Abstract
Drawing on interviews with mothers and step-mothers who have experienced adolescent family violence (AFV) by their children or step-children, this chapter considers how the interviewees explain and respond to this form of violence. Explanations include that a current or previous partner, usually the children’s father, has co-opted the adolescent to abuse her, that the adolescent is jealous of her because she is a new partner of the adolescent’s father, and the adolescent’s difficulties of adjusting to a new cultural context. Some identified drug use and mental health issues experienced by the child. This chapter considers when and how the interviewees use and interact with the law in response to AFV. It considers the interviewees’ experiences of engaging with a range of legal responses including police and criminal justice, child protection services, civil protections orders and family law. In several cases, interviewees report that justice professionals have misunderstood the link between AFV and intimate partner violence and consequently the interviewees’ experience of intimate partner violence has been exacerbated. The article shows the need for justice professionals to have an improved understanding of AFV, its diverse contexts and the risks of legal engagement.
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Legislation
Criminal Code 1899 (Qld).
Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act 2012 (Qld).
Family Law Act 1975 (Cth).
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Douglas, H. (2021). Mothers and Step-Mothers Engaging with Law in Their Response to Adolescent Family Violence. In: Fitz-Gibbon, K., Douglas, H., Maher, J. (eds) Young People Using Family Violence. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-1331-9_5
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