Customer Reviews

Dangerous Exits: Escaping Abusive Relationships in Rural America (Critical Issues in Crime and Society)

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Excellent book for any sociologist/criminologist interested in issues regarding rural violence against women. DeKeseredy and Schwartz do an excellent job explaining how leaving a violent relationship often presents the highest level of risk regarding lethality. Thus, a discourse aimed at "just leaving" is problematic and simplistic. The authors elaborate on various dynamics regarding exiting relationships that present some of the highest levels of risk for death. Rich, qualitative descriptions throughout the book provide excellent depth to understanding the dynamics involved with rural woman battering. This is different from Websdale's (1998) Rural Women Battering and the Justice System: An Ethnography (SAGE Series on Violence against Women)work on this topic because Dangerous Exits puts the focus primarily on leaving whereas Websdale focuses more on the patriarchal context of rural areas that contributes to violence against rural woman. Both books compliment each other quite well.
The end of the book provides excellent policy proposals moving forward and although they are not fully elaborated it is not the intention of the book to propose full policy initiatives. They are merely starting points for forming legislation on these important issues. The best part of the book to me is where DeKeseredy and Schwartz discuss the role all men play in combating violence against women and they discuss the three typologies of men: violent men, well-meaning men, and pro-feminist men. The first two do nothing to end the ongoing domination, subordination, and violence towards women whereas pro-feminist men engage in agency aimed at challenging patriarchal practices and institutions.