Intimate Violence in Families [Paperback]

Richard J. (James) Gelles (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 1997 | ISBN-10: 076190123X | ISBN-13: 978-0761901235 | Edition: 3

Armed with the latest research in the field, the Third Edition of Intimate Violence in Families explodes many of the conventional myths and controversies hindering understanding of family violence, and replaces them with the most current knowledge available.

While focusing largely on physical abuse, the book also examines data on sexual abuse, emotional and psychological abuse, neglect and other forms of intimate victimization. The author discusses theories of intimate violence and contributing social factors, and explores major controversies in the study and treatment of family and intimate violence. Abuse occurring in all types of family relationships are covered: partners; children; siblings; parents; the e

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Richard J. Gelles received his Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of New Hampshire.  He is the Dean of The School of Social Work at the University of Pennsylvania and holds The Joanne and Raymond Welsh Chair of Child Welfare and Family Violence in the School of Social Work at the University of Pennsylvania.  He is the Director of the Center for the Study of Youth Policy and Co-Director of the Center for Children’s Policy, Practice, and Research. His book, The Violent Home was the first systematic empirical investigation of family violence and continues to be highly influential.  He is the author or coauthor of 23 books and more than 100 articles and chapters on family violence.  His latest books are, The Book of David:  How Preserving Families Can Cost Children's Lives (Basic Books, 1996) and Intimate Violence in Families, Third Edition (Sage Publications, 1997).

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Sage Publications, Inc; 3 edition (January 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076190123X
• ISBN-13: 978-0761901235
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #582,937 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A few words of caution, January 11, 2006

By 

ginmar "book/digital addict" (all over) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Intimate Violence in Families (Paperback)

This is a valueable book but it's also one of the most widely-misinterpreted ones in recent memory. For starters: the infamous half and half quote, wherein Gelles reports that men and women are injured in roughly equal numbers. This omits several facts: that women are being injured far more severely as a result of the size differential between women and their partners; that women are defending themselves in these attacks, and that sexual assault---which is overwhelmingly a feature of amle abuse of women---was deliberately ommitted from the count of violent activities that Gelles counts.

Gelles invented something called the Conflict Tactics Violence Scale, which needs to be noted in research about domestic violence. It counts acts alone, and strips them of their context. Thus, a man like OJ Simpson, who beat his wife Nicole repeatedly during their marriage, would be considered a victim of his wife if she defended herself---despite the fact that he was the aggressor, she the defender, and that he outweighed her by dozens of pounds.

That said, this is a valueable book, and it's useful to read to see how often it's either mis- or selectively quoted by conservative pundits.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Text, July 21, 2004

By 

Westley (Stuck in my head) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Intimate Violence in Families (Paperback)

Richard Gelles is a pioneer in the examination of family violence, and this excellent 1997 text (an update of the 1990 edition) provides a detailed and critical analysis of the existing literature. Although much has been published in the area since 1997, this text continues to be worthwhile.

The book focuses primarily on physical violence. Issues such as basic statistics and the societal influence of family violence are explored. One of the most interesting sections discusses the prevalence and nature of intrafamilial violence across cultures. Child mental health professionals will likely benefit most from the sections on child victims of family violence and sibling violence; the latter of which is often ignored in books of this type. One of the final chapters explores relevant treatment issues; however the emphasis is on legal and programmatic approaches, such as arrest of the perpetrator. Individual treatment of persons who experience family violence are not considered in detail.

Most of the information provided is based on hard empirical data; however, Gelles's extensive experience allows him to include rich anecdotal evidence. As a result, the book is highly readable and provocative. Overall, the book is remarkable -- a concise text that explores fully a multitude of issues. The book will be most appreciated by persons in research or academics, although mental health professionals will likely find it useful as well. Finally, the text could be ideal for use in graduate classes, with 'Discussion Questions' and 'Suggested Assignments' at the end of chapters. Highly recommended.