Domestic violence has been recognized as a national epidemic. Approximately four million women are victims of an assault by an intimate partner on an annual basis. The cost of nonfatal domestic violence against women was estimated at $3.7 billion annually in 1991. Treatment specialists and researchers are still working to understand the causes of domestic violence and to create preventive measures against it.
Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Sourcebook provides up-to-date information about our current understanding of domestic violence, including partner, child, and elder abuse and neglect. It offers warning signs of abuse and profiles of abusers, discusses links with substance abuse, and suggests steps members of the community can take toward alleviating this vast public health problem. It also includes a sample safety plan, phone numbers for national hotlines and safe houses, and sources of legal and other assistance.
