Mothering Babies in Domestic Violence

Fiona Buchanan is a lecturer in Social Work at the University of South Australia. Fiona worked with survivors of domestic violence in the UK and Australia for many years before moving into academia. She has published widely in social work and domestic violence journals.

'This book is a ‘must read’ for anyone working in the area of mothers and their babies. Within this arena will always be women and their babies living with and attempting to leave situations of domestic violence. Fiona Buchanan provides a challenge and a ‘wake up’ call to workers in the area to explore the ways in which women’s protectiveness is galvanised and demonstrated when living with domestic violence. Working with 16 women to explore their experiences of living through domestic violence with their babies provides an in-depth and emotional rendering of the way in which women and their babies survived abuse at the hands of men who use violence, coercion and control. This book provides new evidence and insights in an area where mother-blaming is rife and the motivations and actions of women are frequently misunderstood.' - Cathy Humphreys, Professor of Social Work, University of Melbourne, Australia.

• Acknowledgments 1. Situating Relationships Between Women and Their Babies in Domestic Violence 2. Current Debates, New Understandings: Domestic Violence and its Effects on Women, Babies and the Relationships Between Them 3. A New Approach: Connecting Emotions, Experiences and Relationships 4. Context: Sustained Hostility 5. Relationality: How Sustained Hostility Leads to Increased Protectiveness 6. Subjective Agency-Creating Space and Achieving Change 7. Looking Forward: Moving from Attachment Theory to a Model of Protective Connection References Index