E-Book Overview
Violence in the home is one of the most damaging and widespread of social problems. It is an issue that cuts across all socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, gender, and age boundaries. This important book reviews the most current theoretical explanations of family violence and then links theory to practice. It looks at the systems and institutions that interact with families, which are mandated to provide protection and services, and explores the current debates surrounding family violence and public policy. In addition, Kurst-Swanger explores the role of power in abusive relationships and considers the short- and long-term consequences of abuse. This insightful book will be a practical resource for professionals and of interest to all those concerned with the far-reaching impact of family violence.
E-Book Content
Violence in the Home: Multidisciplinary Perspectives
Karel Kurst-Swanger Jacqueline L. Petcosky
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
///Violence in the Home MULTIDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES
Karel Kurst-Swanger and Jacqueline L. Petcosky
1 2003
3 Oxford New York Auckland Bangkok Buenos Aires Cape Town Chennai Dar es Salaam Delhi Hong Kong Istanbul Karachi Kolkata Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Mumbai Nairobi Sa˜o Paulo Shanghai Taipei Tokyo Toronto
Copyright 2003 by Oxford University Press, Inc. Published by Oxford University Press, Inc. 198 Madison Avenue, New York, New York, 10016 www.oup.com Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of Oxford University Press. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Kurst-Swanger, Karel, 1961– Violence in the home: multidisciplinary perspectives / Karel Kurst-Swanger, Jacqueline L. Petcosky. p. cm. ISBN 0-19-516518-7; 0-19-515114-3 (pbk.) 1. Family violence. 2. Family violence—United States. 3. Family violence—Prevention. I. Petcosky, Jacqueline L., 1962– II. Title. HV6626.K83 2003 362.82'92—dc21 2002010637
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper
/// Dedicated to our parents Michalyn and Robert Kurst and Eleanor and Andrew Petcosky
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/// Foreword
Violence in the Home provides state-of-the-art information on the different types of violence pervasive in homes throughout American society. Family violence occurs in all socioeconomic, age, racial, and ethnic groups. This volume thoroughly documents the different types of abuse and neglect in all types of families and interpersonal relationships throughout the lifespan. This book offers a humanistic and multidisciplinary perspective, and a valuable analysis of how public policies and programs can be utilized to sharply reduce child maltreatment, intimate partner abuse, sibling abuse, animal abuse, elder abuse, and nursing home caregiver abuse. This is the first book to focus on the common themes and policy issues involved in the different types of family abuse throughout the lifespan. Kurst-Swanger and Petcosky have eloquently identified and discussed the critical issues, continuum of the duration and severity of violence in the home, social isolation and restricting victims’ movements and social contacts, power differentials that place different types of relationships at high risk of violence, physical and psychological consequences, cultural factors and influences, legal issues and remedies, and economic and social conditions that contribute to an escalation of violence among family members. This outstanding, reader-friendly, and exceptionally well-written book integrates theory and practice with clarity and a most e