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Violence in families and intimate relationships affects a significant proportion of the population—from very young children to the elderly—with far-reaching and often devastating consequences. Cruel but Not Unusual draws on the expertise of scholars and practitioners to present readers with the latest research and thinking about the history, conditions, and impact of violence in these contexts. For this new edition, chapters have been updated to reflect changes in data and legislation. New chapters include an examination of trauma from a neurobiological perspective; a critical analysis of the “gender symmetry debate,” a debate that questions the gendered nature of intimate violence; and an essay on the history and evolution of the women’s movement dedicated to addressing violence against women, which advances theoretical developments that remind readers of the breadth of inclusivity that should be at the heart of working in this field.

Introduction

Ramona Alaggia and Cathy Vine

In the introduction, editors Ramona Alaggia and Cathy Vine orient the reader to the purpose and breadth of the book which supplies a current picture of the scope of the problem of violence in Canadian families. This picture reaches into the past to understand the legacies of history and looks closely at the present to reveal how the personal experiences of individuals, groups, and families are affected by broader social, structural, political, and legal influences. Together, the chapter authors offer extensive analyses of the range of problems and issues, and the legal, policy, and practice activity. The authors bring a range of perspectives and the complexity of understanding and addressing violence becomes ever more apparent as the reader progresses from one chapter to the next. Topics include: "naming" violence in families and the implications of hiding gender;  re-examining violence against women by including "voices from the margins;" defining violence through dialogue rather than imposing definitions; history, policy and research concerning child corporal punishment; violence, trauma and resilience; violence experienced in marginalized communities including Aboriginal families and communities, immigrant and refugee families, children and adults with disabilities, and sexual and gender minority communities. As well, we examine violence across the life course, starting with children growing up in families and substitute families; moving to adult intimate relationships and families, and concluding by examining and challenging our knowledge and understanding about the role and impact of violence in the lives of older persons, living in families or institutional settings.
1

Voices of Women from the Margins: Re-examining Violence against Women

Deborah Sinclair

In chapter 1, Voices of Women from the Margins: Re-examining Violence against Women, Deborah Sinclair explores theoretical explanations of violence against women with a particular emphasis on feminist theories, and the ways these perspectives have been applied in public discussion, research and practice, over time. She recognizes how the voices of particular groups of women have been excluded and marginalized in mainstream theory and practice and presents a more comprehensive model. This perspective takes us beyond the borders of patriarchy, to examine the intersections of violence against women with other forms of inequality and oppression including racism, colonialism, class privilege and exploitation, heterosexism, ableism and ageism. The chapter concludes by challenging leaders in feminist social work activism and in the violence against women movement to bring the multiple voices of women from diverse social locations and worldviews to the center of our theoretical analysis and everyday practice.
2

Family Violence or Woman Abuse? Putting Gender Back into the Canadian Research Equation

Molly Dragiewicz

In chapter 2, Family Violence or Woman Abuse? Putting Gender Back into the Canadian Research Equation, Molly Dragiewicz brings yet another perspective into discussion when she challenges us to consider how “knowledge production” in Canada has shifted from an explicit focus on “violence against women” to one now couched in gender neutrality, called “family violence.” She traces these changes, discusses the current status of women in Canada and the differences in men’s and women’s experiences of violence in order to address the “gender symmetry debate.” Dragiewicz talks about the cultural context giving rise to these discussions and examines the implications of neoliberalism and antifeminism on research, knowledge production and practice.
3

Is This Violence? Is This Sexual Violence? Recognizing and Defining Violence through Dialogue with French-Speaking Women

Ina Motoi

In chapter 3, Is this violence? Is this sexual violence? Recognizing and defining violence through dialogue with French-speaking Women, Ina Motoi explores the role of dialogue in recognizing and understanding violence and sexual violence. Dialogue is explored on multiple levels—as a means to: recognizing and defining violence; creating space for multiple perspectives; promoting understanding within oneself or in conversation with another; and as a tool for intervention. Different contexts provide the backdrop: a francophone minority context in Ontario where women from multiple cultures, races and religions already live with “identity violence;” and the second, a francophone majority context in Québec, where prostitution is debated on a political level and women grapple with experiences of sexual objectification on a personal level. For Motoi, dialogue is key to empowering women to create their own unique solutions to violence.


4

Child Corporal Punishment: Violence, Law, and Rights

Anne McGillivray and Joan E. Durrant

In chapter 4, Child Corporal Punishment - Violence, Law and Rights, Anne McGillivray and Joan E. Durrant demonstrate that “the road from Rome to the twenty-first century has been paved with justifications for violence against children.”  Here the authors examine the historical, legal, and current legislative contexts which support continued physical punishment of children in Canada. Is physical punishment violence? Is it an effective parenting technique? In Roman and common law, for example, both women and children lived under the “rule of the father.” While women are no longer legally subject to “correction” by their husbands, the story is quite different for children. McGillivray and Durrant explore these questions as they assess the rights of children in the context of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and present the research on the short- and long-term effects of physical punishment. The authors demonstrate that the laws and views governing corporal punishment in Canada today represent “the untested assumptions of previous eras” and offer recommendations to professionals and policymakers regarding the prevention of violence against children.  
5

Violence, Trauma, and Resilience

Michael Ungar and Bruce D. Perry

In chapter 5, Violence, Trauma and Resilience, Michael Ungar and Bruce Perry use two approaches, stress-response systems and social ecology to define, explain and explore the inter-relationships of violence, trauma and resilience. How does violence affect our bodies and brains? What about subsequent development? How is it that some people are traumatized and others seem to be barely affected? Recent advances in our understanding of neurobiology and resilience offer tremendous insights into some of the issues that have plagued researchers, practitioners and individuals affected by violence themselves. This chapter completes the introductory section of the book where our goal has been to share some of the very different ways we examine and understand various aspects of violence. In the next section, in order to continue to deepen understanding, we shift the focus to particular groups and some of the ways that violence is understood and experienced within marginalized communities.
6

Systemic Oppression, Violence, and Healing in Aboriginal Families and Communities

Cyndy Baskin

In chapter 6, Systemic Oppression, Violence, and Healing in Aboriginal Families and Communities, Cyndy Baskin records the far reaching and devastating consequences of colonization on First Nations’ communities and the systematic placement of Aboriginal children in residential schools. What does this have to do with violence in families? Baskin connects the past with the present, demonstrating that the legacy of colonization has had a profound impact on Aboriginal families, giving rise to soaring rates of violence in Aboriginal communities. Oppression is central to this analysis and responses determined by Aboriginal traditions and values are critical to addressing violence and abuse.


7

Violence, Protection, and Empowerment in the Lives of Children and Adults with Disabilities

Richard Sobsey and Sonia A. Sobon

In chapter 7, Violence, Protection, and Empowerment in the Lives of Children and Adults with Disabilities, Richard Sobsey and Sonia A. Sobon propose that anything short of fully involving people with disabilities in mainstream Canadian society will serve only to perpetuate the high rates of abuse in their lives. Children with disabilities, for example, are 50 percent more likely to be abused than other children. Sobsey and Sobon also remind us that there is vast diversity among Canadians with disabilities and emphasize the profound challenges in naming, counting, and understanding violence because of this. The authors challenge our very notion of “family” at the outset of the chapter by describing the abuse experienced by a young woman living in a group home. Should violence in institutions be included in our examination of violence in “families"? Further, they alert us that there may be several mechanisms at work in explaining the frequency of violence in the lives of people with disabilities: violence itself may cause disabilities; the presence of a disability may itself increase the risk for victimization; and other factors such as poverty, substance abuse, and isolation may increase the risk for both disability and victimization.


8

Dynamics of Partner Abuse in Sexual and Gender Minority Communities

J. Roy Gillis and Shaindl Diamond

In chapter 8, Dynamics of Partner Abuse in Sexual and Gender Minority Communities, J. Roy Gillis and Shaindl Diamond shed light on yet another marginalized group’s experiences of exclusion when they focus on intimate violence in the lgbtq community. Along with challenging feminist conceptualizations of intimate violence, they chronicle the ways in which the needs of both victims and perpetrators continue to be ignored, if not exacerbated, by mainstream violence responses. Gillis and Diamond reveal the ways in which issues that are virtually uniquely experienced within the lgbtq community play themselves out in perpetuating violence: fears that publicity about the incidence of abuse within the lgbtq community will fuel homophobia, threats of outing or revealing HIV status, and heterosexism in police and counselling services, for example, all inevitably increase the dangers for those being victimized in their relationships.

9

Domestic Violence and Child Abuse: Issues for Immigrant and Refugee Families

Ramona Alaggia and Sarah Maiter

In chapter 9, Domestic Violence and Child Abuse: Issues for Immigrant and Refugee Families, Ramona Alaggia and Sarah Maiter review the plight of women and children as immigrants, newcomers and refugees in Canada. The systems central to intervening in child abuse and domestic violence have a unique impact on them, not only because of their immigrant status, but also because of the traditions and values of their home countries. Alaggia and Maiter explore the inherent problems with definitions, who gets counted, and the complexities involved with domestic violence and child welfare policy and practice responses when private ails require public action. They also provide an analysis of the service delivery system for immigrant families affected by abuse and violence and make recommendations for improved response.


10

Children Abused, Neglected, and Living with Violence: An Overview

Cathy Vine, Nico Trocmé, Bruce MacLaurin, and Barb Fallon

In chapter 10, Children Abused, Neglected, and Living with Violence: An Overview , Cathy Vine, Nico Trocmé, Bruce MacLaurin and Barb Fallon provide an overview of the nature, scope, characteristics, and impact of child abuse, all the while recognizing that everything we know about how often children are abused, for example, is determined by how abuse is defined, investigated, verified and then categorized. While an ever-expanding knowledge base regarding child development and the short- and long-term effects of child abuse and trauma inform the discussion, the authors highlight the challenges and issues which permeate the area. This overview chapter also introduces the reader to some of the issues--like children’s exposure to violence--that receive fuller examination in subsequent chapters. The authors interweave the voices of young people to keep them at the center of the discussion.


11

Children’s Exposure to Domestic Violence: Integrating Policy, Research, and Practice to Address Children’s Mental Health

Angélique Jenney and Ramona Alaggia

In chapter 11, Children’s Exposure to Domestic Violence: Integrating Policy, Research, and Practice to Address Children’s Mental Health, Angélique Jenney and Ramona Alaggia delve into children’s exposure to domestic violence, how the child welfare system responds, the kinds of programs available to address the effects and impact, and the ways in which research and clinical practice can usefully inform one another. Importantly, the authors spotlight how policy shapes system response and raise issues about how child welfare intervention to protect children can work against mothers coping with the impact of domestic violence.


12

Whose Failure to Protect? Child Welfare Interventions When Men Abuse Mothers

Susan Strega

In chapter 12, Whose Failure to Protect? Child Welfare Interventions When Men Abuse Mothers, Susan Strega further explores how policies and legislation shape system response and argues that “failure to protect” legislation maintains or even increases the dangers to mothers and children. Strega asserts that mothers are being held responsible for failing to protect their children from “witnessing” the violence being inflicted on them and asks why the system continues to focus on mothers while failing to even notice—let alone hold responsible—the men who are perpetrating the violence against them. “If we truly want to help children exposed to violence,” stresses Strega, “we must engage purposefully with those who perpetrate it.” She recommends policy and practice changes that would “enable child welfare to move from punishing and threatening mothers to more effectively working with them to protect both themselves and their children.”


13

Rendering Children Invisible: The Forces at Play during Separation and Divorce in the Context of Family Violence

Rachel Birnbaum

In chapter 13, Rendering Children Invisible: The Forces at Play during Separation and Divorce in the Context of Family Violence, Rachel Birnbaum provides yet another lens for examining and understanding the “the forces at play” when parents separate and/or divorce in the context of violence. She observes that even the language used to describe couple’s relationships—“feuding,” “high-conflict,” “disputing families,” “revenge seeking”—camouflages those instances when children are being used by one partner against another. The problems continue into disputes over custody and access. Birnbaum analyzes the evolution of the legislation which governs separation and divorce processes and argues that children are invisible throughout, and concludes with a proposed framework for making children visible.

14

Violence Against Women: A Structural Perspective

Colleen Lundy

In chapter 14, Violence Against Women: A Structural Perspective, Colleen Lundy reviews the prevalence and nature of gender-based violence in Canada. In 2001, for example, spousal violence accounted for one-quarter of all violent crimes reported to police services. Eighty-five percent of the victims were women and over two-thirds of these women were victimized by a current spouse. Lundy includes international comparisons and critically analyses the violence surveys and measures used to produce this picture. A structural approach is used to explain the dynamics of male violence against women and affirm that it should guide analysis, policy, and practice responses. Lundy depicts the problem as deeply rooted in broad social, economic, and political conditions and institutions, and examines the organizing efforts of the anti-violence movement and the response of the state.

15

Identifying, Assessing, and Treating Men Who Abuse and Women Abused by Intimate Partners

Leslie M. Tutty

In chapter 15, Identifying, Assessing, and Treating Men Who Abuse and Women Abused by Intimate Partners, Leslie Tutty provides critical assessment and treatment principles for working with men who abuse and women abused by their intimate partners. Rather than waiting for individuals or couples to present asking for help, Tutty asserts that the prevalence, along with the nature and risks inherent in all forms of violence, suggest that “every individual, couple (whether heterosexual or homosexual) and family seeking counselling be assessed for current or historical abuse.” Tutty provides the necessary tools for sensitively raising the issue and describes a comprehensive approach for priorizing safety and employing effective clinical interventions.


16

Elder Abuse and Neglect in Canada: An Overview

Lynn McDonald, Julie Dergal, and April Collins

In chapter 16, Elder Abuse and Neglect in Canada: An Overview, Lynn McDonald, Julie Dergal and April Collins  provide an overview of the major developments in the field of elder abuse and neglect within Canada. They examine definitional problems, issues of reliability and validity of data related to the incidence and prevalence of abuse, theoretical advances, and current challenges associated with identifying risk factors for abuse and neglect. Canadian legislative approaches, advances in protocols for detection and intervention, as well as innovations in programs are also discussed.
17

Older People Are Subjects, Not Objects: Reconsidering Theory and Practice in Situations of Elder Abuse

Joan Harbison, Pam McKinley, and Donna Pettipas

In chapter 17,
Older People Are Subjects, Not Objects: Reconsidering Theory and Practice in Situations of Elder Abuse, Joan Harbison, Pam McKinley, and Donna Pettipas trace the development of elder abuse and neglect as a social problem. Their work reveals how older people become objects of our study and intervention as opposed to being subjects in their own lives. The authors review the structural factors and theoretical inadequacies responsible for this situation. They highlight the ethical questions involved in balancing autonomy, intervention, and protection. Case examples illuminate the issues involved in translating theory into practice as well as how practice can inform theory.


Conclusion

Building the Future

Ramona Alaggia and Cathy Vine

Summarizes issues and policy areas covered in the book; renews the call for action.


Table of Contents

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  1. Cover
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  1. Title Page, Copyright, Dedication
  2. pp. i-vi
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  1. Contents
  2. pp. vii-x
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  1. Foreword
  2. Margaret Norrie McCain
  3. pp. xi-xiv
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  1. Acknowledgements
  2. pp. xv-xvi
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  1. Introduction and Perspectives on Violence
  1. Introduction
  2. Ramona Alaggia, Cathy Vine
  3. pp. 1-12
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  1. 1. Voices of Women from the Margins: Re-examining Violence against Women
  2. Deborah Sinclair
  3. pp. 13-42
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  1. 2. Family Violence or Woman Abuse? Putting Gender Back into the Canadian Research Equation
  2. Molly Dragiewicz
  3. pp. 43-62
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  1. 3. Is This Violence? Is This Sexual Violence? Recognizing and Defining Violence through Dialogue with French-Speaking Women
  2. Ina Motoi
  3. pp. 63-90
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  1. 4. Child Corporal Punishment: Violence, Law, and Rights
  2. Anne McGillivray, Joan E. Durrant
  3. pp. 91-118
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  1. 5. Violence, Trauma, and Resilience
  2. Michael Ungar, Bruce D. Perry
  3. pp. 119-144
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  1. Marginalized Communities and Violence
  1. 6. Systemic Oppression, Violence, and Healing in Aboriginal Families and Communities
  2. Cyndy Baskin
  3. pp. 145-178
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  1. 7. Violence, Protection, and Empowerment in the Lives of Children and Adults with Disabilities
  2. Richard Sobsey, Sonia A. Sobon
  3. pp. 179-212
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  1. 8. Dynamics of Partner Abuse in Sexual and Gender Minority Communities
  2. J. Roy Gillis, Shaindl Diamond
  3. pp. 213-234
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  1. 9. Domestic Violence and Child Abuse: Issues for Immigrant and Refugee Families
  2. Ramona Alaggia, Sarah Maiter
  3. pp. 235-268
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  1. Violence Across the Life Course
  1. 10. Children Abused, Neglected, and Living with Violence: An Overview
  2. Cathy Vine, Nico Trocmé, Bruce MacLaurin, Barbara Fallon
  3. pp. 269-302
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  1. 11. Children’s Exposure to Domestic Violence: Integrating Policy, Research, and Practice to Address Children’s Mental Health
  2. Angélique Jenney, Ramona Alaggia
  3. pp. 303-336
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  1. 12. Whose Failure to Protect? Child Welfare Interventions When Men Abuse Mothers
  2. Susan Strega
  3. pp. 337-370
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  1. 13. Rendering Children Invisible: The Forces at Play during Separation and Divorce in the Context of Family Violence
  2. Rachel Birnbaum
  3. pp. 371-412
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  1. 14. Violence against Women: A Structural Perspective
  2. Colleen Lundy
  3. pp. 413-452
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  1. 15. Identifying, Assessing, and Treating Men Who Abuse and Women Abused by Intimate Partners
  2. Leslie M. Tutty
  3. pp. 453-478
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  1. 16. Elder Abuse and Neglect in Canada: An Overview
  2. Lynn McDonald, Julie Dergal, April Collins
  3. pp. 479-520
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  1. 17. Older People Are Subjects, Not Objects: Reconsidering Theory and Practice in Situations of Elder Abuse
  2. Joan Harbison, Pam McKinley, Donna Pettipas
  3. pp. 521-556
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  1. Conclusion. Building the Future
  2. Ramona Alaggia, Cathy Vine
  3. pp. 557-560
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  1. Contributors
  2. pp. 561-568
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  1. Index
  2. pp. 569-585
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