annotated bibliography of new zealand research into family violence

Wood, B., & Kunze, K. (2004). Making New Zealand fit for children: Promoting a national plan ofaction for New Zealand children (violence, exploitation and abuse section). Wellington, NewZealand: UNICEF New Zealand. Retrieved January 26, 2006, from http://www.unicef.org.nz/advocacy/publications/New_Zealand_Fit_for_Children_Abuse.pdfSee: www.nzfvc.org.nz/13253.pubTopic Areas: Child abuse and neglect, Children, Care and protection, Legislation, Policy,Social services, Prevention/intervention/treatment, Intersectoral collaborationAbstract: This report presents the follow-up to the United Nations Special Session onChildren 2002, where the New Zealand Government committed itself to a plan of action toreduce child abuse and neglect based upon A World Fit for Children (2002), the agreement ofthe Session. Section 1 of this document provides an overview of previous reports that haveidentified care and protection issues in New Zealand, and common themes arising out of thesereports are discussed. Section 2 reviews current government departmental initiatives aimed atreducing child abuse and neglect, such as the Care and Protection Blueprint 2003 (2003), andthe Youth Development Strategy Aotearoa (2002). Areas of child protection needingimprovement identified during the UNICEF workshop on 31 March 2004 are discussed insection 3. The authors present their conclusions and various recommendations in section 4 ofthis report.Woodham, M. J. (1996). Child emotional abuse: The journey of six women. Unpublished master’sthesis, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.See: www.nzfvc.org.nz/13278.pubTopic Areas: Child abuse and neglect, Physical abuse, Psychological/emotional abuse,Sexual abuse, Families, Women, Children, Mental health, Prevention/intervention/treatmentAbstract: This study explores the occurrence of child emotional abuse from the perspectiveof six adult women who report being emotionally abused as children. The participants’experiences of emotional abuse, including the effects and techniques used to cope, heal andresolve, and their recommendations for treatment, intervention and prevention are discussed.Emotional abuse is examined through in-depth qualitative interviews which provide richinsight into the participants’ experiences and evaluations about abuse. The subsequent datawas analysed using a grounded theory approach. The women portrayed the occurrence andeffects of emotional abuse as multi-dimensional. It occurs singularly or concurrently withother forms of abuse (physical and sexual), and is identified by a series of acts of omissionand commission that occur along a continuum. The women believed that treatment shouldconsist of both formal and informal processes over which the individual exerts control andchoice. Child intervention should be conducted by professionals with expertise in thedynamics of emotional abuse, who are able to effectively identify the phenomenon, andensure that the child is safe and protected. Community and emotional abuse professionalsshould also be working to provide families (not only those deemed ‘high-risk’) withappropriate support, social networks, and education about effective and non-abusivecaregiving practices.Source: Author’s abstractWoolf, L. J. (2002). Playing for real: Play therapy with children traumatised by maltreatment - a pilotstudy. Unpublished master’s thesis, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand.See: www.nzfvc.org.nz/12113.pub184