title: Systemic obstacles to battered women's participation in the judicial system: when will the status quo change?
abstract: The Canadian government has introduced numerous policies, guidelines, and mandates at the federal and provincial levels that recognize woman abuse as a serious social problem and violation of the law. Nonetheless, recent feminist research continues to expose laws and practices that fail woman abuse victims. The present study examined the experiences of women victims in domestic violence cases and the barriers they faced in dealing with the police, the courts, and social service agencies. Despite government initiatives, the study results corroborate previous findings indicating that many battered women feel further traumatized by ambivalent or discriminatory attitudes and practices prevalent within the system.
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Joseph Roy
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Gillis
authors.forename: Shaindl Lin
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Diamond
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jebely
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Orekhovsky
authors.forename: Ellis M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Ostovich
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: MacIsaac
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sagrati
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mandell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018585:Battered Women / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008875:Middle Aged; D033262:Narration; D009864:Ontario; D016495:Police; D011640:Public Policy; D012941:Social Responsibility; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014933:Women's Rights / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*