Central Alberta Women's Emergency Shelter, Red Deer, Alberta

Rates of spousal violence are highest amoung 15 to 24 year olds.


	Did You Know - How an Abusive Partner Can Affect a Woman as a Mother The woman comes to believe she is a bad parent; The woman may lose the respect of some or all children; The woman believes the twisted excuses the abuser provides for his behavior (e.g. abuse is justified by religion or caused by alcohol); The woman changes her parenting style in an unhealthy way in response to the abuser’s parenting style; The woman’s capacity to manage the day to day caretaking of children is overwhelmed; The woman may use survival strategies with negative effects on her parenting (e.g. abusing drugs or alcohol); The woman gets trapped in competition with father for children’s loyalties, especially after they separate. [Taken from Helping Children Thrive – Centre for Children and Families in the Justice System of the London Family Court Clinic]