The Batterer as Parent takes the reader inside of homes affected by domestic violence, imparting an understanding of the atmosphere that battering men create for the children who live with them. Bancroft and Silverman show how partner abuse affects each relationship in a family, and explains how children's emotional recovery is inextricably linked to the healing and empowerment of their mothers. Readers also are guided in evaluating change in the parenting of men who batter, assessing risk to children from unsupervised visitation, and supporting the emotional recovery of children.

Table of Contents:
1. The Battering Problem Defining Batterers Characteristics of Batterers Misconceptions About Batterers Summary 2. Power Parenting: The Batterer's Style With Children Typical Characteristics of Batterers as Parents Effects on Children of Exposure to Domestic Violence Child Abuse The Batterer as Role Model Children's Outlook on the Batterer Summary 3. Shock Waves: The Batterer's Impact on the Home Undermining of the Mother's Authority Effects on Mother-Child Relationships Use of Children as Weapons Against the Mother The Batterer's Impact on Other Aspects of Family Functioning Resilience in Mother-Child and in Sibling Relationships Summary 4. The Batterer as Incest Perpetrator - Lundy Bancroft and Margaret Miller Review of Studies The Predatory Child Molestor Versus the Incest Perpetrator Shared Tactics of Batterers and Incest Perpetrators Shared Attitudes of Batterers and Incest Perpetrators Implications of the Overlap for Professional Response Sexual Abuse Allegations in Custody and Visitation Disputes Summary 5. Impeding Recovery: The Batterer in Custody and Visitation Disputes Creating a Context for Children's Healing Batterers' Postseparation Conduct With Children Batterers' Motivations for Seeking Custody or Increased Visitation Batterers' Advantages in Custody Disputes Batterers' Tactics in Custody and Visitation Disputes Effects on Children of Custody Litigation Summary 6. The Mismeasure of Batterers as Parents: A Critique of Prevailing Theories of Assessment Influential Theories of Divorce The Use of a Domestic Violence Typology to Assess Risk to Children The Overlooked Implications of Johnston, Campbell, and Roseby's Own Observations Summary 7. Supporting Recovery: Assessing Risk to Children form Batterers and Structuring Visitation Sources of Risk to Children From Unsupervised Contact With Batterers A Guide to Assessing Risk to Children From Batterers Structuring Custody and Visitation Summary 8. Is It Real?: Assessing and Fostering Change in Batterers as Parents Steps to Change in Batterers Misconceptions Regarding Change in Batterers Evaluating Change in Batterers as Parents Creating a Context for Change Summary 9. Improving Community Responses to the Parenting of Batterers Child Therapists, Family Therapists, and Programs for Children Exposed to Domestic Violence Custody Evaluators Family Courts Agencies and Courts With Child Protective Jurisdiction Parent Trainers Psychological Evaluators Batterer Programs Battered Women's Programs Supervised Visitation Centers Family Lawyers and Bar Associations Summary References Index About the Authors