title: Exploring mothers' experiences of separating from an abusive partner

authors: Robins, Kathryn

subjects: Domestic violence

abstract: This research explored mothers' experiences of separating from an abusive partner. It focuses on the contextual factors which support or undermine women's ability to keep their children safe. Of particular interest was the extent to which dominant ideas about the importance of fathers in children's lives played a role in decision making about abusers' post-separation contact with their children. Eight women who had separated from an abusive male partner were interviewed. Their experiences, thoughts and views are presented in case-studies. Each begins with a background of the woman's relationship with her former partner, the processes that led her to initiate separation and her post-separation experiences. Separating from an abusive partner was found to present many challenges for mothers. Often, the women reported that they continued to be abused and to be subjected to the power and control tactics of their abuser. Women's accounts of their partner‟s behaviour suggested that the abusers' characteristics as a partner spilled over into their parenting. The abusers were generally reported to be inconsistent, authoritarian and/or irresponsible in their parenting. In this context, the women held significant fears for the safety and well-being of their children should the abuser have contact with them. Despite this, the majority of the women agreed to contact. Indeed, most of the mothers felt responsible for maintaining the father-child relationship and went to great lengths to facilitate contact, even though the contact often exposed both mother and child to further abuse. To this extent, dominant, uncritical beliefs about the importance of fathers seemed to be quite influential. On the other hand, those women who had good family support were less likely to agree to unsafe contact. These participants' mothers were particularly important in recognising the dynamics and impact of the abuse. They played an important role in protecting the participants and their children, and prioritised safety over contact. These women experienced shorter periods of post-separation abuse. Women with support were less isolated, less likely to blame themselves and were able to begin the process of recovery earlier. Consequently, the welfare of their children was improved. This finding suggests that support of this kind may be one avenue that improves women's ability to keep their children safe and enhance their experiences after separating from an abusive a partner.

text: Exploring mothers' experiences of separating from an abusive partner This research explored mothers' experiences of separating from an abusive partner. It focuses on the contextual factors which support or undermine women's ability to keep their children safe. Of particular interest was the extent to which dominant ideas about the importance of fathers in children's lives played a role in decision making about abusers' post-separation contact with their children. Eight women who had separated from an abusive male partner were interviewed. Their experiences, thoughts and views are presented in case-studies. Each begins with a background of the woman's relationship with her former partner, the processes that led her to initiate separation and her post-separation experiences. Separating from an abusive partner was found to present many challenges for mothers. Often, the women reported that they continued to be abused and to be subjected to the power and control tactics of their abuser. Women's accounts of their partner‟s behaviour suggested that the abusers' characteristics as a partner spilled over into their parenting. The abusers were generally reported to be inconsistent, authoritarian and/or irresponsible in their parenting. In this context, the women held significant fears for the safety and well-being of their children should the abuser have contact with them. Despite this, the majority of the women agreed to contact. Indeed, most of the mothers felt responsible for maintaining the father-child relationship and went to great lengths to facilitate contact, even though the contact often exposed both mother and child to further abuse. To this extent, dominant, uncritical beliefs about the importance of fathers seemed to be quite influential. On the other hand, those women who had good family support were less likely to agree to unsafe contact. These participants' mothers were particularly important in recognising the dynamics and impact of the abuse. They played an important role in protecting the participants and their children, and prioritised safety over contact. These women experienced shorter periods of post-separation abuse. Women with support were less isolated, less likely to blame themselves and were able to begin the process of recovery earlier. Consequently, the welfare of their children was improved. This finding suggests that support of this kind may be one avenue that improves women's ability to keep their children safe and enhance their experiences after separating from an abusive a partner.

year: 2010

title: The effect of climate on lake mixing patterns and temperatures

authors: Green, John D.

abstract: The maritime geographical location has been said to give distinctive characteristics of water mixing to lakes (Hutchinson 1957, pp. 443-444), but such effects have never been described in detail. New Zealand's lakes should exemplify well these maritime distinctions, and in this chapter features of water column mixing and temperature changes are identified which can distinguish New Zealand lakes from those elsewhere.

text: The effect of climate on lake mixing patterns and temperatures The maritime geographical location has been said to give distinctive characteristics of water mixing to lakes (Hutchinson 1957, pp. 443-444), but such effects have never been described in detail. New Zealand's lakes should exemplify well these maritime distinctions, and in this chapter features of water column mixing and temperature changes are identified which can distinguish New Zealand lakes from those elsewhere.

year: 1987

title: The Treaty of Waitangi and Asian Immigrants in Aotearoa: A Reflective Journey

authors: Omura, Saburo

subjects: Te Tiriti o Waitangi

abstract: The Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 between the British Crown and Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand being represented at the signing by chiefs from various tribes. The Treaty promised to ensure legitimate control on European settlers, while guaranteeing Māori their sovereignty, undisturbed possession of natural and cultural resources, and citizenship. However, these commitments were reneged upon and were largely discarded over the next century, including devastating confiscations of land and other natural resources, undignified treatment of Māori culture and language, and the loss of indigenous sovereignty following large-scale European migration to Aotearoa/New Zealand in the late 19th century. 
The New Zealand government maintained a ‘white’ New Zealand immigration policy until the late 1980s. An orientation towards white British in New Zealand was so deeply entrenched that the idea of monocultural assimilation remained the norm and went unchallenged until the 1960s. A reflection of this is in the fact that even today the Treaty of Waitangi is not formally recognised in the country’s immigration policies. 
Since the 1990s, there has been a major upsurge in the number of Asian migrants arriving in Aotearoa/New Zealand, so that today people of Chinese, Indian, and similar origin constitute about 11% of the national total population. 
However, settlement support programmes and academic research relating to them have focused on superficial coping and adaptation issues. Integration of these migrants has been frequently discussed but without specific cultural references. Māori culture and the Treaty have never been an integral part of the research scope in the study of acculturation of such migrants in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Government. Politicians, and academics have consequently isolated migrants from indigenous issues, because indigenous people were regarded as irrelevant in this field. 
Nevertheless, some ethnic community groups and individuals have taken initiatives to learn about the Treaty in recent times. I interviewed 17 key informants and conducted six focus groups, with seven people on average participating in each session. Employing a free-association approach in these interviews enabled me to explore significant psychological changes after my informants had learned about the Treaty. 
As a result, many of the participants went through a process of redefining their identity in a new country, rather than just adjusting to or coping with a different environment. Essentially, learning about the Treaty facilitated psychological integration after migrating to New Zealand. 
The future implications of such findings, especially the significant effect of repositioning Māori culture and history in cross-cultural research in New Zealand, is also discussed in this thesis.

text: The Treaty of Waitangi and Asian Immigrants in Aotearoa: A Reflective Journey The Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 between the British Crown and Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand being represented at the signing by chiefs from various tribes. The Treaty promised to ensure legitimate control on European settlers, while guaranteeing Māori their sovereignty, undisturbed possession of natural and cultural resources, and citizenship. However, these commitments were reneged upon and were largely discarded over the next century, including devastating confiscations of land and other natural resources, undignified treatment of Māori culture and language, and the loss of indigenous sovereignty following large-scale European migration to Aotearoa/New Zealand in the late 19th century. 
The New Zealand government maintained a ‘white’ New Zealand immigration policy until the late 1980s. An orientation towards white British in New Zealand was so deeply entrenched that the idea of monocultural assimilation remained the norm and went unchallenged until the 1960s. A reflection of this is in the fact that even today the Treaty of Waitangi is not formally recognised in the country’s immigration policies. 
Since the 1990s, there has been a major upsurge in the number of Asian migrants arriving in Aotearoa/New Zealand, so that today people of Chinese, Indian, and similar origin constitute about 11% of the national total population. 
However, settlement support programmes and academic research relating to them have focused on superficial coping and adaptation issues. Integration of these migrants has been frequently discussed but without specific cultural references. Māori culture and the Treaty have never been an integral part of the research scope in the study of acculturation of such migrants in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Government. Politicians, and academics have consequently isolated migrants from indigenous issues, because indigenous people were regarded as irrelevant in this field. 
Nevertheless, some ethnic community groups and individuals have taken initiatives to learn about the Treaty in recent times. I interviewed 17 key informants and conducted six focus groups, with seven people on average participating in each session. Employing a free-association approach in these interviews enabled me to explore significant psychological changes after my informants had learned about the Treaty. 
As a result, many of the participants went through a process of redefining their identity in a new country, rather than just adjusting to or coping with a different environment. Essentially, learning about the Treaty facilitated psychological integration after migrating to New Zealand. 
The future implications of such findings, especially the significant effect of repositioning Māori culture and history in cross-cultural research in New Zealand, is also discussed in this thesis.

year: 2014