to post a bond despite the fact that […]
• Community and Domestic Violence; Gang Violence Solitude, peer pressure, need to belong, esteem, and the excitement of the odds of arrest entice adolescents to join these youth gangs.
• Fighting Domestic Violence in Pocatello, Idaho Having realized the need to involve the family unit in dealing with this vice, Walmart has organized a sensitization program that will involve the education of whole family to increase awareness on the issue. The […]
• What Is the Purpose of Studying Domestic Violence?
• What Does Theory Explain Domestic Violence?
• What Is the Difference Between IPV and Domestic Violence?
• What Age Group Does Domestic Violence Affect Most?
• When Domestic Violence Becomes the Norm?
• How Are Domestic Violence Problems Solved in American and Other Cultures?
• What Are the 3 Phases in the Domestic Violence Cycle?
• How Can Domestic Violence Be Explained?
• How Many Deaths Are Caused by Domestic Violence?
• When Was Domestic Violence First Defined?
• How Is a Domestic Violence Prevention?
• How Race, Class, and Gender Influences Domestic Violence?
• Why Do Victims of Abuse Sometimes Stay Silent?
• How Does Domestic Violence Affect the Brain?
• Is Mental Illness Often Associated With Domestic Violence?
• How Does Domestic Violence Affect a Person Emotionally?
• How Does Domestic Violence Affect Children’s Cognitive Development?
• Why Should Employers Pay Attention to Domestic Violence?
• What Are the Causes of Domestic Violence?
• What Country Has the Highest Rate of Domestic Violence?
• How Does Domestic Violence Affect the Lives of Its Victims?
• What Are the Possible Causes and Signs of Domestic Violence?
• How Does Socioeconomic Status Affect Domestic Violence?
• How Does the Australian Criminal Justice System Respond to Domestic Violence?
• How Does Culture Affect Domestic Violence in the UK?
• What Is the Psychology of an Abuser?
• What Is Police Doing About Domestic Violence?
• How Does the Government Define Domestic Violence?
• What Profession Has the Highest Rate of Domestic Violence?
• What Percent of Domestic Violence Is Alcohol-Related?
• Family Relationships Research Ideas
• Alcohol Abuse Paper Topics
• Drug Abuse Research Topics
• Child Welfare Essay Ideas
• Childhood Essay Topics
• Sexual Abuse Essay Titles
• Divorce Research Ideas
• Gender Stereotypes Essay Titles
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Ideas for a Thesis Statement on Domestic Violence

Good Homeland Security Thesis Ideas

Depending on the type of paper that you are writing, your domestic violence thesis statement may answer a social services question, spell out the statistics or explain the hows and whys of a specific issue such as confidentiality or stalking. Crafting a thesis statement involves narrowing your focus and deciding on a point of view or position for the reader to follow.

Selection Process

Choosing one idea for your thesis statement requires careful consideration, evaluating the evidence and digesting the significance of the material or research on the subject. It may also depend on a specific topic that your professor requires. You're providing the reader with an introduction to your domestic violence paper and want to ensure that you clearly spell out your message and communicate why your point of view is important. For example, a general statement that simply says domestic violence happens between partners isn't clear and doesn't help the reader to understand where your paper is going. In contrast, a statement that says domestic violence affects 1.3 million people in relationships annually demonstrates a specific call for action.

Types of Injuries

Domestic violence isn't always the same. Some victims suffer emotional abuse, while others endure the physical kind. If your paper focuses on injuries incurred during spousal or relationship abuse, ideas for a possible thesis can address a particular type of injury. For example, traumatic brain injury is a possible result when one partner strikes the other in the head. If you choose this type of injury, your thesis should spell out how prevalent this is, why it is a problem and what the symptoms are. You may take an even more focused approach and design a thesis statement that includes the issue of repeat brain injury or the healing process. Other potential topics for your thesis in this area include bone breaks, bruises or weapon-inflicted wounds.

The Other Victims

The picture of the battered wife that the media depicts isn't always accurate. Not every instance of domestic violence is abuse against a woman. Women can assault men and men can also assault their males partners. A thesis statement on non-female victims of domestic violence may assert the position that prevention programs are essential for both genders or explain the problem of abuse toward males through facts and figures. If you're choosing this focus for your thesis idea, first define which population -- hetero- or homosexual men -- you are going to present in your paper. Doing so can help you to narrow the topic and present a concise statement.

Professional Issues

It's possible that your paper won't focus on the victims of violence, but instead on how the social service professional handles a client who is being abused. This type of thesis is often geared more toward a professional practice, ethics in practice or professionalism in the workplace course. You might, for example, include confidentiality as a topic and your thesis could reflect your position on why keeping client's identity safe is important. Other professional issues topics might include a statement on a specific counseling technique, an outline of legislation that social service workers must follow when it comes to client confidentiality.

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• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Thesis Statements
• Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence: Domestic Violence Topics
• National Online Resource Center on Violence Against Women: Special Collection: Traumatic Brain Injury and Domestic Violence: Understanding the Intersections
• Time: The Surprising Truth About Women and Violence
• Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence: Stalking

Based in Pittsburgh, Erica Loop has been writing education, child development and parenting articles since 2009. Her articles have appeared in "Pittsburgh Parent Magazine" and the website PBS Parents. She has a Master of Science in applied developmental psychology from the University of Pittsburgh's School of Education.

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100 Domestic Violence Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Domestic violence is a pervasive issue that affects individuals and families across the globe. Whether it is physical, emotional, psychological, or financial abuse, the impact of domestic violence can be devastating and long-lasting. As a result, it is essential for society to address this issue head-on and work towards creating a safer and more equitable world for all.

If you are tasked with writing an essay on domestic violence, you may find yourself struggling to come up with a compelling topic. To help you get started, here are 100 domestic violence essay topic ideas and examples:

The impact of domestic violence on children's mental health

The role of law enforcement in addressing domestic violence

Cultural factors that contribute to domestic violence

The link between substance abuse and domestic violence

The prevalence of domestic violence in LGBTQ+ relationships

The long-term effects of domestic violence on survivors

How domestic violence affects workplace productivity

The role of social media in perpetuating domestic violence

The intersection of race and domestic violence

How to support a friend or family member experiencing domestic violence

The importance of trauma-informed care for domestic violence survivors

The impact of domestic violence on economic stability

The role of education in preventing domestic violence

How religious beliefs can influence attitudes towards domestic violence

The portrayal of domestic violence in popular media

The effectiveness of restraining orders in preventing domestic violence

The connection between childhood trauma and future domestic violence perpetration

The role of bystanders in preventing domestic violence

The challenges faced by male victims of domestic violence

The impact of domestic violence on healthcare systems

The role of shelters and support services in assisting domestic violence survivors

The prevalence of domestic violence in rural communities

The impact of domestic violence on immigrant populations

How domestic violence affects pregnancy and childbirth

The role of technology in perpetuating domestic violence

The impact of domestic violence on the LGBTQ+ community

The role of schools in preventing domestic violence

The connection between domestic violence and animal abuse

The impact of domestic violence on the mental health of survivors

The effectiveness of therapy in treating survivors of domestic violence

The role of social support in helping survivors of domestic violence

The connection between poverty and domestic violence

The impact of domestic violence on the workplace

The role of substance abuse in domestic violence perpetration

The importance of bystander intervention in preventing domestic violence

The impact of domestic violence on children's academic performance

The connection between domestic violence and homelessness

The role of the legal system in addressing domestic violence

The impact of domestic violence on intimate partner relationships

The connection between childhood trauma and future domestic violence victimization

The effectiveness of counseling in treating survivors of domestic violence

The role of faith-based organizations in preventing domestic violence

The connection between domestic violence and mental health disorders

The role of the media in shaping attitudes towards domestic violence

The impact of domestic violence on the criminal justice system

The connection between domestic violence and human trafficking

The role of technology in helping survivors of domestic violence

The effectiveness of prevention programs in reducing domestic violence

The impact of domestic violence on children's emotional development

The connection between domestic violence and child abuse

The role of healthcare providers in identifying and treating survivors of domestic violence

The impact of domestic violence on the economic well-being of survivors

The connection between domestic violence and self-harm

The role of advocacy organizations in supporting survivors of domestic violence

The effectiveness of mandatory reporting laws in preventing domestic violence

The connection between domestic violence and substance abuse

The role of family dynamics in perpetuating domestic violence

The impact of domestic violence on the mental health of perpetrators

The connection between domestic violence and child custody disputes

The role of peer support in helping survivors of domestic violence

The effectiveness of community-based interventions in preventing domestic violence

The impact of domestic violence on the healthcare system

The connection between domestic violence and reproductive health

The role of employers in supporting employees experiencing domestic violence

The connection between domestic violence and sexual assault

The role of technology in documenting and reporting domestic violence

The effectiveness of restorative justice approaches in addressing domestic violence

The connection between domestic violence and stalking

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Great Argumentative Essay Topics On Domestic Violence with Prompts

One of the most difficult parts of writing an argumentative essay is coming up with a topic and a thesis statement . Here’s a comprehensive list of Argumentative Essay Topics On Domestic Violence with Prompts.

Argumentative Essay Topics On Domestic Violence with Prompts

• The consequences of domestic violence. Essay Prompt: Some people consider domestic violence a common thing in a household. What can it lead to? Give examples and suggest solutions.
• Should domestic violence be taken seriously? Essay Prompt: Is domestic violence a common thing or a serious problem, which needs an immediate solution? Should women endure it?
• Officer-Involved Domestic Violence, Essay Prompt: The number of officer-related domestic violence has been on the rise, which causes concern about the safety of the family members of police officers. The main reason domestic violence has been on the rise is the stressful work environment that police officers go through.
• Theoretical Explanations for Domestic Violence Social Research Paper Essay Prompt: Domestic violence is one of the major societal problems experienced around the world. According to Guerin and Ortolan (2017), domestic violence encompasses aspects such as bullying, intimidation, and in extreme cases, murder perpetrated by an individual within a domestic setting.

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• How Does Domestic Violence Influence Children’s Education? Essay Prompt: Domestic violence and education: examining the impact of domestic violence on young children, children, and young people and the potential role of schools. Frontiers in psychology. This article explores the adverse effects of domestic violence on children and the role of schools.
• Types of domestic violence. Essay Prompt: Point out the ways women can be violated. What are the most dangerous ones? What are their consequences?
• Domestic violence: a personal matter or an open problem? Essay Prompt: In this essay, discuss whether domestic violence should be kept in secret or brought out to publicity. Give your reasons.
• Domestic violence: who is to blame? Essay Prompt: If a husband beats up his wife, is he a brute or does she really deserve it? Give your reasons.
• Why women bear it. Essay Prompt: Try to find an answer to the question: why do women endure violence? Is it the absence of self-respect or the power of love? Give your reasons.
• Domestic violence as the echo of the past. Essay Prompt: In the past, violence against women was acceptable and nowadays some men keep to such a stereotype. Is it reasonable to keep this “noble” tradition or should it become a thing of the past?

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Domestic violence argument topics

• How to protect yourself from domestic violence? Essay Prompt: In this essay, you should make a research and point out ways to protect yourself from domestic tyranny. You may consult legislative documents.
• I’m a victim: what to do? Essay Prompt: If one becomes a victim of domestic tyranny, what measures should be taken? How to punish the offender? Give examples.
• Social services protecting victims of domestic violence. Essay Prompt: What are the social services protecting victims of violence? What are their functions? Do they really help?
• How to recognize a despot. Essay Prompt: If husband has lifted his hand against wife once, he is sure to do it again and again. How can a tyrant be recognized and avoided? Offer your variants.
• Punishment for offender. Essay Prompt: Consult special literature and comment how justice can punish a person blamed in domestic violence.
• To forgive or not to forgive? Essay Prompt: Analyze the cases of domestic violence and decide whether tyranny can be forgiven. Decide whether it is reasonable, to give the offender one more chance. Explain why.
• Domestic Violence, Child Abuse and Rape Violence Effects on Individual or Community Essay Prompt: Discuss your knowledge of the effects these three crimes have on individuals and society as a whole.
• Negative Effects of Domestic Violence on Children Essay Prompt: This essay affirms that domestic violence poses a number of negative effects on children, including social development, brain development, and social behavior. (Domestic violence argument topics)
• Why Domestic Violence Victims Don’t Leave Essay Prompt: There were surprising things in the video; for instance, the domestic violence follows predefined steps when the victim is new in the relationship.
• Domestic Violence And Sociological Perspective Or Sociological Imagination Essay Prompt: Schools as Training Grounds for Domestic Violence and Sexual Harassment (Domestic violence argument topics)
• Find out more on  Argumentative Essay Topics About Social Media [Updated]

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Domestic Violence - Essay Examples And Topic Ideas For Free

Domestic violence refers to abusive behaviors in a domestic setting, such as in marriage or cohabitation. Essays on domestic violence could discuss its prevalence, the psychological and societal factors contributing to it, the impact on victims and communities, and the legal and social services aimed at preventing and addressing domestic violence. We’ve gathered an extensive assortment of free essay samples on the topic of Domestic Violence you can find in Papersowl database. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

Domestic Violence: the Effect it has on Children

Growing up, children need a safe environment. A home where they can feel secure, and have a sense of stability. Where parents love and protect their children. A home free of violence, and when things go wrong in the outside world, home is a place of comfort and support. But for over 1.5 million children in the United States, this is not the case. Every year, hundreds of millions of children in the United States experience one parent violently assaulting […]

Domestic Violence and the Physicological Affects

Domestic violence is presented throughout all the United States, whether the people of society recognize it, or it is under the radar and not seen. Domestic violence can be distinct in many ways because there are several diverse types of domestic abuse. Domestic violence are behaviors used by one person in a relationship to control the other. Partners may be married or not married, heterosexual, gay or lesbian, living together, separated or dating (Siemieniuk, 2010). Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, […]

Gender Equality and Crime

The court and the Judiciary, in general, are guided by the basic principles of justice to all. Judges usually give rulings based on the rule of law with the intention of protecting the public, deterring crime, rehabilitating law offenders, punishing offenders and offering reparation to the victim. The principles of justice mean fairness, protecting the rights of all regardless of gender, race or religion. However, gender equality has been a significant issue for many years, and there has been a […]

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Domestic Violence Family Therapy Interventions

The traditional therapeutic approach to working with those who commit domestic violence has been the Duluth educational model. However, this model faces a significant amount of criticism in its gender-divided model that does not allow for relevant psychological factors to be considered. In this paper, I will review the points of the Duluth model that have been criticized and provide two alternative approaches that have shown to consider important therapeutic factors and benefits to both families and couples seeking treatment […]

What are the Possible Causes and Signs of Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is a destructive issue that is very common and affects many Americans today. Abuse can occur in heterosexual couples and in same-sex partnerships, and occurs within all age ranges, ethnic backgrounds, and economic levels. It is disastrous for the batterer and the battered, and can be fatal. One in four women are abused by their partners, and nearly more than 10 million people are abused every year. Domestic violence is consistent violent or aggressive behavior towards another person […]

The Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Abstract This paper discusses the effects that childhood sexual abuse has on children. It states the basics and statistics of sexual abuse in children in our society. The immediate symptoms and signs of childhood sexual abuse are discussed as well as long term emotional effects, long lasting physical effects and psychological disorders due to sexual abuse. The treatment of childhood sexual abuse is also discussed to show how positive resources can help victims of sexual abuse. Introduction In the United […]

Domestic Violence and Women’s Mental Health

Domestic violence occurs worldwide irrespective of culture, geographical and historical period. There are many factors that cause or lead to domestic violence and they are: Unmet role expectations. Unmet role expectations on the part of the wife or husband could lead to domestic violence in the family. If women fail to fulfil basic domestic responsibilities such as cooking, cleaning, managing household budgets and taking care of child, it often leads to domestic violence. Child care was a source of argument […]

Children and Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence has effected and still continues to effect the lives of many individuals. Statics on domestic violence states Every 9 seconds in the US a woman is assaulted or beaten Domestic violence is not only found amongst adults but even children and teenagers are victims of domestic violence or are the abuser in an abusive violent relationship .To briefly define and understand Domestic violence, it is an abusive relationship between individuals who abuse one another, aggressively, physically and even […]

Child Abuse and Neglect

English Composition Final Proposal Essay: Child Abuse and Neglect There have been countless studies focused around how the mind of a child is warped when transitioning into their adulthood after experiencing neglect and abuse. It's evidently very difficult for a victim of this certain issue to forget their traumatic experiences, ultimately impacting their physiological and physical health. Child abuse and neglect refer to any harmful behavior by caregivers, parents, legal guardians, and other adults that is outside the norms of […]

Domestic Violence in the United States

Abstract Domestic violence, a combination of crimes that have been perpetrated for centuries is a big concern today to the American society. The government acknowledges that the scope of domestic violence is wide as there are different forms of crimes that are termed as domestic. Example of these home abuse includes sexual, verbal, physical, and emotional abuses. According to National statistics on Domestic violence women and children form the majority of the domestic violence. Domestic violence has an adverse impact […]

The Rise of Domestic Violence in our Society and Culture

The definition of the term domestic violence is, violence or abuse of one person against another taking place in a domestic setting, for example: marriage, cohabitation, etc. Therefore the topic of domestic violence is a serious one, because it takes place in homes, in some of the most personal and intimate of settings. The truth is that violence comes closer to many families than we would like to admit. Domestic violence is America's dark little secret - Former Senator Bill […]

National Center on Child Abuse

According to the Staus, over 14 out of every 100 American children, ranging from 3 to 17, are subjected to abusive violence each year. This means that approximately six and a half million are abused each year in the United States out of the 46 million children that are categorized into the age group 3 to 17. These statistics are different from the statistic represented by the U.S. National Center on Child Abuse. According to the U.S. National Center on […]

Domestic Violence in Ethiopia

Many men claim that men and women are equal or they will say I don't abuse women and its common to hear them saying we are treated equally but the truth is very different. Many women around the world are victims of domestic violence. Domestic violence is an abusive behavior usually at home that is mostly involving a spouse and a partner. Domestic violence is a serious issue all over the world especially in a country where gender inequality still […]

Various Type of Domestic Violence

This review will be divided into four-subsection to focus in explain the general factors in Domestic violence against in various type of gender and include animals. Many researchers have different opinion and summarize different factors that causes to abusive violence. Each gender have own different ability and perspectives. I analyses theses literatures in order to fulfill my understanding about Domestic Violence in various gender type and how it relate to the other living things such as animals. Mostly the article […]

The Affect Domestic Violence has on Children

Introduction The proposed research will define domestic violence focusing on children. It will outline affects domestic violence has on children and examine whether or not their physical, mental, and/or social development is delayed with prolonged domestic violence. It will also study whether or not a child's health and education is affected. The research will aim to identify different trends associated with helping those children in the midst of domestic violence within find safe alternatives to cope with the violence. Articles […]

Domestic Violence with Children

Even though domestic violence for adults is harmful enough to lead to suicide children play a tremendou role in this by affecting their development growth and high risk of depression, Exposure to domestic violence impact children in different types of ways because children exposed to domestic violence usually never recover from it and can follow up to affect their future family and this affects children's education, social, emotional, and behavioral growth though it's different with every kid. According to the […]

Family Violence and Child Abuse

Family Violence and Child Abuse Seldomly do people realize how often child are abused by parents, not always through violence, but in other various factors that can traumatize a child. The textbook Heavy Hands written by Denise Kindschi Gosselin has an entire chapter on child abuse and the different types of abuse that are involved against these children. Historical accounts tell us that children have always been abused and neglected by one or both parents; it is not uncommon or […]

The Effects of Domestic Violence: Family & Society

Unspoken, destructive, and hidden from the outside world. Domestic violence. In grade school it is rarely talked about. October is Domestic Violence awareness month, yet no one said a word. In order to prevent this, we must first understand it. What is domestic violence? It is a pattern of controlling and manipulating behavior that is meant to subdue and take all the power in a relationship. Intimate partner violence is a more specific type of domestic violence, it is any […]

How does Domestic Violence Affect Children’s Development in School

Introduction My fieldwork was done at Bolton Refuge House where women can go to seek refuge from an abuser and escape a situation of domestic violence. The mission of Bolton Refuge House is to offer tools that will empower victims and create a safe environment for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Bolton Refuge House has an emergency shelter that is available for victims of domestic violence or sexual assault who do not feel safe in their own homes. […]

Types of Domestic Violence

Why Research Domestic Violence? To raise awareness about this silent killer To gather statistics that show that this can happen to anyone To Put a story and name to the numbers What is Domestic violence? Domestic violence (also called intimate partner violence (IPV), domestic abuse or relationship abuse) is a pattern of behaviors used by one partner to maintain power and control over another partner in an intimate relationship. Forms of Domestic violence: Physical abuse Sexual Abuse Emotional Abuse Financial […]

Spousal Abuse and Domestic Violence

Domestic violence or violence between intimate partners, results in the deaths of approximately four women every day and accounts for thirty-one percent of female homicides in the United States. (Mills). For a long time, domestic violence was looked at as a private and personal matter that didn't necessarily call for police and prosecution concern. In some cases, the victim would have to pay the prosecutors a fee in order to have their abuser prosecuted (Mills). Now, when it comes to […]

Exploitation and Spiteful Crimes against Women in the United States

For many years the exploitation and spiteful crimes against women in the United States was not seen as a major concern in the nation. Women were and are still being abused by their intimate partner, sexually assaulted, and stalked. Generally, domestic violence is just seen as physical abuse. However, domestic violence is a legal concept that refers to physical, sexual, emotional, or financial abuse. It is rare but domestic violence is not just men being abusive to women but women […]

Witness to Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is commonly known as an unspoken situation among individuals around the world. The behaviors are physically, emotionally, and mentally unstable for many individuals. It can sometimes be linked to many theories; one theory being "The Social Learning Theory. If done coercively, the behavior can be viewed as one partner dominant of the other. This Literature Review is a reflection on views around the world as they pertain domestic violence related to women. Trends From 1993-2000 The article by […]

Mass Shootings and Domestic Violence

I. INTRODUCTION For my research paper, I decided to study the link between domestic violence and the five deadliest mass shootings that have occurred in the United States. Mass shootings seem to be at an all-time high over the past few years, and people are starting to see a pattern develop among the perpetrators: most have a history of domestic violence or violence toward women in general. The cases I studied, in descending order are: the Texas Church shooting on […]

Domestic Violence and Traditional Feminist Philosophy and Beliefs

Throughout the country a majority of domestic violence programs are based off the traditional feminist philosophy and beliefs. The feminist approach is defined as an approach that aims to understand gender inequality(source). The approach examines women’s and men’s social roles, experiences, interests, chores, and politics with a goal to empower the oppressed (source). Although this belief is meant to be a positive movement for all women and fight against domestic violence it is not completely ethical to just use that […]

Relationship between Police and Involvement and Domestic Violence

Literature Review Literature has suggested that domestic violence reporting and victims of domestic violence, are issues that have very little research. On top of this, the research that has been conducted is not as accurate because the definition of domestic violence has been generalized. This means that research of domestic violence could include anything from fighting with friends, to abuse within intimate partner relationships, abuse against women, and family violence. Within the relationships alone, definitions can also differ. For example, […]

The Tough Guy Image in Black Families

Poverty can lead to the black male adherence to the tough guy image in black families. The tough guy image is the leading cause of death amongst black families. The fear of black on blacks is another cause by the tough guy image. According to the book the overwhelming number of offenses committed by African American are directed towards other African Americans. Interpersonal amongst blacks is the leading cause of death for blacks. Black males are known to make up […]

A Proposal for Companion Animal Supports in a Domestic Violence Shelter in Massachusetts

Veterinary social work is an emerging field which incorporates social work practices, values, and ideals into animal care settings. Currently, most veterinary social work is concerned with animal bereavement services, including end of life counseling, pet loss support groups, and one-on-one counseling after the death of a pet. There are, however, more uses of social work in animal care settings, as well as animal care in social work settings. One such example of animal care in a social work setting […]

Faith Harper Domestic Violence Case Study

Violence Question 3~The Return/Supervised Visits1. Investigate the child protection process in your local state and county. The Texas county law demands that anyone who believes that a child is neglected or abused should report to the law enforcement organization, Child Protective Services organization of the Texas Section of Family and Protecting Services. The law gives mandate and power to CPS to investigate any report given to protect all children (Puplampu & Codjoe 2001). According to the Texas law, it defines […]

Domestic Violence in Zora Neale Hurston’s their Eyes were Watching God

In Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie faces obstacles throughout her life and ultimately learns to grow from them. Hurston portrays love, dominance, independence, discrimination, and abuse in her novel. Hurston uses domestic abuse story. During the 20’s women were not treated fairly nor with respect. Janie’s first marriage to Logan Killicks was arranged by Janie’s grandmother who valued financial security and respectability. In Janies marriage, Logan treated her with love and respect for about a year […]

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How To Write an Essay About Domestic Violence

Understanding domestic violence.

Before starting an essay about domestic violence, it's important to understand what constitutes domestic violence and its impact on individuals and society. Domestic violence refers to a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. It can include physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. Begin your essay by defining domestic violence, discussing its various forms, and addressing common misconceptions. It's also crucial to explore the psychological and social factors that contribute to domestic violence, as well as its short and long-term effects on victims, families, and communities.

Developing a Thesis Statement

A strong essay on domestic violence should be anchored by a clear, focused thesis statement. This statement should present a specific viewpoint or argument about domestic violence. For example, you might discuss the societal factors that contribute to domestic violence, the challenges in seeking justice for victims, or the effectiveness of intervention and support programs. Your thesis will guide the direction of your essay and provide a structured approach to your analysis.

Gathering Supporting Evidence

Support your thesis with relevant data, research, and examples. This might include statistics on the prevalence of domestic violence, case studies, or research findings on the effects of domestic violence on individuals and society. Use this evidence to support your thesis and build a persuasive argument. Remember to consider different perspectives and include voices of survivors in your discussion.

Analyzing the Impact of Domestic Violence

Dedicate a section of your essay to analyzing the impact of domestic violence. Discuss various aspects, such as the physical and mental health consequences for victims, the social and economic costs, and the effect on children and families. Explore both the immediate and long-term effects, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the issue.

Concluding the Essay

Conclude your essay by summarizing the main points of your discussion and restating your thesis in light of the evidence provided. Your conclusion should tie together your analysis and emphasize the significance of addressing domestic violence in society. You might also want to highlight areas where further research or policy development is needed, or suggest ways individuals and communities can help combat domestic violence.

Reviewing and Refining Your Essay

After completing your essay, review and edit it for clarity and coherence. Ensure that your arguments are well-structured and supported by evidence. Check for grammatical accuracy and ensure that your essay flows logically from one point to the next. Consider seeking feedback from peers or experts in the field to refine your essay further. A well-written essay on domestic violence will not only demonstrate your understanding of the topic but also your ability to engage with complex social issues.

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Home — Essay Samples — Law, Crime & Punishment — Advocacy — Domestic Violence Persuasive Speech

Domestic Violence Persuasive Speech

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Published: Mar 13, 2024

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The prevalence of domestic violence, the impact of domestic violence, the urgent need for action, the broader implications.

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• Unveiling Injustice: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Domestic Violence Rulings and Judicial Language in Court

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Violence Against Women Research Database

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http://digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/ylsd/3/

This thesis is born of the question: why do women suffer domestic violence disproportionately to any other group? Why does it continue, in the same form, with the same degree of pain, without rebate? And, if the same harm occurs over and over again, consistent through generations and uniform across borders, why then has the international community not yet developed effective means to address it? This thesis attempts to find a legal answer. This is prefaced, however, by the acknowledgement that the law is only one tool in an array of mechanisms, such as health, economics, and politics, which, if properly combined, could alleviate the pain and difficulties experienced by many victims of domestic violence. The area of law to which I look is international human rights law. My initial motivation for considering public international law arose from the repetition of similar forms of domestic violence around the globe. All over the world women suffer the same type of violence at the hands of their intimate partners and they endure the same feelings of helplessness and isolation when looking to the state for protection. If such violence is universal, it seems then, so too should be the solution. I propose in this thesis that international law, if properly fashioned, can be used effectively as part of this solution. In particular, I maintain that the authoritative enunciation of a norm against domestic violence in international law can improve the way states address domestic violence. I do not propose that individual abusers should be tried by international law. My focus instead is on the extent to which states fail consistently to alleviate domestic violence. This is important because many legal systems appreciate neither the exigency of extreme forms of domestic violence, nor the extent to which women as a group are disproportionately victims of this violence. The result of this lack of appreciation is an almost universal failure to police, prevent and punish domestic violence effectively.3 Due to the socialized normalcy of domestic violence, very few cases are reported or actually prosecuted. Where prosecutions do proceed, victims will often drop their complaints either because they have reconciled with, or because they fear recrimination from, their abuser. Given the disjuncture between the reality of domestic violence and the inefficacy of many legal systems to address it, a revision of the law vis-à-vis domestic violence is needed. Both national and international legal systems are in need of change. This thesis proposes that the international community should adopt a clear and authoritative articulation of a legal right against extreme and systemic forms of domestic violence and a corresponding duty of states to help remedy such violence. This proposition is made on the basis that international law currently does not contain an effective articulation of this right, and that adopting effective global standards in international law for addressing such violence would help improve state enforcement of this right. Under the current state of international law, it is difficult to convince states to prioritize its resources and infrastructures to protect abused women. Articulating clear and effective global standards in international law for addressing extreme forms of domestic violence would provide an important and practical benchmark against which domestic state legislation could be evaluated and re-shaped. Formulating such global standards could place pressure on states to take basic remedial steps against such violence, such as enacting legislation that allows for restraining orders to be made at the same time as a maintenance order, or creating accessible shelters, which will accommodate the divergent needs of women, including their children.

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Mothers’ Views About Children’s Engagement in Domestic Violence Research

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• Open access
• Published: 23 September 2024

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• P. Mackey   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-3978-0115 1 ,
• D. Plath   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-3559-7217 2 , 3 ,
• A. Joosten   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4722-1081 4 &
• T. Moore   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-0983-272X 5  

The voices of children remain overshadowed and marginalized in domestic violence research. Mothers with experiences of domestic violence are central to enabling children’s participation, but few studies focus on their views and perceptions about conducting this research with children. This article addresses this research gap and presents qualitative research undertaken in Australia with mothers on their views about children’s engagement in domestic violence research.

Eleven mothers participated in semi-structured interviews. The domestic violence service sector assisted in recruitment by approaching mothers living in a place of safety. Constructivist grounded theory along with interdisciplinary research, which drew on professional perspectives from social work and occupational therapy, underpinned the methodological approach and data was analyzed through a process of thematic network analysis.

While not against children’s involvement in domestic violence research in principle, mothers reported concerns about whether researchers could safely engage children. The possible adverse consequences from children’s participation meant they were extremely reluctant to provide consent. Mothers expressed anxiety about the potential safety ramifications for children and mothers, particularly if the perpetrator found out about their involvement in research.

Conclusions

To best enable research, mothers said they needed assurance that the highest level of safeguarding existed, addressing physical safety considerations and emotional, psychological, and cultural safety. Demonstrating that research is trauma-safe, child-friendly, and in the child’s interests is important for gaining mothers’ consent.

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Introduction

In the Australian research context, there is limited research with children and young people (under 18 years of age) that explores their perceptions of domestic violence (Noble-Carr et al., 2020 ). Arnell and Thunberg ( 2023 ) discuss that while globally they are more engaged in domestic violence research than 20 years ago, children and young people’s views as direct informants on their experiences of this violence remain less evident in research, hence the importance of focusing on their underrepresentation.

As victim survivors of domestic violence (the term used in this paper for what is also referred to as intimate partner violence, domestic abuse or family violence), children have participatory rights in research and in service development reforms (Øverlien & Holt, 2018 ). Facilitating their research inclusion acknowledges their human rights (Aadnanes & Gulbrandsen, 2018 ). Children offer unique insights into their lived experiences of this violence and how it influences their lives (Beetham et al., 2019 ) and their knowledge can assist policy developments (Houghton, 2018 ). Most importantly, children want opportunities to express their views on the issue and to be heard (Noble-Carr et al., 2020 ).

The participatory rights of children are clearly articulated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child ( 1989 ). Articles 12 and 13 of the Convention highlight children’s rights to express themselves and have a say in decision-making processes, and in doing so, they have the choice of how they wish to participate. Researchers articulate the importance of the Convention in framing research endeavors and elevating the value of children as key participants in this research (Roth et al., 2013 ).

Despite greater acknowledgement of the value of children as informants in domestic violence research, many adults remain apprehensive about their inclusion in research concerning this sensitive issue (Powell et al., 2020 ). Adults, including parents, professionals, and researchers, act as gatekeepers who decide and determine children’s involvement in research (Øverlien & Holt, 2021 ). This presents complexities and challenges with approval, recruitment, and participation processes, including for researchers who seek to uphold children’s participatory rights in sensitive research (McCarry, 2012 ). Reasons put forward for the limited engagement of children in domestic violence research, include gatekeepers being reticent to support children’s involvement because of perceived ethical concerns, along with associated practical and methodological issues (Rizo et al., 2017 ). Considering their lack of research engagement, Cullen et al. ( 2023 ) raises the question as to whether children and young people’s participatory rights are adequately upheld and respected. Elliffe et al. ( 2021 ) refer to children “being hidden” (p. 16) in both service delivery and in domestic violence research. They reinforce the importance of recognizing children as victims of this violence along with their competence to participate in research.

Prevalence data in Australia for an older cohort, young people aged 16–24 years, indicates that 43.8% of young people report experiences of domestic violence (Mathews et al., 2023 ). This signifies the critical importance of facilitating the participation of children and young people in domestic violence research. The findings reported in this article inform strategies for their inclusion.

Mothers as Significant Gatekeepers

Ethical research guidelines construct children as a vulnerable cohort (National Health and Medical Research Council, 2023) and prescribe that they must be protected and safeguarded from harm in the research context (Truscott et al., 2019 ). The role and function of gatekeepers are integral to this protection and in obtaining approval for research with children. Kay ( 2019 ) refers to gatekeepers as the “guardians of research” (p. 37).

Gatekeepers are people, such as social workers and parents, or bodies, for example, institutional ethics committees, who can either facilitate access to children as research informants or exclude their participation (Ahern, 2014 ). Powell and Smith ( 2009 ) refer to the “hierarchy” (p. 136) of stages that researchers must navigate to secure approval for children’s inclusion. In domestic violence research with children, Øverlien and Holt ( 2021 ) highlight the importance of considering how to negotiate and deal with gatekeepers when planning the research. This includes identifying the key gatekeepers and developing strategies for connecting with them.

Mothers with experiences of domestic violence hold a pivotal position in giving consent for the inclusion of children in domestic violence research (e.g., Aadnanes & Gulbrandsen, 2018 ; Arnell & Thunberg, 2023 ; Beetham et al., 2019 ; Callaghan et al., 2018 ; Kan et al., 2021 ; Lapierre et al., 2018 ; Morris et al., 2020 ). While legal stipulations regarding consent vary across jurisdictions (Morris et al., 2012 ; Roth et al., 2013 ), these are underpinned by the assumption that children are unable to understand risks or make decisions that are in their best interests. Ethical codes therefore require parents to give consent for their children’s participation (e.g., National Health and Medical Research Council, 2023).

Research articles may not fully discuss consent challenges and commentators note that ethical hurdles in domestic violence research remain underreported (Berry, 2009 ; Gabriel et al., 2017 ). Some reasons outlined in the literature for mothers declining consent and children not being involved include that mothers were “too busy” (DeBoard-Lucas & Grych, 2011 , p. 345), children had moved on and did not want to revisit experiences or held anger towards their mothers (Katz, 2015 ), that the research would cause distress (Baker, 2005 ), or their children had already been interviewed through different processes (Eriksson & Näsman, 2012 ).

Research indicates that mothers hold concerns that domestic violence research with children might identify safety risks, resulting in the involvement of statutory services (Roth et al., 2013 ) or social workers (Stanley et al., 2012 ). A study involving 21 mothers with experiences of domestic violence who were mandated to attend services in a United States jurisdiction, found that although mothers identified possible benefits from children’s engagement in research, they remained fearful and distrustful about children’s involvement and the ramifications of their research participation (Rizo et al., 2017 ). Mothers expressed worry that the perpetrator could learn about the research and that their child’s participation may result in the involvement of child protection agencies in their lives. They also voiced concern about the perceived emotional costs of the research on the child, although they also expressed that research offered benefits by allowing a child to share their experiences (Rizo et al., 2017 ).

Safe Engagement in Domestic Violence Research

Ethical issues relating to facilitating the safe engagement of victim survivors in domestic violence research are not understated (Holt et al., 2018 ). Gabriel et al. ( 2017 ) highlights the challenges to enabling participation in this research. Victim survivors can be difficult to access and locate (Bender, 2017 ), approval processes through ethics committees may be lengthy (Lewis et al., 2024 ), ethics committees can be averse to the risks of retraumatization (Dragiewicz et al., 2023 ), and additional recruitment barriers prevail when recruiting people from marginalized or minority groups (El-Khorazaty et al., 2007 ; Mechanic & Pole, 2013 ; Njie-Carr et al., 2021 ) including people living in rural areas (Sutherland & Fantasia, 2012 ).

Sabri et al. ( 2022 ) in their study on the hurdles and enablers to the recruitment of “immigrant survivors” (p. 19) to domestic violence research report on women’s concerns about the legal ramifications from research participation and barriers such as fears, cultural expectations, time pressures, lack of interest, and emotional distress. Duhaney’s ( 2023 ) research with Black women on their research engagement similarly highlights fears about the perpetrator, the possibility of being shunned by their community, and expectations of keeping the “culture of silence” (p. 271).

Nyklová et al. ( 2023 ) discuss the complex realities of this type of sensitive research in which challenges, risks, and the potential for retraumatization exist at all stages, before, during, and following data collection. Nyklová et al. note that such risks of participation may not be readily inferred from research codes of ethics.

Various research guidelines present standards or considerations for safely engaging participants in domestic violence research (Allenby et al., 2017 ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017 ; Goodman et al., 2017 ; World Health Organization, 2016 ), but researchers can still encounter issues that are not adequately covered in guidance material (Downes et al., 2014 ). In their discussion of interpersonal violence research conducted in schools and what is reported in the research literature about the barriers encountered, Edwards et al. ( 2023 ) confirm that practical issues are not routinely discussed in the literature although brief comments on the challenges experienced are sometimes included.

The reasons mothers give for being involved in domestic violence research include increasing awareness about the issue, improving service provision, and helping victim survivors, particularly those unable to express their views (Dichter et al., 2019 ; Dragiewicz et al., 2023 ; Rizo et al., 2017 ). Of critical importance to participation is establishing safety in the research by developing clear safety strategies (Allenby et al., 2017 ; Burge et al., 2014 ; Clough et al., 2011 ; Fogarty et al., 2019 ; Hailemariam et al., 2022 ; Morris et al., 2012 ). Research protocols more generally should include resources if mothers require further support or assistance (Btoush & Campbell, 2009 ). Forming a relationship with participants, characterized by trust, openness, and using a strengths-focused approach where power is equally shared are important values and principles underpinning this research (Goodman et al., 2017 , 2018 ).

To enable children’s research inclusion, mothers say they must be confident in the research and in the researcher (Rizo et al., 2017 ). Strategies for facilitating children’s participation include ensuring that the researcher is female and understands the context of domestic violence, mothers being provided with comprehensive information about the study, and researchers developing relationships with mothers before seeking consent. Mothers also want details about the research methods and questions to decide their children’s engagement (Rizo et al., 2017 ).

Although mothers are key decision-makers and gatekeepers regarding children’s involvement in domestic violence research and whether it is safe for children to participate (Morris et al., 2015 ), their views have not been explored in the Australian research context. Globally, recommendations illustrate the need for further action to enable children’s participation in domestic violence research (Elliffe et al., 2021 ; Plan International, 2016 ). Martins et al. ( 2020 ) argue for closer and more effective communication between all stakeholders in domestic violence research, including ethics committees, researchers, and participants. Rizo et al. ( 2017 ) call for best practice guidance and standards for engaging children in domestic violence research. Goodman et al. ( 2018 ) also raise the need for additional research that considers the hurdles, issues, and barriers encountered in domestic violence research.

For children to have greater access and to be included in future domestic violence research, knowledge must exist on mothers’ views about the obstacles and facilitators in this research with children. The research reported in this article builds on existing scholarship and addresses gaps in the literature to present mothers’ views and concerns about whether children should be able to participate in domestic violence research, and their ideas for facilitating children’s safe participation.

Underpinning Theoretical Approaches

Constructivist grounded theory (Charmaz, 2008 ) underpinned the methodological framework. Providing a theoretical and ethical lens for the research design, the research drew on interdisciplinary research (Aboelela et al., 2007 ) by bringing together key social work and occupational therapy approaches (Australian Association of Social Workers, 2020 ; Occupational Therapy Australia, 2014 ). Social work ethical value principles of importance included respect, human rights, empowerment and social justice (Australian Association of Social Workers, 2020 ), and from occupational therapy, “beneficence, non-maleficence, honesty, veracity, confidentiality, justice, respect and autonomy” (Occupational Therapy Australia, 2014 , p. 2).

Ecosystems theory in social work (Mattaini & Huffman-Gottschling, 2012 ) influenced the recruitment strategy (e.g., recruitment via the broader domestic violence service sector) and decision making to focus on mothers as key gatekeepers in domestic violence research with children. Occupational therapy prioritizes occupational performance (Kielhofner, 2009 ) and this assisted in understanding the impacts of domestic violence on mothers, including on their mothering roles. The literature on trauma-informed approaches from both social work and occupational therapy highlighted the necessity of a research environment characterized by safety, trust, rapport, and respect, along with enabling mothers’ self-determination and choice (Wilson et al., 2015 ).

Wall et al. ( 2016 ) outlines the “continuum” (p. 5) of trauma-informed thinking commencing with being “trauma-aware” then progressing to “trauma-sensitive”, “trauma-responsive” and finally “trauma-informed” which focuses on safety, working in a collaborative manner, adopting a strengths-based approach, and facilitating a person’s agency. These principles underpinned the interviews with mothers. Existing scholarship for conducting ethical and safe domestic violence research provided further guidance (e.g., Morris et al., 2012 ; World Health Organization, 2016 ). The research recognized that domestic violence often persists after separation (Holt, 2017 ; Thiara & Humphreys, 2017 ) and that experiences of trauma may endure (Van der Kolk, 2015 ), so these considerations remained front and center in the research.

The research reported here is part of a larger qualitative doctoral study conducted in Australia on the Barriers and enablers to conducting domestic violence research with children (Mackey, 2021 ). This paper focuses on the views of 11 mothers with experiences of domestic violence and their perceptions about children’s involvement in domestic violence research.

Recruitment

The research took place in eastern Australia (Queensland, New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria). The recruitment of mothers occurred mostly through the domestic violence service system. The protective nature of the service system and workers’ concerns about the confidentiality and privacy of mothers contributed to recruitment barriers. In order to attain sufficient research participants, recruitment was widened to include community service agencies and housing services that provided domestic violence support services. The first author approached interagency and professional networks to disseminate information about the study.

Agencies received an email that included a participant information letter outlining the research project, the rationale and impetus for the research, the rights of participants and details about the research interviewer (Author One), along with a brochure specifically for mothers. The brochure covered these areas and provided information on the researchers, contact details, and that as a token of appreciation for the time given to this study, a $30 gift voucher would be offered in thanks. A thank you card was given to mothers following an interview which acknowledged their time and included the gift voucher.

Agency staff contacted mothers who met the criteria for inclusion to canvas interest in participation. Criteria for inclusion related to mothers having past experiences of domestic violence but currently being safe, living in a place of safety, and expressing an interest in participation after being approached by agencies. In this way, agency staff acted as gatekeepers to participation in the research. There were no stipulations as to how long the mothers needed to have lived away from the perpetrator of abuse. Some mothers were in a refuge and others lived in their own homes. The time spent developing connection, trust, and rapport with agency staff, through speaking about the research at interagency and team meetings, proved valuable to facilitating involvement. The first author advised agencies that they would be given the opportunity to view the research findings.

Ethical Considerations

The Australian Catholic University Human Research Ethics Committee approved the research, including the provision of gift vouchers, which participants were informed about prior to choosing to participate (approval 2016-298H). Participants provided voluntary informed consent. Of importance to this study were principles from the Ethics of Care which focus on being attuned to participants’ needs and acknowledging a responsibility to participants (Held, 2006 ). The research interviewer (Author One) recognized their duty of care to mothers, and this included offering to meet mothers beforehand to discuss the study and answer any questions.

A safety protocol provided guidance throughout the study. Service providers advised the researcher/s on the contact details for mothers and how they preferred to be approached (e.g., email, telephone, text message). The researcher contacted mothers to set up an initial meeting, or the mother contacted the researcher. To ensure safety and to respect the privacy of mothers, the interviews did not take place at any private residence. A discussion occurred with each mother about the most suitable venue for the interview. Venues included a university office, a private coffee venue, a park, and a meeting space at an agency. Safety during the interview process also was discussed with mothers prior to commencement.

Embedded in the safety protocol was a protocol for managing distress (adapted from Draucker et al., 2009 ). This required attending to anxiety, high emotional distress, trauma presentations and behavior that suggested heightened arousal, dissociation, hypervigilance, or possible shutdown. Although the research questions did not require mothers to recount personal experiences of violence, some experienced minor upset or showed signs of stress when discussing children’s involvement in domestic violence research. The interviewer (Author One) used their clinical skills as a social worker and occupational therapist to support mothers. Strategies included slowing the interview pace and giving the mother time to settle before answering questions, the interviewer responding reassuringly, and adjustment to the setting, for example, one mother chose to change locations from sitting on a park bench to being on a swing. Following the interview, the interviewer allocated additional time should any mother seek follow-up support or require referral options. A couple of mothers spent time with the researcher after the interview. Some mothers living at a shelter also had the opportunity to seek support from their workers.

Data Collection

Mothers participated in semi-structured in-person interviews conducted by the first author. Most interviews lasted 60–90 min. The first phase of the interview focused on consent, discussing safety, establishing rapport and trust, along with encouraging mothers to ask any further questions they had about the research. All mothers consented to their interview being audio recorded. Occasional prompts enabled clarification and assisted mothers to provide a full and detailed response.

Questions asked of mothers concerned children’s inclusion in domestic violence research and the obstacles and facilitators to children’s engagement. For example, if a mother was approached to give consent for children’s involvement in this area of research, what things would be important in their decision-making, what would they weigh up, what information would they require, and what may mothers think about the possible vulnerability, competency, and capacity of children as direct informants in domestic violence research. Questions also focused on the key considerations perceived as important in domestic violence research with children and suggestions for conducting this research. Author One (with the consent of mothers) took notes during the interview.

Data Analysis

A process of thematic network analysis (Attride-Stirling, 2001 ) enabled the development of themes from the interview data. Attride-Stirling’s model specifically codes data on three levels: basic themes, organizing themes and then the global theme and global network for the data set. Basic themes in isolation do not signify a great deal of meaning or understanding from the data but grouped into issues or concepts they become organizing themes. To develop the global theme and network from the data, analysis then occurs across all the organizing themes for the data.

An initial manual coding process conducted by the first author identified broad thematic areas. Author One uploaded transcripts of audio-recorded interviews to NVivo and undertook preliminary coding of the data into basic themes. The next stage of the process involved grouping the basic themes into organizing themes. Further analysis and examination of these organizing themes led to the proposed global themes for the data. To ensure rigor and clarity of meaning, the themes were reviewed by other members of the research team. Discussion occurred on thematic groupings and the structure of the final thematic networks. Author One conducted a post-data analysis workshop involving two social workers and a psychologist. These clinicians, independent and external to the research, provided useful feedback on the validity of the themes and possible implications of the research.

Reflexivity

Recognizing and valuing mothers as co-constructors of knowledge, Author One undertook a critical reflexive process drawing on the reflexive prompts put forward by Moore ( 2012 ) where researchers consider their readiness for reflexivity, possible methodological challenges, ethical practices in research, and their learnings from the research process. This remained an important consideration due to the positionality of Author One as both a social work and occupational therapist who works with victim survivors of domestic violence. Ahern ( 1999 ) discusses the importance of “reflexive bracketing” (pp. 407–408) to ensure that the views of researchers are distinguished from those of participants. Journalling and the support of a research team proved essential to manage any possible bias and protect the researcher from secondary trauma. Professional clinical support networks also mitigated risks of vicarious trauma.

Participants

Eleven mothers ( n  = 11) participated in this research having experienced violence from a current or former male partner who was father to their children. Mothers have been given pseudonyms. The research did not require mothers to disclose demographic details or personal circumstances although some information about their living situation (e.g., refuge, time since leaving violence) could be ascertained from the interview transcripts. Most mothers lived in regional areas, four mothers resided in refuge and seven lived in their private residence. The time since leaving violence ranged from weeks (recent), through to many years. Three mothers had previously consented for their children to participate in research related to health, education or homelessness. No mother had ever been approached to consent to their children’s involvement in domestic violence research. Table  1 summarizes this information.

There were three global themes from the analysis. Two themes concerned the barriers to children’s participation in domestic violence research: Pervasive Fears and Safeguarding. The third global theme related to enabling children’s participation: Trauma-Safe and Child-Friendly Approach.

Pervasive Fears Barriers

Figure  1 illustrates the thematic network for pervasive fears. Mothers’ pervasive fears consisted of four organizing themes: fears of the perpetrator, fears that mothers’ hidden secrets about experiences of domestic violence would be disclosed by children, fears about external systems (legal, child protection and mental health), and the possible flow-on effects of research on these systems following children’s participation, and fears about the research itself.

Pervasive fears

“The Big Black Cloud” – The Perpetrator

Fears about the perpetrator dominated mothers’ responses: “the biggest thing that’s affecting people doing anything is that fear, ’cause you are like so scared to do anything” (Amelia). Due to their experiences of domestic violence, mothers felt trapped, like being in prison. They were instilled with fear and anxiety, “that programming that’s been happening for so long” (Amelia).

Although mothers were living in a safe situation, their fears about the perpetrator remained present. Some mothers were living in another state or territory and had not seen the perpetrator for a long time. Comparing the views of mothers living in refuge with those residing privately in the community, there were no discernable differences regarding these fears. Even mothers, who had left the violence over 10 years ago, said that they would be worried about children’s involvement in domestic violence research particularly if the children were young, under around 14 years of age, and where children had regular access and contact with the perpetrator.

Mothers were concerned about privacy and confidentiality in the research and that information provided by a child may go from “one person to another” (Karen). Mothers were scared and reported that these fears would be a barrier to providing consent for children’s research participation. If asked for her children to participate in research and whether there were things that would worry or concern her, one mother said that in the “early days, I was scared of everything”:

Everything was fear based…even though I was in the refuge, I felt I was in so much danger…I had this fear of men and how to protect my child…I couldn’t sleep…I was crying and crying…I didn’t feel safe from him…I was worried about everything. (Jemma)

Mothers were frightened and overwhelmed by the possibility that, if their child participated in research, the perpetrator might learn about the research, which could have life-threatening consequences for their children, their families and themselves. As such, they believed that their children’s participation would be “too dangerous” (Mary):

The greatest fear is the perpetrator…so where the research takes place. What time of day…Would he have access to it…and it is more than just safety. It is the anxiety. It is all of the emotions that come with the perpetrator’s role in controlling how we think about this and that experience. (Kylie)

Because of fears related to the perpetrator of violence, mothers felt that they would be flooded with fear if they were to be approached to provide consent for the research participation of their children. One mother used a metaphor of a steam train to describe these all-consuming fears:

It’s like a steam train going through your head basically, or maybe even a couple. Like there’s this steam train of thoughts and emotions just kind of colliding. And then you’ve got that betrayal. Oh my God, I’m betraying the abuser…what consequences are you going to get…they find out or the abuser’s family finds out, that could enter a whole new ball game. (Amelia)

The anxiety and trauma response that mothers could experience appeared evident during an interview in which a mother became highly anxious and felt that the perpetrator might be around. This mother scanned the area and discussed feeling stressed and on edge: “As I am sitting here talking to you today, that’s in my, I’ve gone into, he could be around here and I’m talking about this. Not that he is” (Kylie). The perpetrator or “big black cloud” (Kylie) remained present. Some mothers discussed the difficulties of feeling completely safe because they had experienced the perpetrator showing up unexpectedly at their homes. Safety risks could suddenly change, presenting a barrier to children’s research participation.

One mother described the challenges of engaging mothers and the difficulties of obtaining their support and consent for domestic violence research with children:

It is so very hard to reach them in that eye of the cyclone because they are so consumed by all of this. It’s deafening. It’s nightmare. It is total and utter nightmare living in that, well that is how I felt. (Amelia)

Fears related to the perpetrator along with mothers’ experiences of the violence impact their decision making when weighing up whether they will provide consent for their child’s research participation. One mother said she would not have been in a good place to decide about children’s involvement because of the effects on her judgment:

If when we had got to the refuge someone had said to me, “Oh we need to talk to your daughter… about what is going on…”, I probably wouldn’t have known to say no at that point…but thankfully the women who run those refuges are the protectors…they get we are like these zombies basically that have just been living on this adrenaline to get us through. (Kylie)

This mother went on to discuss that when a mother is dealing with crisis, distress, trauma, and heightened stress they could agree to their child being involved in research because they want to help. Some mothers may not be cognizant of the ramifications of children’s research participation and what it might mean for the child, their mother, and other family members:

You could walk up to some women and ask them to sign a consent form for research…Some women would just go, “Yeah that’s fine, whatever you need…I want to help other people. I’ll give you my kids, [they] will talk to you”…Kids believe their mum because that is what they will do. (Kylie)

Hidden Secrets Revealed – The Mother’s Trauma

Mothers were fearful that if their children participated in research, they might disclose the hidden secrets about the real domestic violence: “Is there stuff going to come out that hasn’t come out…she’s afraid, ’cause Mums hold a lot of secrets, so is that putting her own secrets at risk?” (Fatima). Mothers were also concerned that if children were asked about their experiences of violence, they might think about it differently. As one mother said: “First of all, you think about the effects of how they’re going to be thinking about that [domestic violence]” (Amelia).

Underpinning these fears were mothers’ feelings relating to stigma, shame, and blame: “You’ve got this shame if you do talk about it and the kids have been around and they’ve been affected by it…your self-esteem and confidence has been knocked down to the absolute rock bottom” (Amelia). A mother said that people might pretend that everything is fine, and this would be a barrier to children’s participation:

Some people don’t want their children to know that there is a problem with the family, they want to pretend that everything is fine. “Thing’s alright sweetie.” “But you look like you’re crying.” “No darling it’s my make-up.” There are some people like that. I’ve had to do that a few times. (Elly)

A mother initially supportive of domestic violence research with children became upset when she realized she did not want her children to be involved in research. She expressed worry that everything would be exposed and “come to light…it’s more hearing your kid recall shit that you have been trying to bury for ages” (Beth). Mothers also believed that it would be unfair to ask their children to participate if it meant requiring them to either keep secrets or mothers having to worry about what they had to say.

Kids talk. My kids do. My kids just straight up talk about things, and then that becomes a safety issue for the whole family and for the child because then are they getting bloody interrogated by the parent, “What did you say and who is this person?…I wouldn’t want to put that sort of secrecy on a child. Secrecy to say, “Don’t tell dad that we did this interview”. (Fatima)

External Systems

Fears also related to external systems, such as legal, child protection and mental health services. Mothers were worried that if children disclosed safety concerns during the research, they could end up in court having to give evidence against their parents. Research documentation and information provided by the child in the research context could be used against mothers in legal proceedings. Some mothers disclosed that they had temporarily or permanently lost the custody of their children to the perpetrator of the violence. They were, therefore, fearful about the possible flow-on effects if their children were involved in research.

I don’t want them to go to court…I’d be worried then about what other implications they would be open to…We will be putting all of this pressure on kids, in all sorts of spaces, to be able to have the answers that they maybe should not have, particularly in family law courts, in criminal courts. Are we then going to start expecting children to become witnesses against their parents…that would be my concern…one wall comes down, all of a sudden, lots of walls come down. (Fatima)

Some mothers admitted that when they were living with the violence, or when they had just left the violence, they did not talk to their children about the violence because of fears relating to possible legal ramifications: “I was very aware of not talking to my children about domestic violence, that there was domestic violence” (Kylie).

Mothers did not trust the service systems: “I’ve learnt you cannot really trust many people” (Tracey). Mothers voiced concerns that researchers might be obligated to report a mother’s mental health or wellbeing concerns to the authorities. A mother from a diverse cultural background expressed that for “non-white” mothers, “because of the racism and everything else that goes on…in a system where they are being persecuted their kids are left out, things are not quite right…fear is going to be so much” (Elly):

What most mothers will be wanting to do is to protect their child, which means to stay with their child, and if they think anything could be misinterpreted and their child is going to be taken away, just because of something that has been said…or they have been judged…they are not going to do that [research]. (Elly)

Mothers expressed their lack of trust in researchers and in the research process. Circumstances when domestic violence research should not be conducted with children were also identified by the mothers. Four mothers (Kylie, Jemma, Mary, and Amina) spoke about lengthy family law matters relating to the custody of their children, proceedings lasting nine to 12 years. Mothers recounted that the perpetrator subpoenaed everything. They discussed the traumatic effects on their children: “It is horrendous, very tumultuous” (Amina).

Mothers all agreed that domestic violence research with children should not occur when court proceedings were taking place due to the possibility that children could experience additional trauma. Mothers generally had doubts about domestic violence research with children and why they would support the participation of their children: “Why would we put our kids through this [research], if it wasn’t going to have a direct impact in a really useful way. I wouldn’t want my child to be exposed to that, just for the sake of it” (Fatima).

All mothers said they wanted to see the research questions and fully understand what would be asked of their child: “I am his mother. I need to know first. I need to know exactly what they’re going to talk about. I need to know what stories, what my son [is] talking about” (Karen). Mothers questioned whether domestic violence research could be undertaken in a way that children felt safe enough to open up about their experiences: “I don’t know how you would approach it, like the questions would have to be really well formatted…you need to wait until they’re older…with little kids, I think it’s really tricky, it’s a really hard area” (Mary). One mother posed the following questions for researchers:

What are you going to do with that information? What happens if it comes back that apparently, mummy does this, mummy does that. What are you going to do? What are the consequences?…Because we want to know. Well. What’s your obligation? What are you going to do? (Elly)

Mothers expressed concern that if a child participated in research, they may be influenced to shift from the view that they and their mother needed to leave the perpetrator and the violence to be safe. Future perpetrator contact and safety concerns could eventuate along with legal consequences: “I had to give them a story. We left daddy because it wasn’t safe for us to live there…as they got older the story had to change” (Kylie). Children being engaged in research possibly enabled them to explore their own understandings about their experiences of domestic violence. They may arrive at different conclusions. Mothers feared that children’s own story or version of events could undermine safety or change their child’s feelings about their mother and about the domestic violence: “All of those questions start to unpack it and all of a sudden you have got a child who is starting to think about those things in a different way” (Fatima). Tracey said: “I don’t want them to be influenced in a direction of things were not that bad…It’s very easy to influence a child into a direction, into a false sense of reality of events…for them to create an illusion.”

Safeguarding Barriers

Figure  2 represents the global thematic network relating to Safeguarding barriers. Organizing themes concerned Protection, Vulnerabilities and Retraumatization.

Safeguarding

Mothers sought to protect and safeguard their children at all costs: “You’ve got this mother, kind of like trying to guard her children, at the same time with trying to survive and get through another day” (Amelia). Protection became their priority: “To me it’s about protecting your children. I mean, you be a mum, you want to protect your kids” (Tracey). All mothers said that the reasons they left the violence related to the impact of the violence on children and the need to now protect them. This meant they did not want people talking to their children and this included researchers: “You are hypersensitive to anybody talking to your children at all” (Kylie). Some mothers said they would refuse to provide consent: “There’d be no way you would have access to my child under any circumstances…you would not have access to my child” (Jess).

The first thing that happens for me is about protecting my kids. I am in an unknown place. I’ve gone to a refuge…The primary focus of the woman is to keep their kids safe, that is why they have left and then to expose them to [research]…Nobody is going to get near my kids. I am protecting them. I am the mother. I’m the gatekeeper. (Kylie)

Protection, however, had various meanings in the context of this research:

So, there’s the protection of the child. There’s the protection of us as a family unit. There’s the protection of the real DV that we haven’t talked about, and we don’t talk about, but the kids have witnessed, and they will talk about. There’s the protection of our vulnerabilities as a parent. (Fatima)

A mother recognized that the protective stance of mothers presented not only a barrier to children’s research participation but also to children getting assistance:

We get so protective of them, but that’s kind of hindering them from getting any kind of support, because no one wants their kids to get further damaged or hurt from it [research], but yet, they are already damaged. (Amelia)

The child’s protection of their mother and the situation, which may include not wanting to get the perpetrator into trouble, were further barriers to children’s research engagement. Mothers indicated that children remain protective of their experiences of the violence which often includes the perpetrator. Kylie said her daughter was “still protective of the whole [experience], she knows it…I know he’s done something wrong, but I am protecting him as well”. Amina said that children “want to please everybody”.

They take on so much from a parent, as much as we want to protect our kids…they want that so bad for their parent…they take on a lot more stress…a lot more feeling of, what can I do, so mum doesn’t have to be like this anymore. (Tracey)

Vulnerabilities

Mothers indicated their children had been traumatized and damaged due to their experiences of domestic violence which meant they were vulnerable. Mothers were concerned about the child’s capacity and competency to participate in domestic violence research because they “may not have the cognizance to be able to understand…the complexity of the situation” (Amina). While adults can make their own decisions about the research “my kid does not have that capacity to say, is this person genuine or not” (Jess). Mothers expressed that children under 12 years of age were “still too impacted by what the adults in their world are telling them” (Fatima), whereas young people were more likely to know “what they want and how they want to present themselves and say things” (Jemma). Children could feel “they had to say what is expected of them” (Amina). The research might be “suggestive or opening up a concept, un-simplifying something” (Fatima).

Vulnerabilities discussed by mothers also concerned the relationship between mothers and their children. All mothers said that experiences of domestic violence adversely impacted their relationships with their children. They expressed worry that domestic violence research with children could exacerbate already tenuous and stressful mother-child relationships. Mothers indicated these relationships were already vulnerable and at risk, they sought to rebuild or preserve the relationships with their children. They were anxious that relationships could be further damaged because of the research:

Maybe if you’re asking a kid how does that make you feel and if he’s feeling, well I am really upset because the police came and took my dad away…is someone then going to explore that with that child, or does that child then get sent back off with its mother, to hate its mother for the rest of the day. (Fatima)

Mothers reported that in protecting their children and recognizing their vulnerability they may have obscured the truth from them because it would devastate their children if they knew the realities about the perpetrator [their father]. Mothers feared that if children participated in research, they could blame their mothers for not protecting them. They might think differently about their mothers after the research. Some mothers believed that this could have serious consequences. One mother, for example, said that she would be concerned that her boys might physically lash out at her because she did not stand up for them more.

Retraumatization

All mothers voiced concerns that if children were involved in this research, they would relive the memories of the violence and believed that this would be retraumatizing for them. Because of “everything’s that gone down, they will clam up” (Beth). “They all react differently, and I think the way you approach any kind of research with children about domestic violence, you’ve got to be so damn careful, ’cause some of them don’t want to bring it up” (Mary). This mother went on to say that it broke her heart seeing how the perpetrator treated her children and what they went through. It would be very distressing to have the children recall these experiences. Another mother said she would be “very worried” about her child thinking about the past and that she wanted her child to remain in the “here and now and that he is safe” (Jess).

Mothers perceived domestic violence research with children as emotionally unsafe research: “They have got to go back into that unprotected zone, of we’re not safe, we’re not good” (Tracey). Mothers did not want to expose children to the trauma of talking about violence, they expressed fears about “what they may remember” (Amelia). “I’m trying to, we’re trying to diminish these thoughts…My hope and plan is that after a situation…that the children don’t have to relive it” (Tracey). The depth of this mother’s fears about the research possibly retraumatizing her children is evident by the following quote: “I’d hate for them to think that, oh, they told these people one day what happened and how they feel and it’s going to come back and be something that ruins them and haunts them” (Tracey). Mothers were very worried about children’s emotional and psychological wellbeing and safety in the research:

There’s the protection of when you talk about things. Sometimes it brings back feelings and you then live that feeling again. Do you want your child talking about something that’s going to make them live that feeling again?…If I had to tell you what happened to me and I broke down, would I want my son to do it, because I’d be thinking he might break down. (Elly)

A mother said that in domestic violence research “you are opening a massive can of worms” (Jess). Fatima said:

The trauma, you don’t want to expose your kids to that. You’ve got to protect your kids. A lot of parents think their kids are not seeing it, so I don’t want to start talking about it. They haven’t mentioned it, I won’t mention it.

This mother went on to discuss the mental health and wellbeing of mothers as being pivotal as to whether children would be enabled to participate in domestic violence research: “The mum’s mental health. Is she able to? Is she going to be retraumatized?” (Fatima).

Trauma-Safe and Child-Friendly Approach Enables Research

While significant barriers to children’s participation in domestic violence research exist, mothers had many ideas for how to enable children’s safe engagement in this research and service development processes more generally. Figure  3 represents the global thematic network for enabling research: Trauma-Safe and Child-Friendly Approach.

Trauma-safe and child-friendly approach

Children’s Rights

A key message from mothers related to children with experiences of domestic violence also being direct victims and survivors; hence, they were entitled to specific support services. Mothers thought that children’s rights and recognizing these were key to enabling children’s involvement in research and that the sector needed to understand this and ensure children were not overlooked.

Children’s rights for support and having a say were very important to mothers: “That kid has every right in his mouth to have his word. He’s got every right underneath the sun to have his word” (Beth). Mothers expressed that children were not adequately recognized in the domestic violence sector. Acknowledging the impacts of domestic violence on children, mothers stated that the broader service system (including the legal system) failed to adequately cater for children and that children “don’t have a voice” (Amina):

I think they are a voice that we don’t listen to. I think there is not enough thought, or focus put on the impacts of DV on children or long-term on children. It is all around the mum. Let’s look after the mum. (Fatima)

Mothers spoke about children needing to be “heard and seen…because they have a voice” and “if you give them the opportunity to speak up, they will tell” (Jemma). This mother said, “children are not given the credit that they deserve” and people think, “they are children, they do not know anything [but] that is absolutely wrong” (Jemma).

Mothers said that children are individuals, and all react differently to their experiences of domestic violence, researchers should have in-depth understanding of this when engaging with children. Meeting the needs of each child meant that research should be “individually sort of avenued” (Tracey). Mothers said they were more aware and attuned to the effects of the violence on their children: “As you go through the journey you realize; you learn more about the domestic violence and the impact on the children…you become aware of their behaviors that are triggered by trauma” (Kylie). Some children remained closed-in and did not want to talk about the violence because the trauma remained prevalent. Mothers said that to enable participation, research needed to be inclusive of differences for each child:

When you are looking at kids there is a big range of maturity, there’s a whole range of what they expect as normal, what is not normal, there’s cultural differences, there’s religious differences. There is so many different things that you have to take into account. So, it’s very very difficult when you start putting things in a blanket way…because there is no ‘they’. (Elly)

Mothers said that research could bring children’s needs to the forefront. Ultimately, mothers wanted their children to be better supported and for more services to be available and accessible. Because of children’s rights, some mothers said they could possibly provide consent to their children’s engagement in domestic violence research because children have the right to be supported in the system and currently, they are overlooked.

Trauma-Informed

Mothers agreed on the potential danger of involving some children in domestic violence research and participatory processes particularly if they were still in regular contact with the perpetrator. Mothers also did not want to be asked to consent to participation when they were still experiencing domestic violence or if they were going through any legal or court processes. Conducting domestic violence research with children should only occur “when everything was settled down” as the children and their mother would be “more relaxed…can open-up and talk about things” (Karen). Seeking the support of service providers and clinicians, and ensuring the best timing for participation, such as when legal proceedings had been finalized and the child (and family) had moved out of the crisis, were also crucial:

And while there is a court case still going on, don’t go near that…don’t touch it. The kids are too upset already, and they are probably trying to hide it, ’cause they don’t want to upset mum and then for someone to approach them and ask them. (Mary)

Five mothers spoke about cultural considerations and cultural safety in domestic violence research. To overcome barriers to participation and facilitate the engagement of children, mothers expressed the importance of researchers understanding possible cultural obstacles and cultural expectations. Four mothers had diverse cultural backgrounds (Jemma, Elly, Karen, Beth), including two mothers who did not speak English when they came to Australia (Jemma, Karen). Karen experienced difficulties speaking English and was still learning the language. Safety considerations included having an interpreter they could trust and the researcher understanding that cultural upbringing can be a barrier to discussing experiences of domestic violence: “cultural bounds me the way we were brought up, we were not allowed to talk about it…we were not allowed to share” (Jemma). Before mothers were willing to consent, they may need researchers to seek permission and advice from Elders: “You’ve got to get over the cultural barriers…You’ve got to go up to the Elders” (Beth).

But beforehand, to enable children’s participation, researchers must focus on building trust and rapport with mothers and the service system. Mothers wanted to know about the researcher, where they were from, their credentials, and what they were going to talk about with their children. Mothers considered that children’s involvement in domestic violence research would only be facilitated by mothers when this relationship existed, this relationship being instrumental to children’s participation:

I want my son to feel comfortable with them and trust them [researchers]…I need to trust that person first before I let my children talk to them. I need to know where they’ve come from, what their name [is], what they’re working for…[If] I am not comfortable, I am not going to let my children talk to them. (Karen)

Mothers reported that they would be more likely to allow their children to participate if they felt they were fully and meaningfully engaged from the outset. All mothers spoke about wanting to see and approve questions that would be asked of children before deciding whether they were happy for their child to be involved. They wanted to support their children throughout the research process and afterwards. Mothers also discussed the value of having a support worker who could assist and make the introduction and connection between the researcher and the mother. Some mothers said they only participated in our research because they trusted their support worker who had told them about the study:

Not only do you need the trust of the parent, but at that age you need the trust of the child as well. So, in order to do that, you cannot be a stranger that just pops up just like this out of the blue…It’s going to have to be done in a different way…where it’s done over a series of time, bit by bit…it’s slowly, because you have to get the trust of the child and the trust of the parent. (Elly)

Mothers felt that researchers needed to fully explain and demonstrate to mothers first that the research could be conducted in “a safe environment” and to “slowly build up that trust” (Amelia). Critical enablers in research meant ensuring “confidence and trust” (Kylie).

The mothers regarded the skills and expertise of the researcher as essential. Mothers felt that they would be more likely to consent to their children’s participation if they trusted that the researchers understood the impact of domestic violence and had the clinical skills to manage any possible trauma presentations of the child. Some mothers said their children would respond better to a female researcher.

Mothers believed that researchers need to be careful, go slowly with mothers and children, and engage them in a “gentle caring, loving safe way” (Mary). To build a mother’s confidence and trust in the researcher and the research process, researchers must ensure the child’s physical, emotional, psychological and cultural safety throughout all stages of the research. This meant that “there has to be an awareness and the ability to support the child” (Amina), and that researchers “actually understand where they [children] are coming from” (Beth) and have knowledge about domestic violence and belief systems about this violence:

Understanding of what he’s researching or she’s researching…some empathy and some compassion…They have to understand it and they have to feel it…They have to know that when they are talking to my kid this trauma’s real and it’s not going to be easy. (Jess)

The prospect of children participating in domestic violence research confronted and challenged mothers who were concerned about the overall safety of their children, themselves, and their family. For mothers to consent, they needed to be assured that their children would be fully supported during the research interview by a person that the mother trusted. Some mothers would struggle to allow another person to support their child during the interview and wanted to be present themselves:

If the mum’s not there, if I am not there, how am I going to trust that…[the] support person is going to pick up on what my child’s signals are, that they can’t take any more, and my child is going to get asked all these questions and they’re alone. (Fatima)

Mothers also reported that they might be more likely to consent if they knew that children would receive immediate counseling (where indicated), and that follow-up support would be available for children (and their mothers):

Follow up. What kind of support would they be able to have after, or would they just be left…because we all know what that can be like if you’ve got nowhere to go or talk to…What happens then? You’re holding onto that trauma. (Amelia)

Child-Friendly Approach

Mothers felt that to be comfortable consenting, they would assess the quality and child-friendliness of the research approach. Mothers talked about different considerations concerning the research design and argued they would be more confident if research could be adapted and flexible for each child. They reported being more willing for their child to participate if the research demonstrated a non-threatening, safe, warm, and comfortable environment. This meant using creative interactive play-based strategies and having access to books, artistic supplies, toys, sandplay, and technology, such as iPads. Mothers spoke about their children having difficulties talking and explaining how they felt. A mother recalled some child research done in a hospital that involved using different models (figurines) of families, and special toys, the child drawing pictures and listening to things: “it was a fun thing” (Elly). She said:

If there was research being done and it was being done in that way, I would put my hands up to that, if I trusted that the people doing it were not going to use that in any way to try and take my child away. (Elly)

Mothers believed that nutritious snacks, food, and refreshments should be provided, and children needed to feel valued in that they were making a significant contribution to improving services. Using animals was also considered helpful to engage children who would open-up and talk to you: “Bring a rabbit, bring a kitten…or one of those therapy dogs, a really gentle one” (Mary). Mothers thought that research strategies and tools needed to appeal to children’s interests, be relevant and appropriate to them:

Certainly, having toys and distractions like that because a lot of kids don’t what to talk directly, and they don’t feel comfortable talking directly…it’s that side-by-side conversation…a lot of kids at the moment are into Pokémon. If you made something relevant it would interest them, so you would engage with the kids a bit more. (Amina)

Foremost, creating a child-friendly approach allows children to take the lead, where they “voluntarily open-up” (Tracey). Researchers need to ask children “what they are comfortable and not comfortable to talk about and assure them it is confidential” (Jemma):

You kind of tap into the kids or even just watching them play, you can often pick up on things…they might mimic what’s happening at home or they might shy back…watching their body language…some sort of gentle observation, quiet conversation here and there…being kind and talking kind. (Amelia)

Mothers thought research could be conducted in groups although this required some flexibility, depending on each child’s needs and circumstances. It may be appropriate for siblings to come together in the research. Mothers provided important insights about how research might be safely and meaningfully conducted with children. They reported that to increase mothers’ confidence in researchers and research projects (and the likelihood of mothers consenting to their children’s participation), research teams must demonstrate that they have developed methods that are child-friendly and respectful of children’s contributions, mother-child relationships, and the family’s resilience.

The key contribution of this research relates to understanding the factors that may influence a mother’s decision to consent to their child’s participation in domestic violence research. Findings from the small but diverse group of mothers in the study produced common themes regarding the factors that would inhibit consent to participate. Fears for their own and their children’s safety and the potential for retraumatization were identified as major factors. The mothers expressed a lack of trust in the research process but also recognized potential benefits for service provision and offered ideas on how to make the research process safer. Considering the engagement of children in domestic violence research “is still rare” (Arnell & Thunberg, 2023 , p. 114) and scholars call for greater efforts to facilitate children’s research inclusion (Elliffe et al., 2021 ; Noble-Carr et al., 2020 ), this research offers timely and needed knowledge. While professional and research gatekeepers can enable or restrict children’s participation in domestic violence research, mothers are the ultimate arbiter, and their perspectives should guide future research in this area.

Rizo et al. ( 2017 ) indicates that mothers hold fear and worries about safety and risk issues if the perpetrator became aware of the research. Mothers in that study questioned the motivation of researchers, who may be social workers, and what this would mean for confidentiality and mandatory reporting requirements to child protection services. Mothers needed a comprehensive understanding of the proposed research. Our research findings support these findings from Rizo et al. ( 2017 ). However, in Rizo et al., mothers clearly articulated the individual benefits for children from their research participation, children had the chance to speak about their experiences which also aided service delivery. Whereas in our study, mothers did not reflect on the personal or individual benefits for children. They perceived domestic violence research with children as contributing to broader improvements for service development and for the domestic violence sector to better cater for children and uphold their rights.

Elliffe et al. ( 2021 ) and Øverlien and Holt ( 2018 ) discuss that the perceived vulnerability of children can limit their opportunities for engagement in domestic violence research. Our study with mothers confirms that they view children with experiences of domestic violence as damaged and traumatized which subsequently impacted their capacity and competency to participate in research. Similarly to Katz ( 2015 ) where children had moved on or held anger against their mothers, findings in our study confirm that mothers did not want children to revisit the trauma of domestic violence. One mother was very worried her children would become physically violent to her because of the angry feelings they held. However, a key finding from our study and of significance to researchers, policymakers, and the domestic violence sector, is understanding that a mother’s experiences of domestic violence trauma can profoundly impact whether the mother will consent to the participation of their children in domestic violence research.

Some findings from our study reflect those of Sabri et al. ( 2022 ) who found that immigrant women held concerns about the possible legal implications of their research participation. Duhaney ( 2023 ) also reported that Black women can experience more fears generally about domestic violence research. Mothers in our study from marginalized and diverse cultural backgrounds confirmed that being ‘non-white’ adds further barriers to children’s domestic violence research participation due to lived experiences of racism and persecution.

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Ethical guidance recommends the establishment of effective relationships and a research partnership when engaging with victim survivors (Goodman et al., 2017 ), this includes mitigating power imbalances between researchers and participants (World Health Organization, 2016 ). Goodman et al. ( 2017 ) offers sound guidance where researchers adopt a “trauma-informed” (p. 15) perspective and consider the effects of domestic violence trauma at the individual, family, and community level. Our research with mothers found that a trauma-informed research approach remains pivotal to enabling children’s participation in domestic violence research, although the term ‘trauma-safe’ better accords with mothers’ expectations regarding the psychological, emotional, and cultural safety of children and the critical importance of researchers having the expertise to understand trauma presentations, manage these and prevent any retraumatization. Principles of trauma-informed care put forward by Wall et al. ( 2016 , p. 5) underpinned our study, such as understanding trauma, promoting mothers’ safety, seeking to empower them, and joining with mothers in mutual collaboration. Wall et al. outlines a continuum of trauma-informed care: “trauma-aware, trauma-sensitive, trauma-responsive and trauma-informed care” (p. 5). Reflecting on this continuum and in the context of conducting sensitive social research, ‘trauma-safe’ could be included representing a higher level of trauma-safety.

To facilitate children’s participation in domestic violence research, researchers must equally prioritize the mother’s emotional, psychological, cultural, and physical safety. Mothers’ needs are inextricably linked to those of their children. Recruitment and consent processes for children’s participation should consider the mother’s trauma experiences and circumstances which includes being sensitive and responsive to any vulnerabilities. While recognizing that researchers are not therapists, the importance of establishing safe, trusting relationships and a collaborative alliance with mothers is evident. This necessitates researchers having skills and expertise, that in some respects, mirror those of clinical practitioners (for example, social workers and psychologists). Considering mothers may disclose to researchers previously unshared experiences (Dichter et al., 2019 ) having the expertise to understand and manage domestic violence trauma seems warranted. Author One’s clinical expertise assisted with participant engagement, support, and exploration of issues.

The mothers in our study identified the need for research with children to be flexible, creative, play-based, and appropriately adapted to the child. They acknowledged child rights and the importance of the voices and perspectives of children being recognized but emphasized that this needed to occur in the context of safety, trust, rapport, and support.

Limitations

Limitations in this research derive from the small sample of 11 participating mothers. Time and resource restrictions curtailed the recruitment of additional mothers. The study’s findings could be more specific to the Australian research context and may not capture the cultural and geographic diversity of views on the topic.

This research highlights that mothers are protective gatekeepers and, for a range of valid reasons, will present barriers to the engagement of children in domestic violence research. To best enable children’s inclusion and safety, a trauma-safe and child-friendly approach must guide research endeavors. This means facilitating the choice and control of mothers, working closely and gently with them, and providing comprehensive information about the research and how it will be conducted safely and ethically. Critically, researchers need the expertise to ensure the highest level of safeguarding inclusive of the child’s (and their mother’s) physical, psychological, emotional, and cultural safety. It is apparent from this research that mothers will only consider providing consent if researchers give them clear evidence that safeguards are in place and that the research will offer significant benefits and outcomes for children.

Data availability

Due to the qualitative nature of interview data, ensures of privacy and confidentality of participants and limitations to consent, interview data cannot be openly shared.

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Mackey, P., Plath, D., Joosten, A. et al. Mothers’ Views About Children’s Engagement in Domestic Violence Research. J Fam Viol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-024-00743-7

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