This chapter has its origin in the question as to why fatherhood and violence in intimate relationships are, in Finland, so seldom treated simultaneously within the same context. My aim is to reflect upon this theme on the basis of literature and to accumulate the reasons for this silence in the Finnish discussion. I will begin by examining the Finnish research on violence in intimate relationships. What features can be found there that make it difficult to notice the fatherhood of violent men? Second, I will focus on motherhood and fatherhood – which features in the conception of these two phenomena prevent the discussion of fathers’ violence? Finally, I will turn my attention to problems relating to child custody and contact visitation practices, where, as also indicated in relation to Denmark and Sweden (see Chapters Two, Seven and Eight in this volume), the problems connected with fatherhood and violence are particularly acute.

This chapter is based on violence research and parenthood studies in the field of social sciences in Finland. It mainly draws upon monographs and scientific articles written in Finnish from the 1990s to the present. Both research areas expanded substantially within the social sciences in the 1990s and have continued their growth since the new millennium. Even so, the number of researchers focusing on violence and parenthood is not large and it is quite possible to acquire a thorough picture of their work. Other perspectives and nuances could, of course, be found through empirical research. However, I believe that a literature review can indicate key features in current approaches in Finland to fatherhood and intimate violence. Thereby, some of the themes already touched upon in the previous chapters on Finland, such as the gendering of parenthood and inconsistencies in legislation regarding children post-separation and divorce, can also be explored further.

Analysing violence in intimate relationships and neglecting fatherhood

The ways in which violence in intimate relationships is seen and conceptualised in society have an impact on what is done in practice and in politics (for example, Hearn, 1998, p 15). When researchers or professional helpers work with the kind of violence being practised between adults in close relationships where the perpetrators are mostly men (and the victims are women and/or children), they cannot help making terminological choices.