Post-Separation Violence and Abuse in the Lives of Women and Children

Ravi K. Thiara is Professor of Sociology at the University of Warwick. She has conducted national and international research on violence against women and children - domestic and sexual violence - for over 30 years and influenced practice and policy development. Ravi is particularly interested in gendered violence and its consequences in structurally marginalised and racialised communities (ethnicity and disability). She is committed to systemic change in addressing violence against women and children in all its forms.Christine Harrison is Professor Emerita of Social Work at the University of Warwick. She was a child protection social worker before establishing an academic career and taught social work for over 30 years in the UK and other countries. Her research and publications are focused on gender violence particularly related to child contact.Donna Chung is John Curtin Distinguished Professor in the Curtin School of Allied Health, Faculty of Health Sciences. Her research centres on violence against women, including family and domestic violence, sexual violence, and the health and social impacts of abuse on women, particularly those with disability and other intersecting vulnerabilities. She has contributed extensively to research, teaching, and policy‑focused work addressing prevention, response, and systemic reform in violence against women.

“At last a book that pulls together all the disparate sources on post-separation violence, exploding the myth that leaving a violent man ends their behaviour. Victim-survivors and their supporters have long known that leaving increases danger – the book confirms that understanding whilst offering routes to safety and freedom.”Professor Liz Kelly, Director of the Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit (CWASU), London Metropolitan University, UK“It’s Never Over is an essential and timely contribution to the field of domestic violence and abuse. What sets this book apart is its absolute clarity: separation is not a single event but a prolonged, turbulent process with the authors documenting its profound impact with evidence and urgency. This is a vital resource for practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and anyone committed to improving responses to domestic violence and abuse. By naming and explaining why “it’s never over” for so many victim‑survivors, the book challenges systems to do better and offers a compelling call for change.”Professor Stephanie Holt, University of Dublin, Republic of Ireland“This important book highlights the continuity and intensification of domestic violence across separation, with a special focus on how abusers use and target children as part of coercive control. It is an antidote for the persistent ignorance around post-separation violence and abuse and essential reading for family law practitioners, judicial officers, researchers, students, lawyers, and policymakers.”Professor Molly Dragiewicz, Griffith University, Australia

• 1.Introduction - ‘It’s never over’ 2.Understanding Post-Separation Violence and Abuse 3.‘The Real Implacable Hostility?’ Harassment and Stalking 4.Continuities of Violence: Minoritised Women and Children 5.Child Contact as Post-Separation Violence and Abuse 6.Femicide and Homicide 7.Breaching Safety: Perpetrators’ Accounts 8.In the Aftermath: Rebuilding Lives 9.Concluding Thoughts