Season 2 Episode 8: “I Spiraled Down to a Dark Place”: An Interview with a Survivor of Officer-Involved Domestic Violence and His Mum
About This Episode
The voices of children impacted by domestic violence perpetrators are being ignored by professionals.
In this groundbreaking interview, a 14-year-old survivor of officer-involved domestic violence and his mother speak openly about their experience with systems. Using pseudonyms, “Liam” and his mother, “Michelle,” share how the police colluded with their perpetrator, who was Liam’s stepfather. They speak about how Liam and his sister were treated as afterthoughts and not victims in their own right. Between sadness and anger, Liam talks about the failures of the police, child welfare, and other professionals.
Additional Resources
Liam’s Op-Ed in The Age: Child survivors of family violence need to be recognised
Liam and Michelle’s ABC Radio Interview: ‘A betrayal of trust’: Victoria Police apologise after mishandling domestic violence case
Liam and Michelle’s 60 Minutes Interview: Exposing the toxic culture of police officers committing family violence
Safe & Together Institute’s domestic abuse–informed trainings
Safe & Together Institute’s upcoming events
David Mandel’s book Stop Blaming Mothers and Ignoring Fathers: How to Transform the Way We Keep Children Safe from Domestic Violence