The Batterer as Parent: Addressing the Impact of Domestic Violence on Family Dynamics (SAGE Series on Violence against Women) 2nd Edition

If you are evaluating, treating, advocating, testifying or in any way engaging mothers or children with a concern for domestic violence, this book forms an important foundation for knowledge. It is hard to call oneself an "expert" in domestic violence without reading this book several times.

This is another fantastic book by Lundy Bancroft. His other two books (Should I Stay or Should I Go and Why Does He Do That?) have been a great help to me in my personal life. I have recommended his books to friends, who are social workers like myself, and they have given me good feedback. We have agreed that a lot of what is said in the books feels true to our lives and not like theory written from afar. I have read some criticism regarding Bancroft's lack of formal qualifications. This may be so, but his lived experience in the field is obvious and resonates with what I have seen and experienced more than anything else I have read. This male insight into what some other men feel and do is very helpful to me as a woman. I also use his books with the women I work with. I have recently begun work as a custody evaluator in the family court in Western Australia and I only wish the judges in our courts and other lawyers would read his stuff. I am disturbed by the collusion of our courts and our child protection system with male perpetrators of violence towards their partners and the re-abuse of so many mothers going through the family courts. The knowledge, references and resources contained in this thoroughly researched but easy to read book have the potential to help so many women and children.

Very comprehensive. Straight to the point and dead on. Accurately describes the chaos, confusion, and sabotage that a batterer is capable of producing within a family. Sadly, many mothers experience this form of alienation from their children, with no recourse: Not through the court system, not through law enforcement. As the mother experiences this, her hands are tied, unable to defend herself, watching her own children become psychologically damaged, many, if not most of the time, unable to fully proceed in life with the capabilities they would have otherwise had.Batterer's weave destruction through the American's most precious lives: those of our very own children. How sad! How well written! Every mother who has lived with a batterer must have this book.

Even with newer publications including, "Representing the Domestic Violence Survivor" by Barry Goldstein and Elizabeth Lieu, ""Domestic Violence, Abuse and Child Custody" (volumes 1 and 2) by Barry Goldstein and Dr. Mo Hannah and "Social Work and the Courts" by Daniel Pollack and Toby Kleinman (new one being released October 2015); Lundy Bancrofts work in "Batterer as Parent" remains an important work in a growing specialized body of reliable, expert knowledge that can be used to protect children in our family court system. Unethical psychological "quacktitioners" continue to take junk psychology into the Courts to harm children and instead of facing the due consequences including licensure revocation, they often are rewarded federal fatherhood initiative funds. Mr. Bancroft annihilates the quackery with peer reviewed research.

This was an expensive book-- with a lot of good information, clearly written and concise. I hope that one day all family court professionals pick it up and absorb what is in there... But if you are a parent, trying to coparent with a batterer... This book won't be able to tell you anything you don't already know. It may feel validating to see it in print, it may give you some comfort (maybe even hope), but the answers you want are not in there.

Immediate facts don't always paint the entire picture of a household. This book is a more in-depth view about patterns of behavior which are typical when the father is trying to diffuse attention away from his lack of parenting and relational skills. I was relieved to find a source that shows how difficult it can be as a mother to respond to painful emotional and verbal abuse and neglect in a marriage and yet try to parent children in a healthy manner when the children are receiving messages from their father to disrespect their mother. A lot of studies are referenced in this book, and in my opinion, this is a must-read for every family law attorney and guardian ad litem.

I often work with families who have experienced domestic violence. I have given this book both to moms (the most common victims) who are recovering from domestic violence with their kids and to older kids to help them understand their fathers' behavior. It gives parents a clearer idea of why a child reacts in a certain way and helps them to develop plans for dealing with ongoing encounters with their abusive parent.

Essential reading for those working with domestic violence victims and offenders. If you are a therapist, police officer, lawyer, GAL, judge, social worker- you NEED this book. Don't be dupped or used by offenders. Learn how to recognize them and how to deal with them. Now.

excellent book providing insight how children feel when they get exposed to domestic violence. if you work in the field of socail work, this is a must have book. it also gives us a plan how to work with batterers. I love it.

For anyone who has suffered domestic abuse and is going through the family court system, this is a must. It is excellently written and as ever Lundy Bancroft's understanding of the dynamics of abuse is spot on.