What Ever Happened to the Child Maltreatment Revolution?

42 Pages Posted: 22 Mar 2018

See all articles by Claire Houston

Claire Houston

Faculty of Law - Western University

Date Written: 2017

Abstract

While child maltreatment (CM) and domestic violence (DV) share some features and have similar legal pasts, the legal system now treats CM and DV quite differently. In CM cases, authorities generally avoid criminal prosecutions and encourage families to stay together By contrast, in DV cases, authorities often seek criminal prosecution and couples are pushed toward separation. This article argues that the disparate treatment of CM and DV suggests that DV is more serious than CM, with DV victims more deserving of protection than child victims of maltreatment. It suggests that a feminist intervention in CM could lead to greater condemnation of CM and greater legal protection for CM victims.

Keywords: Domestic violence, child abuse and neglect

JEL Classification: K36

Suggested Citation

Houston, Claire, What Ever Happened to the Child Maltreatment Revolution? (2017). Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law, Vol. 19, 2017, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3121490

Claire Houston (Contact Author)

Faculty of Law - Western University ( email )

1151 Richmond Street
London, Ontario N6A3K7
Canada

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
70
Abstract Views
376
Rank
594,111
PlumX Metrics