Attachment Theory and the Family Violence Reforms

It is therefore entirely understandable that the legislature might have thought itdesirable to make this familiar and important point by specifically including itamong the matters to be taken into account when deciding what is likely to be bestfor children.Unfortunately, what is obviously desirable in most families can sometimes beproblematical in families that are dysfunctional or have particular problems,including problems associated with violence and abuse. Sometimes, children canbe attracted to parents who have abused them or who have been violent. In somecircumstances, those parents might constitute a continuing risk for the children.Sometimes the violent parent will continue to provide the child with a role modelfor dealing with life’s problems by using violence. 45In my view some of the features of the amending Act which are consistent withpromoting organised and secure attachment relationships include the following:First, the significantly expanded definition of ‘family violence’ (which can be found inappendix 1) to me embodies the understanding that children’s development can and isaffected by forms of behaviour that includes but is not limited to physical violence and/orabuse. It encompasses both behaviour directed towards them and that which is directedtowards a parent, which may have deleterious effects on their ability to parent and thus onthe attachment relationship with the child. Examples include denial of financialautonomy, repeated derogatory taunts, and isolation from family, friends and culture. Italso captures, in a causal sense, typologies of violence insofar as the definition makesreference to ‘coercion’ and ‘control’. The definition then goes on to link those to afamily member being fearful. It therefore appears to me to be consistent with theliterature I have already referred to, which discusses the damaging effects of coercivecontrolling violence within the spectrum of family violence and the difficulties children45 Chisholm, above n 37, p. 7.26