A Qualitative Exploration of the Impact of Increasing Criminalization on Domestic Violence Support Workers: Nonfatal Strangulation as a Case Study

Specialized nongovernmental domestic violence (DV) services provide critical support to victim/survivors. This research draws on 14 semistructured focus groups with 27 DV support workers to examine how expanded criminalization impacts support workers’ roles using a case study of a 2016 nonfatal stra...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Sharman, Leah S. (Author) ; Douglas, Heather (Author) ; Fitzgerald, Robin (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2025
In: Violence against women
Year: 2025, Volume: 31, Issue: 14, Pages: 3704-3727
Online Access: Volltext (kostenfrei)
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Keywords:
support workers
Criminalization
Domestic Violence
choking
Strangulation
Description
Summary:Specialized nongovernmental domestic violence (DV) services provide critical support to victim/survivors. This research draws on 14 semistructured focus groups with 27 DV support workers to examine how expanded criminalization impacts support workers’ roles using a case study of a 2016 nonfatal strangulation offense legislated in Queensland, Australia. Our results describe a lack of governmental support intersecting with increased complexity and higher workload burden resulting from expanded criminalization. Expansions to criminal law need to account for and critically assess the full system impact of new DV legislation and the added burdens placed on the pivotal third sector of DV services.
ISSN:1552-8448
DOI:10.1177/10778012241289422