This comprehensive, two-volume work examines domestic abuse in the United States and worldwide, providing research, personal stories, and primary documents that reveal the extent of the problem. An estimated 1,300 to 1,800 Americans are murdered by intimate partners each year. Far from being a problem that only impacts women, domestic violence hurts society as a whole both socially as well as financially, with an estimated direct and indirect cost of nearly $6 billion annually in the United States. This book provides a timely and thorough reference for educators, students, scholars and activists seeking to better understand the global issue of domestic abuse. The entries document the history of the domestic violence prevention movement, provide explanations for abuse, identify warning signs of hidden abuse, describe types of victims and offenders, and supply information on interventions and prevention programs. Written by an array of experts in the field, the book also integrates the personal stories of survivors and addresses abuse as a global issue by covering topics such as acid attacks and female genital mutilation.

It is clear that physical abuse is an integral component of some intimate relationships. This book addresses not the violence but our responses or lack of responses to that violation of personal integrity and the accompanying trauma. How partner violence is responded to, individually and collectively, may well determine whether the violence can be prevented or will cease once begun. This text is intended to serve as a basic resource for the student, clinician and researcher. It provides a summary of how we have responded to such violence in the past and presents potential future directions for research and prevention efforts.