Research report, no. 15, 2007
Allegations of family violence and child abuse
in family law children's proceedings:
a pre-reform exploratory study
Appendix F: Type of family violence or child abuse: All cases
Table F1 Type of family violence or child abuse alleged in each court by sample: All cases
General population |
Judicial determination |
|||
FCoA |
FMC |
FCoA |
FMC |
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
Family violence and/or child abuse |
55.0 |
61.8 |
76.7 |
65.5 |
Spousal violence |
45.8 |
53.3 |
76.7 |
62.1 |
Other adult family violence |
19.2 |
20.0 |
26.7 |
20.7 |
Any family violence |
50.0 |
56.7 |
76.7 |
62.1 |
Child abuse by spouse/parent |
24.2 |
24.2 |
43.3 |
13.8 |
Child abuse by other |
5.8 |
5.0 |
16.7 |
6.9 |
Any child abuse |
25.8 |
27.5 |
46.7 |
20.7 |
Family violence only |
29.2 |
34.3 |
30.0 |
44.9 |
Child abuse only |
5.0 |
5.0 |
0 |
3.4 |
Co-occurrence of family violence and child abuse |
20.8 |
22.5 |
46.7 |
17.2 |
No allegations |
45.0 |
38.2 |
23.3 |
34.5 |
Total |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
Note. The FMC judicial determination sample excludes one case because no litigant was identified. "Spousal violence" includes allegations in non-couple cases of violence between the opposing parties. "Any family violence" includes two cases where there was a disclosure of an intervention order only (with no specific allegations contained in the family law affidavit material, or in a "complaint for intervention order" annexed to the information sheet).
- Figures relate to Bordow (personal communication, 1994) only - cited by Parkinson (1995).
- But see qualification regarding sample size noted in Chapter 2.
- A "weapon" is defined as any object one person may use to threaten another person's life. In these cases, weapons included guns, swords and knives.