Supervision of Child Exchanges in Custody Cases with Partner-Abusive Fathers

• In Event: Crime and Place: Crime Controllers and Crime Prevention

Abstract

Child exchanges and visitation provide opportunities for partner-abusive fathers to perpetrate ongoing post-separation abuse against their children’s mothers. When court officials identify risks for potential ongoing abuse, they may establish a court order with various safeguards. For example, they may order that child exchanges and/or parenting time occur in public places or be directly supervised by a third party. Supervisors can be professionals, but family members often fill this role. In this mixed-method study, we interviewed 40 partner-abused women who indicated an intention to engage family court for a child custody order for one year, interviewing them every four months. Supervision of exchanges and/or parenting time was ordered by the court or used informally by nine women, and an additional seven exchanged children in public. For seven mothers, the supervisory role was filled by their abusive ex-partners’ family members or friends. Fathers’ commission of abuse at child exchanges, as reported by mothers, will be discussed in light of whether exchanges were supervised and by whom. Routine activities theory will be used to provide the theoretical context for interpretation of results.

Authors

• April M. Zeoli, Michigan State University

• Echo Rivera, Michigan State University

• Cris Sullivan, Michigan State University