Skip to main content
Log in

from pillar to post: understanding the victimisation of women and children who experience domestic violence in an age of austerity

  • Article
  • Published:
Feminist Review

Abstract

The dismantling of the welfare state across the United Kingdom (and indeed a number of other Western industrialised democracies, such as Canada and the United States) and the reductions to welfare provisions and entitlements are having a detrimental impact on women’s equality and safety. Towers and Walby argue that the recent cuts to welfare provision in the United Kingdom, particularly for women’s services, could lead to increased levels of violence for women and girls. This paper makes the argument that female victims of domestic abuse experience violence on two levels: first, at the intimate/personal level through their relationship with an abuser and, second, at a structural level, through the state failing to provide adequate protection and provision for women who have experienced violence in intimate relationships. Using a specific example of post-violence community services delivered to both the children of women who have experienced domestic violence and the women themselves, this paper draws on empirical research carried out in 2010–2011 with London-based third-sector and public sector organisations delivering the Against Violence and Abuse Project ‘Community Group Programme’. We argue that the lack of services for women involved in, or exiting, a violent relationship can amount to state-sanctioned violence, if funding is withheld, or indeed, stretched to breaking point.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. While the 2015 election saw all parties promising to make violence against women (including domestic violence specifically) a priority, the 2015 Conservative Government is set to make further cuts across all public services as outlined in the Summer 2015 budget, with a continued focus on localism as a policy practice, and a specific target on welfare and support programmes (HM Treasury, 2015).

  2. Most of the resources available to prevent domestic violence and to deal with the aftermath focus on female victims, and usually emphasise the gendered nature of abuse. Most refuges in the United Kingdom, for example, are for women only. This excludes not only male victims of domestic violence, who may well be fathers or carers, but also teenage sons of women, who are often refused entry to domestic violence shelters. It is outside the remit of this paper to comment substantively on whether and how this situation might be addressed. Most of the funding available to engage abused partners is largely available to women. Indeed, it could well be argued that fathers who experience domestic violence—in the context of either a homo- or a heterosexual relationship—may face greater difficulties in accessing appropriate services. We feel that this issue warrants further attention, as there is little empirical evidence to document the difficulties fathers-as-victims experience, and the impact it may have on their identities as fathers.

  3. MARACs are regular local meetings where information about high-risk domestic abuse victims (those at risk of murder or serious harm) is shared between local agencies.

  4. Bowstead (2015) points out that provision of refuges and non-statutory services at a local authority level is particularly vulnerable to cuts because this type of service can be constructed as ‘discretionary’. Fitzgerland and Lupton (2014) argue that in London at least, it is these ‘discretionary’ services that have been hit hard as a result of the funding cuts.

  5. The Domestic Violence and Victims Act 2004 introduced the clause that where either parent lets a vulnerable person (often a child) be a victim of violence, both parents can be held responsible.

  6. Full findings of the evaluation are available here: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/webteam/gateway/file.php?name=evaluation-of-the-community-group-programme-for-children-and-young-people-final-report.pdf&site=387 [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  7. See: http://www.avaproject.org.uk/ [last accessed 29 January 2016].

  8. Email communications with AVA in July of 2015 about the status of the groups revealed that funding for the project had run out and there was no clear oversight about which groups were still running and in what capacity.

  9. Because many of the groups drew on public sector workers from across different services (e.g., social services, children’s services, domestic violence refuges), job cuts across different areas in local Councils often meant trained facilitators were made redundant, or forced to pick up extra work as a result of other staff redundancies, meaning they no longer had capacity to facilitate or deliver groups.

  10. The Big Society agenda was introduced by the Prime Minister during the Coalition Government in an effort to increase civil society participation. See recent research from the Civil Exchange for more on this defunct agenda, and for a more comprehensive overview of the aims and objectives put forward by David Cameron (Civil Exchange, 2015).

References

  • Abrahams, H., 2010. Rebuilding Lives after Domestic Violence: Understanding Long-Term Outcomes. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Adams, C.M., 2006. The consequences of witnessing family violence on children and implications for family counselors. The Family Journal, 14(4), pp. 334–341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, S. and Cramer-Benjamin, D.B., 1999. The impact of couple violence on parenting and children: an overview and clinical implications. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 27(1), pp. 1–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bagshaw, D. and Chung, D., 2001. The needs of children who witness domestic violence: a South Australian study. Children Australia, 26(3), pp. 9–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barron, J., 2004. Struggle to Survive: Challenges for Delivering Services on Mental Health, Substance Misuse and Domestic Violence. Bristol: Women’s Aid Federation of England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennhold, K., 2012. Cuts in U.K. raise risks for women. The New York Times, 17 April.

  • Bowstead, J., 2015. Why women’s domestic violence refuges are not local services. Critical Social Policy, 35(3), pp. 327–349.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CAADA, 2014. In plain sight: the evidence from children exposed to domestic violence. Bristol: CAADA. Available at: http://www.caada.org.uk/sites/default/files/resources/In_plain_sight_the_evidence_from_children_exposed_to_domestic_abuse.pdf [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Cabinet Office, 2013. New world leading evidence centres to drive better decisions across £200 billion of public services. Press release. Cabinet Office, 4 March. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/ news/new-world-leading-evidence-centres-to-drive-better-decisions-across-200bn-of-public-services [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Civil Exchange, 2015. Whose society? The final Big Society audit. London: Civil Exchange. Available at: http://www.civilexchange.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Whose-Society_The-Final-Big-Society-Audit_final.pdf [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Clark, J., Kane, D., Wilding, K. and Bass, P., 2012. 2012 UK Civil Society Almanac. London: NCVO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cleaver, H., Unell, I. and Aldgate, J., 2011. Children’s Needs – Parenting Capacity: Child Abuse: Parental Mental Illness, Learning Disability, Substance Misuse and Domestic Violence, 2nd Edition. London: The Stationery Office (TSO).

    Google Scholar 

  • Corbett, S. and Walker, A., 2013. The big society: rediscovery of the ‘social’ or rhetorical fig-leaf for neo-liberalism? Critical Social Policy, 33(3), pp. 451–472.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Counts, D., Brown, J. and Campbell, J., eds., 1992. Sanctions and Sanctuary: Cultural Perspectives on the Beating of Wives. Boulder: Westview Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coy, M., Kelly, L. and Foord, J., 2009. Map of Gaps: The Postcode Lottery of Violence Against Women Support Services in Britain. London: End Violence Against Women.

    Google Scholar 

  • Department of Health, 2002. Secure Futures for Women: Making a Difference. London: Department of Health.

  • Dobash, R.E. and Dobash, R.P., 1979. Violence Against Women: A Case Against Patriarchy. New York: The Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dobash, R.E. and Dobash, R.P., 1992. Women, Violence, and Social Change. London: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Farmer, A. and Tiefenthaler, J., 2003. Explaining the recent decline in domestic violence. Contemporary Economic Policy, 21(2), pp. 158–172.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fawcett Society, 2012. The impact of austerity on women. London: Fawcett Society. Available at: http://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The-Impact-of-Austerity-on-Women-19th-March-2012.pdf [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Fitzgerald, A. and Lupton, R., 2014. Hard Times, New Directions? The Impact of the Local Government Spending Cuts in London. Research Note Series, RN08. London: CASE and The London School of Economics. Available at: http://sticerd.lse.ac.uk/dps/case/spcc/rn008.pdf [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Galtung, J. and Hoivik, T., 1971. Structural and direct violence: a note on operationalization. Journal of Peace Research, 8(1), pp. 73–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gentleman, A., 2011. Women’s refuge chief returns OBE in protest over cuts. The Guardian, 15 February. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/feb/15/women-refuge-chief-protest-cuts [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Golding, J., 1999. Intimate partner violence as a risk factor for mental disorders: a meta-analysis. Journal of Family Violence, 14(2), pp. 99–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Government Equalities Office, 2009. Understanding the Stability and Sustainability of the Violence against Women Voluntary Sector. London: Government Equalities Office.

  • Griffing, S., Ragin, D.F., Sage, R.E., Madry, L., Bingham, L.E. and Primm, B.J., 2002. Domestic violence survivors’ self-identified reasons for returning to abusive relationships. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 17(3), pp. 306–319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haaken, J., 2010. Hard Knocks: Domestic Violence and the Psychology of Storytelling. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Helm, T., 2014. David Cameron ‘has devalued the big society idea’ says his former adviser. The Guardian, 4 January. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jan/05/tories-cameron-big-society-danny-kruger [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Hirst, A. and Rinne, S., 2012. The impact of changes in commissioning and funding on women-only services. Equality and Human Rights Commission Research Report 86. Manchester: Equality and Human Rights Commission. Available at: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/documents/research/rr86_final.pdf [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • H.M. Treasury, 2015. Summer Budget 2015. London: HM Treasury. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/summer-budget-2015/summer-budget-2015 [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC), 2014. Everyone’s business: improving the police response to domestic abuse. London: HMIC. Available at: http://www.hmic.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/improving-the-police-response-to-domestic-abuse.pdf [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Holt, S., Buckley, H. and Whelan, S., 2008. The impact of exposure to domestic violence on children and young people: a review of the literature. Child Abuse & Neglect, 32(8), pp. 797–810.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Home Office, 2010. Call to end violence against women and girls. London: Home Office. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/call-to-end-violence-against-women-and-girls.

  • Home Office, 2014a. Call to end violence against women and girls: Action Plan 2014. London: Home Office. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/287758/VAWG_Action_Plan.pdf [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Home Office, 2014b. Policy: ending violence against women and girls in the UK. London: Home Office. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/ending-violence-against-women-and-girls-in-the-uk.

  • Howarth, E., Stimpson, L., Barran, D. and Robinson, A., 2009. Safety in numbers: a multi-site evaluation of independent domestic violence advisor services. London: The Henry Smith Charity. Available at: http://www.henrysmithcharity.org.uk/documents/SafetyinNumbersFullReportNov09.pdf [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Humphreys, C., 2006. Relevant evidence for practice In C. Humphreys and N. Stanley, eds. Domestic Violence and Child Protection: Directions for Good Practice. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, pp. 19–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ishkanian, A., 2014. Neoliberalism and violence: the big society and the changing politics of domestic violence in England. Critical Social Policy, 34(3), pp. 333–353.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jaffe, P.G., Wolfe, D.A. and Wilson, S.K., 1990. Children of Battered Women. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jarvinen, J., Kail, A. and Miller, I., 2008. Hard Knock Life—Violence against Women: A Guide for Donors and Funders. London: New Philanthropy Capital.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, R., 2012. The impact of coalition government ideologies on feminist responses to domestic abuse: a return to grassroots? Paper presented at the British Sociological Association, University of Leeds, 12 April.

  • Kail, A., 2011. Why violence against women charities may be vulnerable. NPC Blog, 28 March. Available at: https://www.thinknpc.org/blog/why-violence-against-women-charities-may-be-vulnerable/.

  • Kane, D. and Allen, J., 2011. Counting the Cuts: The Impact of Cuts on the UK Voluntary and Community Sector. London: NCVO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laville, S., 2014. Domestic violence puts 10,000 at high risk of death or serious injury. The Guardian, 3 August. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/feb/26/domestic-violence-risk-death-injury-police [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Lister, R., 2006. Children (but not women) first: New Labour, child welfare and gender. Critical Social Policy, 26(2), pp. 315–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loosley, S., Drouillard, D., Ritchie, D. and Abercromby, S., 2006. Groupwork with Children Exposed to Woman Abuse: A Concurrent Group Program for Children and their Mothers. Children’s Program Manual. London, Ontario: The Community Group Program for Children Exposed to Woman Abuse.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lovenduski, J. and Randall, V., 1993. Contemporary Feminist Politics: Women and Power in Britain. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • May, T., 2010. The 36th Annual Women’s Aid National Conference 2010: The Theresa May MP Speech. Paper presented at the 36th Annual Women’s Aid National Conference, 16 July. Available at: http://www.womensaid.org.uk/landing_page.asp?section=000100010015000800040002 [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Morrow, M., Hankivsky, O. and Varcoe, C., 2004. Women and violence: the effects of dismantling the welfare state. Critical Social Policy, 24(3), pp. 358–384.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mullender, A., 2004. Tackling Domestic Violence: Providing Support for Children Who Have Witnessed Domestic Violence. London: Home Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mullender, A. and Morley, R., eds., 1994. Children Living with Domestic Violence: Putting Men’s Abuse of Women on the Child Care Agenda. London: Whiting & Birch.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mullender, A., Hague, G., Imam, U., Kelly, L., Malos, E. and Regan, L., 2002. Children’s Perspectives on Domestic Violence. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neate, P., 2014. Closing domestic violence refuges is the most dangerous thing of all for women. The Telegraph, 5 March. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/11013739/UK-domestic-violence- refuge-closures-the-most-dangerous-thing-of-all-for-women.html.

  • Neville, L. and Sanders-McDonagh, E., 2014. Preventing domestic violence and abuse: common themes lessons learned from West Midlands’ DHRs. Birmingham: West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner. Available at: http://www.westmidlands-pcc.gov.uk/media/346463/13-spcb-11-sep-14-domestic-homicide-reviews-research-appendix-1.pdf [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • New Economics Foundation, 2013. Social valuation of refuge services for survivors of domestic violence. London: New Economics Foundation. Available at: http://refuge.org.uk/files/Refuge-SROI-report-25-09-13-NCV2.pdf [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Nolas, S-M., Neville, L. and Sanders-McDonagh, E., 2012. Evaluation of the Community Group Programme for Children & Young People: Final Report. London: AVA and Middlesex University. Available at: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/webteam/gateway/file.php?name=evaluation-of-the-community-group-programme-for-children-and-young-people-final-report.pdf&site=387 [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Office for National Statistics (ONS), 2013. Focus on violent crime and sexual offences 2012/2013. London: ONS. Available at: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171776_352362.pdf [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Osofsky, J.D., 1999. The impact of violence on children. The Future of Children, 9(3), pp. 33–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pagelow, M.D., 1984. Family Violence. New York: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearce, D., 2012. Refuge warns it could be forced to close. The Guardian, 3 March. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/mar/03/refuge-chief-warns-charity-close [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Powell, A. and Murray, S., 2008. Children and domestic violence: constructing a policy problem in Australia and New Zealand. Social & Legal Studies, 17(4), pp. 453–473.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Radcliffe, P. and Hunter, G., 2013. The development and impact of community services for women offenders: an evaluation. London: Birkbeck, University of London. Available at: http://www.icpr.org.uk/media/34025/ReportNuffieldfinal.pdf [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Riger, S., Ahrens, C. and Blickenstaff, A., 2000. Measuring interference with employment and education reported by women with abusive partners: preliminary data. Violence & Victims, 15(2), pp. 161–172.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodger, J.J., 2012. ‘Regulating the poor’: observations on the ‘structural coupling’ of welfare, criminal justice, and the voluntary sector in a ‘Big Society’. Social Policy & Administration, 46(4), pp. 413–431.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, K., Coleman, K., Eder, S. and Hall, P., 2010. Homicides, Firearm Offences and Intimate Violence 2009/10: Supplementary Volume 2 to Crime in England and Wales 2009/10, 2nd Edition. London: Home Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sokoloff, N.J. and Dupont, I., 2005. Domestic violence at the intersections of race, class, and gender: challenges and contributions to understanding violence against marginalized women in diverse communities. Violence against Women, 11(1), pp. 38–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sousa, C., Herrenkohl, T.I., Moylan, C.A., Tajima, E.A., Klika, J.B., Herrenkohl, R.C. and Russo, M.J., 2011. Longitudinal study on the effects of child abuse and children’s exposure to domestic violence, parent-child attachments, and antisocial behaviour in adolescence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26(1), pp. 111–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stark, E. and Flitcraft, A., 1996. Women at Risk: Domestic Violence and Women’s Health. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Strube, M.J. and Barbour, L.S., 1983. The decision to leave an abusive relationship: economic dependence and psychological commitment. Journal of Marriage and Family, 45(4), pp. 785–793.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sudermann, M., Marshall, L. and Loosely, S., 2000. Evaluation of the London (Ontario) community group treatment programme for children who have witnessed woman abuse. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 3(1), pp. 127–146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, K., 2013. A growing crisis of unmet need: what the figures alone don’t show you. Bristol: Women’s Aid. Available at: www.womensaid.org.uk/core/core_picker/download.asp?id=4245 [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Thorne, B., 1987. Re-visioning women and social change: where are the children? Gender and Society, 1(1), pp. 85–109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Topping, A., 2012. Cuts force domestic violence refuges to turn victims away. The Guardian, 31 January. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/jan/31/domestic-violence-victims-risk-cuts [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Towers, J. and Walby, S., 2012. Measuring the Impact of Cuts in Public Expenditure on the Provision of Services to Prevent Violence against Women and Girls. Lancaster/Newcastle Upon Tyne/London: Lancaster University, Northern Rock Foundation, and Trust for London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vacchelli, E., Kathrecha, P. and Gyte, N., 2015. Is it really just the cuts? Neoliberal tales from the women’s voluntary and community sector in London. Feminist Review, 109, pp. 180–189.

  • Volpe, J.S., 1996. Effects of domestic violence on children and adolescents: an overview. Ronkonkoma, NY: The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. Available at: http://www.aaets.org/arts/art8.htm [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Watt, N., 2010. Cameron promises power for the ‘man and woman on the street’. The Guardian, 21 July. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/jul/19/david-cameron-big-society-cuts [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Weis, L. and Fine, M., 2000. Disappearing acts: a feminist dystopia for the 20th century. Signs, 25(4), pp. 1139–1148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilcox, P., 2006. Surviving Domestic Violence: Gender, Poverty and Agency. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Wilkinson, R. and Marmot, M.T., 2003. The Solid Facts. Copenhagen: World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

  • Women’s Aid, 2013. Women’s Aid annual survey 2013: domestic violence services. Bristol: Women’s Aid. Available at: http://www.womensaid.org.uk/core/core_picker/download.asp?id=4252 [last accessed 3 November 2015].

  • Women’s Budget Group, 2005. Women’s and children’s poverty: making the links. Available at: http://www.wbg.org.uk/documents/WBGWomensandchildrenspoverty.pdf [last accesed 18 August 2014].

  • Women’s Resource Centre, 2010. Assessing the Financial Vulnerability of Charities Serving Women. Bristol: Centre for Market and Public Organisation, University of Bristol.

Download references

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sanders-McDonagh, E., Neville, L. & Nolas, SM. from pillar to post: understanding the victimisation of women and children who experience domestic violence in an age of austerity. Fem Rev 112, 60–76 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1057/fr.2015.51

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/fr.2015.51

Keywords

Navigation