Injustice in Families: Assault and Domination [1995]

The designation of assault as injustice illuminates a disturbing phenomenon. Domination is typically thought to be itself unjust and is sometimes thought to be constitutive of injustice. This chapter reviews a conversation among feminists between advocates of distributive justice in families and sceptics who believe that dominant theories of distributive justice are not respectful of family relationships and moral experience. It considers a particular wrongdoing, family assault, draw connections between assault and domination, and urges that assault be considered an injustice. The chapter offers one principle of family justice—respect for embodied willfulness. It concerns justice within families, that is, with ideals of justice family members might adopt to regulate—and to inspire—their relationships with each other. The chapter also concerns assaultive relations between parents, especially mothers, and children. Principles of fairness familiar from dominant theories are also integral to family justice, most evidently but not only in relations between healthy adults.