Presentation by Professor Dr. Marianne HESTER, Professor of Gender, Violence and International Policy at the Bristol University and Member of the Advisory Board of "Women Against Violence Europe" (WAVE) on the occasion of the EESC conference on Eradicating domestic violence, 21 Sep 2012, Brussels

1. Eradicating domestic violence:
issues and barriers
Professor Dr. Marianne Hester

2. Eradicating domestic violence
• Reduction is possible
• Eradication is difficult without eradicating
gender based inequalities
• Two key barriers to reduction –
1. resources
2. incoherent practice across sectors

3. Working together is effective
• From 1999 to 2010 domestic violence
DECREASING in UK
....due to combination of service input (DV
victim intervention/support; criminal
justice; multi-agency co-ordination).
....combination of support for women and
focus on male perpetrators decreases
domestic violence

4. Barrier 1 - resources
• From 2010: austerity approach and
decrease in domestic violence services –
resulted in INCREASE in domestic
violence

5. Barrier 2 - incoherence
• WAVE findings - Lack of comparative data
across sectors and countries
• Basic standard data required – criminal justice, health
etc [PROTECT II]
• Often different, separate, & contradictory ideas
and practice approaches to
• Domestic violence
• Child protection
• Child contact

6. Different contexts – three
planets
Domestic violence:
ADULTS
Child protection:
Child contact:
CHILD
PARENTS

7. What happens on the DV planet?
1. Refuges/shelters to enable women and children to
escape from violent men
2. Other support and advocacy services – mainly for
women
3. Criminalisation of domestic violence – making
domestic violence a crime like any other violent crime
4. Perpetrator programmes to challenge and change
violent and abusive behaviour

8. Domestic violence planet
Domestic violence:
considered a crime
(civil and criminal law);
range of support
mainly violent
male partner

9. domestic violence and child
protection
Domestic violence:
considered a crime Child protection:
(civil and criminal law); (public law)
gendered - welfare approach;
ADULT state intervention
in abusive families;
CHILD

10. Separate development:
Domestic violence – perceived as
gendered, increasingly criminalised
Child abuse – perceived as family
dysfunction, welfare approach with de-
criminalisation

11. Domestic violence as main
context for child abuse
• men’s violence to female partners is the most common
context for child abuse;
• male domestic violence perpetrators are more likely to be
abusive to children and more extremely so;
• the more severe the violence to a female partner, the more
severe the abuse of children in the same context
• children may experience multiple forms of abuse in the
context of domestic violence.

12. Mothers…
• Expectation that woman will eventually
leave or exclude the abuser.
• Responsibility for protecting children is
placed on mothers
• Dynamics of gender violence ignored
• ...mother ‘failure to protect’

13. …and child contact?
Child protection:
(public law)
welfare approach;
state intervention
in abusive families;
mother seen as
failing to protect
Domestic violence:
considered a crime
(civil and criminal law); Child contact:
range of support (private law);
violent male partner negotiated or
mediated outcome;
good enough
father

14. In access/custody cases
• Domestic violence not relevant – seen as
in the past
• Domestic violence not relevant – seen as
issue related to parents

15. Tension between right to know &
right to safety:
• emphasis on children’s right to know their two
parents increase in (abusive) fathers’
rights
• compromises children’s right to safety and
protection
• Undermines mothering and women’s safety

16. Life beyond three planets?
Child protection:
(public law)
welfare approach;
state intervention
in abusive families;
mother seen as
failing to protect
Domestic violence:
considered a crime
(civil and criminal law); Child contact:
range of support (private law);
violent male partner negotiated or
mediated outcome;
good enough
father

17. Conclusion
For effective reduction and shift towards eradication
of domestic violence requires:
• Consistency and coherence of approach with
common understanding of domestic violence
• Co-operation by a range of agencies at senior and
practitioner levels and with resources
• Co-ordination of involvement and provision
Need to bring the ‘three planets’ into line
• Dealing with perpetrators, victims and children

18. References
• Hester, M. (2011) The three planet model –
towards an understanding of contradictions in
approaches to women and children’s safety in
contexts of domestic violence. British Journal
of Social Work. 41, 837–853.
• Hester, M. & Westmarland, N. (2005)
Tackling Domestic Violence: Effective
Interventions and Approaches. Home Office
Research Study 290, London: Home Office.
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/hors290.p