Web resource:	http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/52391/20051020-0000/hometruths.com.au/presentations/Morris_The_Story_of_Naming_Maternal_Alienation.doc
Type:	Conference Paper
Title:	The story of naming 'maternal alienation': new research enters the world of policy and practice
Other Titles:	Home truths conference, 15 - 17 September 2004, Sheraton Towers, Southgate[cut]
Authors:	Morris, Anne
Keywords:	Impact on children and young people;Psychological abuse;Perpetrators;Interagency work;Advocacy;Parenting
Year:	2004
Publisher:	CASA House, The Royal Women's Hospital
Notes:	This paper raises the importance of naming ‘maternal alienation’ to recognise and understand the experiences of mothers who were victims of domestic violence, being blamed by their children, and their associated grief at losing their children and self-blame. It refers to the South Australian research in 1999 and the maternal alienation project in 2002/2003, which discovered in these cases of alienation to undermine the mother-child relationships, male perpetrators of violence against women, use a range of strategies (verbal messages and actions that form a propaganda campaign against the mother based on demeaning gendered stereotypes). It explains how this propaganda campaign has a powerful influence on the children but also conflicts with the children’s experiences, which holds implications later for their mental health and healing. It questions the gender neutrality in framing problems of violence and argues that it obscures the role of gender and power in abusive relationships. It applies the concept of a continuum of abuse to consider the extent to which institutional structures and practices of health and legal professionals contribute to maternal alienation. Improved practice responses include: resisting mother-blaming in its many forms; recognising hidden tactics and influences of perpetrators; re-building mother-child relationships; respecting mothers and empowering them with authority for mothering responsibilities; working in an integrated way with other services to create safety and consistency of support or advocacy for mothers and children.
URI:	https://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/handle/1/20876
Physical description:	10p
Appears in Collections:	Conference Papers

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