“The Orbit of Domestic Violence, Life on "5" Planet's

Some years ago our Founder came across Marianne Hester’s Three

Planet Model which describes how the response to a

family experiencing domestic abuse differs greatly

depending on whether you work in domestic abuse,

child protective services or within the court system.

Each sector is in effect its own planet. Each has its own

way of framing the problem, its own culture, its own

language.

Even to the extent that who is held responsible for ending

or resolving the abuse differs. Hester described how,

bouncing between these planets, are women and

children who find inconsistency and contradictions; just

the type of environment in which perpetrators can hide

and abuse.

However, through her own lived experience our Founder also recognized two more planets that Hester

did not mention. She calls it the “The Orbit of Domestic

Violence, Life on Five Planet's”

The diagram shows the three

planet's described by Hester

and adds the two Planet's that our Founder came to identify through her own experience navigating a very complex system and the condradictory messages found in each system.

Bouncing between these Planet's

frustrates Survivors and their children, These services/systems

contradict each other, and can further

perpetuates the Cycle of Violence.