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© British Association of Social Workers
What has Gender got to do with it ? Exploring Physically Abusive Behaviour Towards Children
Brid Featherstone is Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Bradford and a qualified social worker. She worked with young offenders for a number of years and carried out research into alternatives to custody. She also worked in the field of child protection as a social worker and team manager. She is currently carrying out doctoral research into women's violence towards their children
Correspondence to Brid Featherstone, Lecturer in Social Work, Department of Applied Social Studies, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP
Summary
This article explores the lack of impact that feminism has had on analyses of physical abuse. It links this to the kinds of feminist theory which have been used to explore family violence generally. These have been based on fixed notions of men, women and children. It argues for perspectives which are characterized by an appreciation that gendered positions are neither fixed nor inevitable, but, rather, subject to constant struggle and redefinition. It argues that the concept of power may not be the most helpful concept to use when exploring emotional relationships which are characterized by vulnerability and dependency, and that the concept of domination may be more helpful. Finally, the paper draws on the work of Virginia Goldner and her associates to posit the possibility of working on a number of levels, from the psychological to the material.
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