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Child-to-mother violence: a pilot study.
Michel Stewart1, Lesley M Wilkes, Debra Jackson
1Clinical Nursing Research Unit, University of Western Sydney, Penrith, New South Wales.
Contemporary Nurse
|May 16, 2006
Summary
Child-to-mother violence is a prevalent issue, with most mothers experiencing threatening behavior or violence from their children. This study highlights the unique challenges mothers face in addressing this form of domestic abuse.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Criminology
- Psychology
Background:
- Family violence research predominantly focuses on partner or parent-to-child violence.
- Violence directed from child-to-mother (CMV) remains under-researched, despite its potential prevalence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present preliminary findings on the incidence and nature of child-to-mother violence.
- To explore the experiences of mothers in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia, regarding violence from their children.
Main Methods:
- A pilot study utilizing questionnaires distributed to 129 women who are or have been mothers of children aged 10-24 years.
- Descriptive analysis of the collected survey data.
Main Results:
- An overwhelming majority of surveyed mothers (129) reported experiencing threatening behavior or violence from their children.
- Sons were the primary perpetrators, and mothers were the main targets.
- Over half of the women had not previously disclosed this abuse, and some reported their children had witnessed domestic violence.
Conclusions:
- Child-to-mother violence appears to be a significant social issue with a high incidence.
- Mothers face unique complexities, as societal advice to leave violent partners is not applicable to separating from violent children.
- Further research with larger samples is necessary to fully understand the extent and impact of child-to-mother violence.