Intervention with Children of Battered Women: A Review of Current Literature

Abstract

Significant changes in societal response to the plight of children of battered women has taken place in the past 15 years. Still, many of these children are not getting the professional support they need. The focus of this paper is a review of the literature on intervention with children of battered women. The goals of the review are (a) to inform the reader about current modes of intervention with and for children of battered women and, (b) to identify gaps and shortcomings in the present state of intervention which may point at directions for future improvement. The paper starts with a presentation of recent research findings on major difficulties experienced by child witnesses in different phases of the violence. It then proceeds to examine current modes of intervention with and for children of battered women within five arenas: police, battered women's shelters, child protection services, community intervention programs, and visitation centers. An assessment of the current state of intervention with children of battered women concludes.