Avaa tiedosto - TamPub - Tampereen yliopisto

The method I used in this study I call “reading out violence”. I searched for places
in the documents in which violence and sexual abuse are mentioned, and examined what
was mentioned and how. In addition to reading out violence from the texts, I classified
the data and followed up how the child custody dispute processes progressed. The
methodological starting point of my analysis was critical discourse analysis. Like other
forms of discourse analysis, it also leans on constructionist thinking whose point of departure
is a strong connection between language and reality. However, critical discourse
analysis does not focus on language only; it is also interested in how texts are produced
and what consequences they might bring about.
Allegations of physical violence in the custody dispute data
Chapter 5 describes what kinds of allegations of violence are presented in the data. In
child custody disputes, physical violence is often raised in stories told by parents. In
these cases parents state that the violence allegedly occurred in the family presents, for
example, an obstacle to joint custody or it is said to be the reason why visits should be
ordered to take place under supervision or not to take place at all. Some acts of violence
against children are described as having occurred during visits or intimate partner violence
is linked to moments when children are being transferred to or from the location
of visitation. The data also include descriptions of agreements made under duress and
violence occurred during negotiation processes. In addition to parents, violence can also
be reported by children who are the objects of custody disputes, the extended family and
the authorities.
In the case documents included in the data the descriptions of violence are often inaccurate
and incomplete. This is why a complete picture of the nature, frequency and
consequences of violence cannot be formed here.
Fathers are most commonly said to have acted violently. There are clearly fewer
cases in which both parents are accused of using violence. The least amount is told
about mothers’ violent behaviour.
262