Children’s strategies – children’s resistance. Accounts of experiencing a father’s violence against a mother

Main objective

The main objective of the project ‘Children’s strategies, children’s resistance’ is to develop and more deeply examine the issue of children’s experiencing domestic violence, their coping strategies before, during and after episodes of violence, and how these strategies can be understood as resistance.

There will be special focus on children of immigrant background and their special vulnerability, difficulties and opportunities.

Furthermore, the purpose is to emphasize children experiencing violence in the home as participants and independent subjects and show how theories of child sociology can contribute towards better understanding this group of children.

A third purpose is to provide an overview of Nordic and international research on children experiencing domestic violence..

Issues for investigation

• What coping strategies do children and adolescents who have experienced domestic violence have before, during and after episodes of violence?
• How do they position themselves in relation to the other participants before, during and after episodes of violence?
• How can one interpret their action/lack of action?
• Do children of immigrant background differ from children of ethnic Norwegian background in terms of strategies and positioning, and if so, how?

Do children of immigrant background experience special challenges in relation to their culture, and if so, what challenges?

Method

Interviews with 10-20 children and adolescents 12-17 years of age

Publications

Øverlien, C. (2017). ‘Do you want to do some arm wrestling?’: Children strategies when experiencing domestic violence and the meaning of age. Child & Family Social Work, 22(2), 680-688. doi:10.1111/cfs.12283

Øverlien, C. (2016). Mot en bedre forståelse av barn med minoritetsbakgrunn i Krisesenter for mishandlede kvinner. In C. Øverlien, M. I. Hauge & J. H. Schultz (Red.) Barn, vold og traumer. Møter med unge i utsatte livssituasjoner.. Universitetsforlaget.

Øverlien, C., & Aas, G. (2016). The police patrols and children experiencing domestic violence. Police Practice & Research, 17(5), 434-447. doi:10.1080/15614263.2015.1086879

Øverlien, C. (2015). Ungdom, vold og overgrep. Skolen som forebygger og hjelper. Universitetsforlaget.

Øverlien, C. (2014). “He didn’t mean to hit mom, I think”: Positioning, agency and point in adolescents’ narratives about domestic violence. Child & Family Social Work, 19(2), 156-164. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2206.2012.00886.x

Øverlien, C. (2014). Barn som opplever vold mot mor – definisjoner, konsekvenser og behov for hjelp. In K. Narud (Red.) Vold mot kvinner (pp. 161-173). Cappelen Damm Akademisk.

Øverlien, C. (2013). “Nå følte jeg meg som Jens Stoltenberg, jeg!” Etiska reflektioner kring två forskningsprojekt om barn och ungdomar i svåra livssituationer. In H. Fossheim, J. Hølen & H. Ingierd (Red.) Barn i forskning – Etiske dimensjoner (pp. 9-45). .

Øverlien, C. (2013). Att förstå barn som upplever våld i hemmet som handlande aktörer. Tidskrift for barnesykepleiere.

Øverlien, C. (2013). Barns strategier. Sammen(1), 36-38.

Øverlien, C. (2013). The Children of Patriarchal Terrorism. Journal of Family Violence, 28(3), 277-287. doi:10.1007/s10896-013-9498-9

Øverlien, C. (2012). Vold i hjemmet – barns strategier. Universitetsforlaget.