Andrée Fortin

This paper draws upon the findings of a study that looked at women's experiences of mothering in the context of co-occurrence of domestic violence and child abuse, and considers the issue of women's violence towards children – while acknowledging the fact that men are the main perpetrators of violence towards women and children in these families. The paper first explores the relationship between women's victimization and women's violence, and suggests that women's abuse of their children can be seen as a consequence of their own experiences of domestic violence. The findings nonetheless suggest that abused women have agency, and therefore have responsibilities when they chose to use violence towards their children. The paper also considers the feelings of guilt and blame that tend to arise in these circumstances. Implications for research, policy and practice are identified.

Le présent article fait état des résultats d’une recherche qui visait à documenter les expériences de la maternité des femmes vivant dans un contexte de concomitance de violence conjugale et de mauvais traitements envers les enfants. Les résultats présentent le point de vue de ces femmes, notamment en ce qui a trait à l’intervention des services de santé et des services sociaux avec lesquels elles ont été en contact.