Kendra Nixon

The Everyday Occurrence Violence in the Lives of Girls Exploited Through Prostitution

This article reports the results of qualitative interviews with 47 women involved in prostitution from three western Canadian provinces. More than two thirds of the women had become involved at age 15 or younger. The respondents described high rates of violence perpetrated against them. They reported considerable childhood sexual abuse, most often by a family member or by caretakers while they were living in foster care or group homes. The young women continued to experience violence as prostitutes so commonplace that it almost seemed “normal.” They were victimized by pimps, johns, other prostituted women, intimate partners, and representatives from mainstream society and members of the police. This article describes their experiences of violence, the associated health problems, the protective strategies they used, and their attempts to leave the streets. The conclusion suggests ways in which agencies and policies could better address the violence experienced by these young women.

“Every Day It Takes a Piece of You Away”: Experiences of Grief and Loss Among Abused Mothers Involved With Child Protective Services

Child protection authorities are becoming routinely involved in cases of domestic violence, sometimes removing children from the home. Abused mothers can experience profound grief and loss, especially when their children are removed. This qualitative study focused on the impact of child protective services on mothers because of concerns of domestic violence. Experiences of loss were complex, and included the loss associated with removal of their children, an inability to mother their children, and their identity as mothers. Participants also noted serious health concerns. These themes, along with implications for abused mothers and their children and child protection professionals, are discussed.

Mothering, Guiding, and Responding to Children: A Comparison of Women Abused and Not Abused by Intimate Partners

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has many negative outcomes for women, children, and families. However, researchers have opposing perspectives and findings with respect to the effects on mothering for abused women. The assumption by some service providers that abused mothers are compromised in their parenting generally ignores the larger issue of male violence and women’s and children’s safety. The question examined in this study was whether there were differences in reported positive parenting responses with children between women who have experienced IPV and those who have not experienced IPV. The sample consisted of 1,211 mothers and came from two studies: The National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, and The Healing Journey: A Longitudinal Study of Mothers Affected by Intimate Partner Violence. The Positive Interaction and Rational Parenting scales, adapted from Strayhorn and Weidman’s Parenting Practices Scale, were used to measure parenting interactions. Bivariate correlations between the outcome variables and maternal age, maternal education, child age, and child sex were calculated to determine whether any of these variables were significantly related to the Positive Interaction Scale or Rational Parenting Scale. This was followed by ANCOVA to determine whether mothers who had experienced IPV differed in their scores on the two parenting scales from mothers who had not experienced IPV. Findings did not support the notion that abused women are compromised in their parenting responses with their children in regard to positive interactions and behavior management. Recommendations include a greater focus on the prevention of IPV, addressing the source of violence and providing appropriate support for mothers who experience IPV.

Children's Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence in Alberta, Canada: The Construction of a Policy Problem

Childrens exposure to violence in the home has been a major issue for policy makers worldwide. The study examines how child protection policy makers in one Canadian province represent the problem of childrens exposure. The current policy representation is problematic because it locates the problem within the broader framework of family violence. By doing so, policy makers equate the violence that mothers experience with other forms of violence in the home, and degender the violence that children are exposed to. Such policy representations may not be effective in protecting children and their mothers. These themes and the implications for policy are discussed.

Protective Strategies of Mothers Abused by Intimate Partners Rethinking the Deficit Model

Exposure to intimate partner violence is detrimental to children, but can abused mothers protect them, and, if so, what can they do? This study of 350 Canadian abused women represents the first quantitative examination of such protective strategies. The actions that mothers most commonly used and perceived as effective include showing affection and being nurturing to their children. The strategies often suggested by professionals, such as contacting police and obtaining protection orders, were used less and considered less effective than informal strategies. Professionals are urged to ask mothers what strategies they use, especially those who do not involve formal systems.

The Complexities of Intimate Partner Violence: Mental Health, Disabilities, and Child Abuse History for White, Indigenous, and Other Visible Minority Canadian Women

This research examines how mental health issues associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) relate to womens intersecting identities of race/ethnicity, disability status, and child abuse history. Data ( N = 595) from a Canadian triprovincial study included women who were White ( n = 263, 44.8%), Indigenous ( n = 292, 49.7%), or visible minority ( n = 32, 5.5%). Few demographic differences were found. None of the mental health measures (Symptom Checklist-Short Form [SCL-10], Centre for Epidemiological Studies-Depression [CES-D-10], Posttraumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD] Checklist) were in the clinical ranges. In a MANCOVA on the mental health scales, with IPV severity, racial group, disability status, and child abuse history as variables, only disability was significantly associated with more mental health symptoms.