This comprehensive and accessibly written introduction provides state-of-the-art information on the aetiology, prevalence, treatment and prevention of family violence. Each chapter leads with a topic-specific interview that sets the stage for discussion on topics such as: child physical, sexual and emotional abuse; courtship violence and date rape; partner abuse, battered women and batterers; and elder abuse.
The authors - leading authorities in the field - incorporate research findings from psychology, sociology, criminology and social welfare to provide a broad coverage of current viewpoints and debates. Their research discussions, while firmly based in science, are enlivened with passion, humour and informal interviews.