Synopsis
Addresses the needs of various audiences, including battered women, teenaged victims of dating violence, educators, community leaders, and the batterers themselves.
From the Publisher
Foreword by Del Martin, author of Battered Wives"This book will be the bible of domestic violence advocates for years to come." Del Martin, author of Battered Wives
"Dr. Wilson informs every chapter with deep compassion and hard-won, practical knowledge . . . . I predict this book will take its place as the indispensable guide for professionals and those still trapped in relationships of abuse." Susan Brownmiller, author of Against Our Will
Once in a while, a book comes along that addresses a subject with such a satisfying mix of information, insight and passion that it seems destined to become a classic in the field. Dr. K. J. Wilsons When Violence Begins at Home is such a book.
With great understanding and empathy, this definitive guide fully addresses the needs of multiple audiences, including battered women from various backgrounds, teenaged victims of dating violence, educators, employers, community leaders, legal officials, and even the batterers themselves.
Special chapters clarify the responsibilities and limitations of friends and family, shelter employees, health-care providers, law-enforcement officers, employers, counseling professionals, and clergy and help them to recognize when a womans life is threatened and how to respond accordingly. Appendices provide safety plans that a woman can use to systematically approach surviving an attack and preparing for her escape. A comprehensive listing of local and national resources directs anyone invested in this issue to information and an extensive network of people who can help.
K. J. Wilson, Ed.D., is director of training for the Austin Center for Battered Women, the first womens shelter in Texas and one of the first in the nation. A survivor of domestic violence herself, Dr. Wilson spent several years underground to escape an abusive relationship. She now has a doctoral degree in adult education and has spent more than a decade assisting battered women, both in escaping a violent relationship and in beginning a new life for themselves and their children. The book is a joint project of the Austin Center for Battered Women and the National Domestic Violence Hotline.