Criminal Abuse Of Women And Children

The abuse of women and children transcends geographical boundaries as well as economic, cultural, religious, political, and social divisions. Comprised of the work of more than 20 academics and practitioners from around the world, Criminal Abuse of Women and Children documents the atrocities that have been committed against these victims from ancie

Evidence suggests that some forms of domestic crimes are growing at an alarming rate. An epidemic of violence and maltreatment within the home and between intimates exists, often as part of an interrelated cycle: abuse victim becomes violent abuser. This book will be of interest to educators, students and professionals in the fields of child health and welfare, criminal justice, women's studies, gerontology, sociology and related areas. Part I is an introduction on domestic criminality that includes an historical review, demographic studies, and a discussion of medical treatments for victims. Issues such as domestic fatalities, battered women and men, conjugal rape, and abuse of elders are covered in Part II. An examination of child maltreatment by neglect and sexual abuse is discussed in Part III and symptoms of domestic criminality are covered in Part IV. Part V addresses theories, causes, and explanations of domestic violence, attempting to bridge gaps between existing studies. The characteristics of incarcerated domestic criminals are reviewed in Part VI; a discussion of efforts to help victims and decrease the level of domestic violence is provided in Part VII. Notes, suggested additional readings, and a bibliography are included.

Violence against women and children is a serious public health concern, with costs at multiple levels of society. Although violence is a threat to everyone, women and children are particularly susceptible to victimization because they often have fewer rights or lack appropriate means of protection. In some societies certain types of violence are deemed socially or legally acceptable, thereby contributing further to the risk to women and children. In the past decade research has documented the growing magnitude of such violence, but gaps in the data still remain. Victims of violence of any type fear stigmatization or societal condemnation and thus often hesitate to report crimes. The issue is compounded by the fact that for women and children the perpetrators are often people they know and because some countries lack laws or regulations protecting victims. Some of the data that have been collected suggest that rates of violence against women range from 15 to 71 percent in some countries and that rates of violence against children top 80 percent. These data demonstrate that violence poses a high burden on global health and that violence against women and children is common and universal. Preventing Violence Against Women and Children focuses on these elements of the cycle as they relate to interrupting this transmission of violence. Intervention strategies include preventing violence before it starts as well as preventing recurrence, preventing adverse effects (such as trauma or the consequences of trauma), and preventing the spread of violence to the next generation or social level. Successful strategies consider the context of the violence, such as family, school, community, national, or regional settings, in order to determine the best programs.

Presents overviews of domestic violence in thirteen countries around the world, including Australia, Jamaica, Japan, Russia, and the U.S., describing perceptions of domestic violence in each country as well as contributing factors and responses to the problem.

This book offers insights and perspectives from a study of “Cultural Encounters in Intervention Against Violence” (CEINAV) in four EU-countries. Seeking a deeper understanding of the underpinnings of intervention practices in Germany, Portugal, Slovenia and the United Kingdom, the team explored variations in institutional structures and traditions of law, policing, and social welfare. Theories of structural inequality and ethics are discussed and translated into practice.

This comprehensive overview of domestic violence against women and children in America covers the services meant to combat it, the legal approaches to prosecuting it, the public's attitudes toward it, and the successes and failures of systems meant to address it. The fight to end domestic violence consists of community-based services for battered women, laws and policies to combat the problem, a broad spectrum of frequently-innovative programs to protect or otherwise support abused women and children, a dramatic shift in media portrayals of violence against women, and a growing public critique of unacceptable forms of power and control in relationships. These volumes offer another weapon in that battle. Violence against Women in Families and Relationships takes stock of all of the ways in which legislation, programs and services, and even public attitudes have impacted victims, offenders, and communities over the last few decades. Contributors pay special attention to how race, class, and cultural differences affect the experience of abuse. They explore the efficacy of interventions, and they provide compelling real-life examples to illustrate issues and challenges. Our society has made an enormous investment in stopping abuse in families and relationships, but numerous questions still remain. Many of those questions are answered in these pages, as experts uncover the realities of domestic violence and the toll it takes on families, individuals, communities, and society at large.

The first book to interweave clinical and legal perspectives on such recently formulated diagnoses as rape trauma syndrome and battered woman syndrome, this up-to-date resource helps mental health clinicians better understand their role in criminal or civil proceedings related to sexualized violence against women and children. Foundational knowledge is provided on the nature, prevalence, and psychological consequences of a variety of crimes, including rape, spousal abuse, stalking, sexual harassment, and child sexual abuse. The ways victims and perpetrators are dealt with in the legal system are critically examined, and important recent reforms discussed. Presenting guidelines and findings that will improve forensic assessment, this is a vital sourcebook for those called on to serve as expert witnesses and an invaluable student text.