Abstract
Coercive control is increasingly recognized as fundamental to women’s experiences of domestic and family violence (DFV). Systems abuse is also being increasingly recognized by researchers as a tactic of coercive control in the context of DFV. This article explores the phenomenon of abusive partners or ex-partners making malicious false reports of child maltreatment to child protective services as an aspect of coercive control and systems abuse. The article draws on interviews with 65 women who have been victims of DFV, focusing on the experiences of 11 of the interviewees who have been maliciously reported, or received threats that they will be reported, to child protection services by an abusive ex-partner. Those interviewees who had been the victim of malicious reports of child maltreatment by an abusive partner or ex-partner experienced substantial negative impacts. The article concludes that improved investigation processes and investigating both parties, where the reporting party has been found to be a perpetrator of DFV, may better support victims of DFV and deter perpetrators from this form of abuse.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.
References
Adams, W. (2015). Conducting semi-structured interviews. In K. newcomer, P. Hatry and J. Wholey (Eds.), Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation (pp. 492-505). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119171386.
Anderson, C., & Kirkpatrick, S. (2016). Narrative interviewing. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy, 38, 631–634. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-015-0222-0.
Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration (AIJA). (2019). National Domestic and Family Violence Bench Book. Retrieved from https://dfvbenchbook.aija.org.au/
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). (2017). Personal Safety, Australia, 2016 (ABS cat no 4906.0). Retrieved from: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4906.0~2016~Main%20Features~Key%20Findings~1
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2019). Child Protection in Australia 2017–2018. Retrieved from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/child-protection/child-protection-australia-2017-18/contents/table-of-contents
Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) & New South Wales Law Reform Commission (NSWLRC). (2010). Family Violence – A National Legal Response (Report No. 114). Retrieved from: https://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/family-violence-national-legal-response-alrc-report-114
Bala, N., Mitnick, M., Trocme, N., & Houston, C. (2007). Sexual abuse allegations and parental Aeparation: Smokescreen or fire? Journal of Family Studies, 13(1), 26–56. https://doi.org/10.5172/jfs.327.13.1.26.
Bala, N., Paetsch, J., Trocme, N., Schuman, J., Tanchak, S., & Hornick, J. (2001). Allegations of child abuse in the context of parental separation: A discussion paper. Department of Justice, Canada: Discussion Paper.
Bancroft, L., Silverman, J. G., & Ritchie, D. (2012). The batterer as parent: Addressing the impact of domestic violence on family dynamics. Thousand Oaks: SAGE.
Behre, K. A. (2015). Digging beneath the equality language: The influence of the fathers’ rights movement on intimate partner violence public policy debates and family law reform. William & Mary Journal of Women and the Law, 21, 525–602.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa.
Brown, T. (2003). Fathers and child abuse allegations in the context of parental separation and divorce. Family Court Review, 41(3), 367–380. https://doi.org/10.1177/1531244503254856.
Brown, T., Frederico, M., Hewitt, L., & Sheehan, R. (2001). The child abuse and divorce myth. Child Abuse Review, 10, 113–124. https://doi.org/10.1002/car.671.
Buckley, H., Carr, N., & Whelan, S. (2011). ‘Like walking on eggshells’: Service user views and expectations of the child protection system. Child and Family Social Work, 16, 101–110. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2206.2010.00718.
Burnett, R. (2016). Experiencing false allegations of abuse. In R. Burnett (Ed.), Wrongful Allegations of Sexual and Child Abuse (pp. 16-28). https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198723301.003.0002.
Burton, M. (2013). How different are ‘false’ allegations of rape from false complaints of GBH? Criminal Law Review, 3, 203–213.
Carbino, R. (1991). Child abuse and neglect reports in Foster Care: The issue for Foster families of ‘false’ allegations. Child & Youth Services, 15(2), 233–248. https://doi.org/10.1300/J024v15n02_14.
Clemente, M., & Padilla-Racero, D. (2016). When courts accept what science rejects: Custody issues concerning the alleged ‘parental alienation syndrome’. Journal of Child Custody, 13(2–3), 134–143. https://doi.org/10.1080/15379418.2016.1219245.
Cussen, T., & Bryant, W. (2015). Domestic/Family Homicide in Australia (research in practice no. 38). Retrieved from Australian Institute of Criminology, Australian government website: https://aic.gov.au/publications/rip/rip38
Dallam, S., & Silberg, J. L. (2016). Recommended treatments for ‘parental alienation syndrome’ (PAS) may cause children foreseeable and lasting psychological harm. Journal of Child Custody, 13(2–3), 134–143. https://doi.org/10.1080/15379418.2016.1219974.
DeKerseredy, W., Dragiewicz, M., & Schwartz, M. (2017). Abusive endings: Separation and divorce violence against women. Oakland: University of California Press.
Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women (DOCS). (2018a). Child safety practice manual. In Retrieved from Department of Child Safety. Youth and Women: Queensland Government website https://www.csyw.qld.gov.au/childsafety/child-safety-practice-manual.
Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women (DOCS). (2018b). Domestic and Family Violence and its Relationship to Child Protection (practice paper). In Retrieved from Department of Child Safety. Youth and Women: Queensland Government website https://www.communities.qld.gov.au/resources/childsafety/practice-manual/prac-paper-domestic-violence.pdf.
Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women (DOCS). (2018c). Practice resource: Vexatious and malicious Notifiers. In Retrieved from Department of Child Safety. Youth and Women: Queensland Government website https://www.csyw.qld.gov.au/childsafety/child-safety-practice-manual/resources/departmental-resources.
Dobash, R. E., & Dobash, R. (1980). Violence against wives: A case against the patriarchy. London: Open Books Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1177/1748895817743541.
Douglas, H. (2018a). Domestic violence protection orders and their role in ensuring personal security. In K. Fitz-Gibbon, S. Walklate, J. McCulloch, & J. M. Maher (Eds.), Intimate partner violence, risk and security: Securing Women’s lives in a global world (pp. 216–232). New York: Routledge.
Douglas, H. (2018b). Legal systems abuse and coercive control. Criminology & Criminal Justice, 18(1), 84–99. https://doi.org/10.1177/1748895817728380.
Douglas, H., & Fitzgerald, R. (2013). Legal processes and gendered violence: Cross-applications for domestic violence protection orders. University of New South Wales Law Journal, 36(1), 56–87.
Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act 2012 (Qld). Queensland Government website: http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/pdf/2017-05-30/act-2012-005.
Elizabeth, V. (2017). Custody stalking: A mechanism of coercively controlling mothers following separation. Feminist Legal Studies, 25, 185–201. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10691-017-9349-9.
Elizabeth, V., Gavey, N., & Tolmie, J. (2012). ‘ … He’s Just Swapped His Fists for the System’: The Governance of Gender Through Custody Law. Gender & Society, 26(2), 239–260. https://doi.org/10.1177/0891243211434765.
Family Law Act 1975 (Cmth). Australian Government, federal register of legislation website: http://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00182
Fleury, R., Sullivan, C., & Bybee, D. (2000). When ending the relationship does not end the violence: Women’s experiences of violence by former partners. Violence Against Women, 6(12), 1363–1383. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778010022183695.
Gardner, R. (1987). The parental alienation syndrome and the differentiation between fabricated and genuine child sex abuse. Cresskill, New Jersey: Creative Therapeutics, Inc..
Goodmark, L. (2004). Law is the answer? Do we know that for sure?: Questioning the efficacy of legal interventions for battered women. Saint Louis University Public Law Review, 23, 7–48.
Goodmark, L. (2012). A troubled marriage: Domestic violence and the legal system. New York: New York University Press.
Gottlieb, L. J. (2012). Parental alienation syndrome: A family therapy and collaborative systems approach to amelioration. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas.
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). (2017). Malicious Reports – Advice. Child Protection Manual. Retrieved from Department of Health and Human Services, Victorian Government website: http://www.cpmanual.vic.gov.au/advice-and-protocols/advice/intake/malicious-reports
Humphreys, C., & Healey, L. (2017). Pathways and Research into Collaborative Inter-Agency Practice: Collaborative Work Across the Child Protection and Specialist Domestic and Family Violence Interface: Final Report (ANROWS horizons 03/2017). Retrieved from Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety website: https://www.anrows.org.au/project/pathways-and-research-in-collaborative-inter-agency-working/
Jaffe, P. G., Johnston, J. R., Crooks, C. V., & Bala, N. (2008). Custody disputes involving allegations of domestic violence: Toward a differentiated approach to parenting plans. Family Court Review, 46(3), 500–522. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-16.2008.00216.x.
Jeffries, S. (2016). In the best interests of the abuser: Coercive control, child custody proceedings and the ‘expert’ assessments that guide judicial determinations. Laws, 5(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.3390/laws5010014.
Johnston, J., Lee, S., Olesen, N., & Walters, M. (2005). Allegations and substantiations of abuse in custody-disputing families. Family Court Review, 43(2), 283–294. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-1617.2005.00029.x.
Kaspiew, R., Carson, R., Dunstan, J., Qu, L., Horsfall, B., De Malo, J., et al. (2015). Evaluation of the 2012 Family Violence Amendments (synthesis report). In Retrieved from Australian Institute of Family Studies. Government website: Australian https://aifs.gov.au/publications/evaluation-2012-family-violence-amendments.
Richards, K. (2011). Children’s exposure to domestic violence in Australia. Trends and Issues (no. 419). Retrieved from Australian Institute of Criminology, Australian government website: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi419
Laing, L. (2017). Secondary victimization: Domestic violence survivors navigating the family law system. Violence Against Women, 23(11), 1314–1335. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801216659942.
Miller, S. L., & Smolter, N. L. (2011). ‘Paper abuse’: When all Else fails, batterers use procedural stalking. Violence Against Women, 17(5), 637–650. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801211407290.
Mares, A. C., & Turvey, B. E. (2018). False allegations in divorce and custody proceedings. In B. E. Turvey, J. O. Savino & a. C. Mares (Eds.), False Allegations: Investigative and Forensic Issues in Fraudulent Reports (pp. 135-163). https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-801250-5.00007-0.
Moloney, L., Smyth, B., Weston, R., Richardson, N., Qu, L., & Gray, M. (2007). Allegations of family violence and child abuse in family law Children’s proceedings. Family Matters, 77, 8-15.
Neilson, L. (2018). Parental Alienation Empirical Analysis: Child Best Interests or Parental Rights? (Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research and the FREDA Centre for research on violence against women and children). Retrieved from FREDA Centre website: http://www.fredacentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Parental-Alienation-Linda-Neilson.pdf
Norris, J., Canaway, R., & Bismark, M. (2017). Reducing, Identifying and Managing Vexatious Complaints: Summary Report of a Literature Review Prepared for the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Centre for health policy, University of Melbourne). Retrieved from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency website: https://www.ahpra.gov.au/News/2018-04-16-vexatious-complaints-report.aspx
Prezkop, M. (2011). One more battleground: Domestic violence, child custody, and the batterers’ relentless pursuit of their victims through the courts. Seattle Journal of Social Justice, 9(2), 1053–1106.
Rumney, P. N. S., & McCartan, K. F. (2017). Purported false allegations of rape, child abuse and non-sexual violence: Nature, characteristics and implications. Journal of Criminal Law, 81(6), 497–520. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022018317746789.
Ryan, G., & Bernard, H. R. (2003). Techniques to identify themes. Field Methods, 165(1), 85–109. https://doi.org/10.1177/1525822X02239569.
Sack, E. (2004). Battered women and the state: The struggle for the future of domestic violence policy. Wisconsin Law Review, 6, 1657–1740.
Saini, M., Black, T., Fallon, B., & Marshall, A. (2013). Child custody disputes within the context of child protection investigations: Secondary analysis of the Canadian incident study of reported child abuse and neglect. Child Welfare, 92(1), 115–137.
Saini, M., Black, T., Godbout, E., & Deljavan, S. (2019). Feeling the pressure to take sides: A survey of child protection workers’ experiences about responding to allegations of child maltreatment within the context of child custody disputes. Children and Youth Services Review, 96, 127–133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.11.044.
Spohn, C., White, C., & Tellis, K. (2014). Unfounding sexual assault: Examining the decision to unfound and identifying false reports. Law & Society Review, 48(1), 161–192.
Stark, E. (2007). Coercive control: How men entrap women in personal life. London: Oxford University Press.
Stark, E., & Hester, M. (2019). Coercive control: Update and review. Violence Against Women, 25(1), 81–104. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801218816191.
Triggs, C. (2018). False allegations of sexual violence: The reality. In E. Milne, K. Brennan, N. South, & J. Turton (Eds.), Women and the criminal justice system: Failing victims and offenders? (pp. 43–66). Cham: Springer International.
Trocme, N., & Bala, N. (2005). False allegations of abuse and neglect when parents separate. Child Abuse & Neglect, 29, 1333–1345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2004.06.016.
Ver Steegh, N. (2005). Differentiating types of domestic violence: Implications for child custody. Louisiana Law Review, 65, 1379–1431.
Walby, S., & Towers, J. (2018). Untangling the concept of coercive control: Theorizing domestic violent crime. Criminology & Criminal Justice, 18(1), 7–28. https://doi.org/10.1177/1748895817743541.
Wall, L., & Tarczon, C. (2013). True or false? The contested terrain of false allegations (ACSSA research summary no. 4). Retrieved from Australian Institute of Family Studies, Australian government website: https://aifs.gov.au/publications/true-or-false-contested-terrain-false-allegations/export
Ward, D. (2016). In her words: Recognizing and preventing abusive litigation against domestic violence survivors. Seattle Journal for Social Justice, 14(2), 429–464.
Funding
This research was supported by funding from an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship FT140100796 (Heather Douglas).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Douglas, H., Fell, E. Malicious Reports of Child Maltreatment as Coercive Control: Mothers and Domestic and Family Violence. J Fam Viol 35, 827–837 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-019-00128-1
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-019-00128-1