Battered Women And Child Custody Litigation

"When domestic abuse and children are involved, divorce and custody can be the epitome of high stakes conflict and frustration. This book helps laypeople, mental health professionals, and attorneys navigate the judicial process so that decisions are truly made in the best interest of children. This book shows the reader how all the puzzle pieces of the judicial process fit together: judges, attorneys, mental health experts, children, and spouses"--

A call for safety and accountablilty.

Traumatic Divorce and Separation integrates the conflicting mental health perspectives concerning trauma theory and the study of divorce, in what the author has termed "traumatic divorce" -- that is, divorce complicated by the high-risk factors of domestic violence, mental illness, and/or substance abuse. The text's interdisciplinary discussion examines issues of financial disparities for women following divorce, traumatic symptoms in children and adults, and the legal controversies about the admissibility of psychological theories related to abuse. The author also addresses: domestic violence as a gendered crime against women; the need for a trauma-informed judicial response; and the need for a systemic judicial response that incorporates an understanding of domestic violence and child maltreatment to provide services and protections. The book is an invaluable resource for professionals and academics in social work, forensic psychology, law, and related mental health fields, as well as academics interested in gender based discrimination in the courts.

The author asserts that "women are losing their economic security, their homes, their child support, and even their children because of corrupt divorce proceedings."--Jacket.

Reassesses thirty years of domestic violence research and demonstrates three forms of partner violence, distinctive in their origins, effects, and treatments