Understanding Family Violence: Treating and Preventing Partner, Child, Sibling and Elder Abuse

Providing an arresting and readable overview of family violence, Understanding Family Violence presents a thorough exploration of the major types of family violence and details the range of abusive behaviors perpetrated within family systems. Author Vernon R. WieheÆs extensive study of family violence includes partner abuse in gay and lesbian relationships, battered husbands, sibling abuse, marital rape, response patterns of battered women, the cycle of violence, preconditions of child sexual abuse, emotional abuse, effects of abuse on victims, treatment of offenders, and much more. Case vignettes are used effectively throughout this text to describe violent events and to illustrate the victimsÆ experience and perception of the abuse. Focusing on prevention and intervention, chapters delineate reasons that various types of abuse continue, suggest how different types of violent behavior may be treated, and recommends prevention strategies. In addition, the author has created a comprehensive and cohesive volume by carefully defining terms at the beginning of each chapter and offering summarizing remarks, valuable references, and suggested readings at the conclusion of each chapter. Understanding Family Violence translates theory and research into a practical format, easily accessible to undergraduate and graduate students in areas including psychology, counseling, sociology, social work, nursing, family studies, and pastoral counseling. While the book is an overview and not intended as a "how-to" book, any practitioner engaged in an empirically based practice will find Vernon R. WieheÆs insight invaluable.

Vernon R. Wiehe, College of Social Work, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY