Introduction to the Special Issue on Intimate Partner Violence and Abuse: Issues to Consider in Child Custody Evaluations

Abstract

The presence of intimate partner violence, abuse, and maltreatment are problematic for child custody evaluators and family law attorneys. Therefore, evaluations of parents where one is violent or abusive within their interpersonal relationship are an important part of a child custody evaluations. This is especially vital when considering gender-specific and cultural-specific variables associated with intimate partner violence and abuse. Researchers and practitioners have often found that during custody disputes, reports of domestic violence and intimate partner abuse are ignored, minimized, or not considered, despite these types of abuse being documented or supported. Child custody cases often involve coercive or controlling abuse of partners or of children which are often difficult to detect. The effects of abuse and maltreatment, the intimidation that occurs, and the trauma it produces have lasting effects directly and indirectly on victims and the children, such as depression, anxiety, fear, distrust, low self-esteem, and other traumatic symptoms. Enhancing the awareness of these issues is especially important for attorneys and child custody evaluators to better aid their clients, whether they are children, adults, or the courts. The purpose of this special issue is to encourage professionals working in the courts to consider these serious issues and to become more aware of research involving the dynamics of this type of maltreatment, perceptions which sometimes are incorrect, and the attitudes one has that may lead to biased conclusions and recommendations which can have detrimental effects on children. This special issue features six articles focusing on various aspects of intimate partner violence, abuse, and child custody disputes, and one article on current research concerning assessment in child custody cases. The first article by Sanders, Geffner, Bucky, Ribner, and Patino focuses on qualitative research concerning the perceptions and attitudes of experienced child custody evaluators. Major themes included their views and Journal of Child Custody, 12:203–204, 2015 Copyright # Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ISSN: 1537-9418 print=1537-940X online DOI: 10.1080/15379418.2015.1133969