Domestic and Family Violence: A Critical Introduction to Knowledge and Practice

Review

"This book, intended for students and practitioners, will be extremely valuable to each of these audiences. However, it also has the potential to reach other audiences both policy makers and academic. It is clear, accessible and incisive in its coverage of the complex issues surrounding domestic violence. The authors do not shy away from the hotly contested debates within this field but work through them for and with the reader. As a result, it offers the reader a refreshingly honest critical appreciation of what is known, what is yet to be known, and what might be doable as a consequence. Anyone interested in domestic family violence will learn much from it."Professor Sandra Walklate, Eleanor Rathbone Chair of Sociology, University of Liverpool, UK "Meyer and Frost have created a book that provides a refreshing look at domestic and family violence. The authors address head on the tensions and challenges that exist in current theorising and practice approaches, and provide effective strategies for addressing domestic and family violence. The result is a book that is comprehensive and holistic. It is a must read for domestic and family violence professionals, educators, researchers and students."Dr Yvonne Crichton-Hill, Senior Lecturer, Department of Human Services and Social Work, University of Canterbury, New Zealand "This book is as scholarly as it is practical. Administration and practitioners alike will find this book accessible, informative, and thought provoking. It will undoubtedly be an important resource that will serve as a guide to our efforts to reduce domestic and family violence."Dr Jayson Ware, Group Director, Offender Services & Program Corrective Services New South Wales, Department of Justice, Australia "Given the expansive, complex, and multi-faceted literature of this field, this book contributes a much-needed summary and reformulation of our current knowledge and best understanding of domestic and family violence. It is brilliantly organized to enable readers to find given subjects of interest, while conveying an sensitive "inside" portrayal of victimhood and perpetratorhood alike."Jerry L. Jennings, Ph.D., Vice President of Clinical Services, Liberty Healthcare Corporation, Pennsylvania, USA"This book is very timely for practitioners, educators and students who need a critical yet reflective approach to responding to domestic and family violence. Importantly the book shows constructive ways to respond to perpetrators and victims. It highlights the need for a gendered approach as well as extending to other occurrences of violence such as in same sex relationships and those living with a disability. I fully recommend this book as a practical and thoughtful guide to this complex field of practice."Patrick O’Leary, Professor of Social Work, Griffith Criminology Institute, School of Human Services and Social Work, Griffith University, Australia

About the Author

"This book, intended for students and practitioners, will be extremely valuable to each of these audiences. However, it also has the potential to reach other audiences both policy makers and academic. It is clear, accessible and incisive in its coverage of the complex issues surrounding domestic violence. The authors do not shy away from the hotly contested debates within this field but work through them for and with the reader. As a result, it offers the reader a refreshingly honest critical appreciation of what is known, what is yet to be known, and what might be doable as a consequence. Anyone interested in domestic family violence will learn much from it."