Elder Abuse

This volume presents important findings on conflict and abuse in families of the aged. A valuable resource for those in sociology, psychology, gerontology, and social work as well as psychotherapists who work with the aged, the staff of elder abuse programs, adult protective service workers, and legislators. "the authors provide a fresh, historically balanced, empirical and theoretical framework for the view that elder abuse and neglect is an extreme manifestation of family conflict." Lisa P. Gwyther, Journal of Gernontology

The mistreatment of elder adults and its detection by nonadult services professionals is the subject of this practical guidebook. Directed at human service professionals who provide direct services to older adults, the work provides an understanding of varieties of starting points in mistreatment identification; a discussion of risk factors and varieties of mistreatment measures; a review of the state of the art in risk instruments; and an assessment model for providers who are not specialists in geriatrics or elder mistreatment. Prospects for the future of risk assessment and prevention strategies are also discussed.

Public inquiries and court cases concerning institutional abuse in a range of settings have generated considerable media interest in the field of institutional abuse, highlighting the need for preventive strategies and appropriate responses to this form of abuse. Letting In the Light brings together a number of different research studies and accounts of institutional abuse from leading academics and researchers. Contributors examine four significant areas: the institutional abuse of children, of adults with mental health problems, of adults with learning difficulties, and of older people. Each section includes a chapter on users' experiences of abuse and their views on how to prevent institutional abuse and address the needs of survivors.

Violence in the home is one of the most damaging and widespread of social problems. It is an issue that cuts across all socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, gender, and age boundaries. It takes many forms, including emotional, physical, and sexual abuse as well as neglect. This important book reviews the most current theoretical explanations of family violence and then links theory to practice. It looks at the systems and institutions that interact with families, which are mandated to provide protection and services, and explores the current debates surrounding family violence and public policy. In addition, Kurst-Swanger explores the role of power in abusive relationships and considers the short- and long-term consequences of abuse. This insightful book will be a practical resource for professionals and of interest to all those concerned with the far-reaching impact of family violence.

Under the aegis of the two grandes dames of international studies in psychology, 23 experts examine violence in all of its multivarious forms around the world. They find that it is present in practically every society, at every socioeconomic level, and in every age group. The first group of essays look at violence as a societal phenomenon--its motivational aspects as related to, for example, terrorism or machismo. The second group of essays discuss violence involving children--incest, trauma, delinquency, school violence, and the death penalty for youths. The last section looks at adult violence, particularly within the family. Marital violence, domestic violence, substance abuse, women and crime, and maltreatment of elders are all presented. The consensus of the study is that the eradication of violence is essential to a better world and is possible. Proof of its possibility is given in the concluding description of life in Ladakh, a peaceable society of Tibetans in northwestern India.

Recent estimates indicate that as many as 8.7 million women are beaten in their homes each year. This is an alarming national statistic, but there is hope. This book examines both social work and criminal justice professional's methods of intervention on behalf of battered women escaping from violent relationships. Helping Battered Women fills a major gap in the literature on the subject. The author provides the reader with the most current, comprehensive, empirically-based, and realistic overview of policy and intervention methods of women escaping from violent relationships. This interdisciplinary volume integrates a rich diversity of perspectives by internationally recognized professors and scholars in the fields of social work, clinical psychology, and criminal justice. The authors of each of the individual chapters tackle one of the major social problems of our times--violence against women--in a systematic and sensitive manner. The authors provide a clear and cogent argument for advocacy and social change in battered women's shelters, police precincts, state legislatures, and the nation's criminal courts.