Nancy Lombard - Violence Against Women: Current Theory and Practice in Domestic Abuse, Sexual Violence and Exploitation

Research Highlights in Social Work 56

Editors: Nancy Lombard and Lesley McMillan

Secretary: Elaine Webster

Editorial Advisory Committee:

Andrew Kendrick: Editorial Director, University of Strathclyde

Joy Barlow: STRADA, University of Glasgow

Stewart Black: Edinburgh

Professor Iain Broom: Centre for Obesity Research and Epidemiology (CORE), Robert Gordon University

Susan Hunter: University of Edinburgh

Stephen Jones: Jessica Kingsley Publishers

Professor Gill McIvor (Criminology): Stirling University

Alison Petch: Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services (IRISS)

Dr Kate Skinner: IRISS

Professor Julie Taylor: Dundee University

Gordon Watt: Childrens Hearing Branch

Heather Wilkinson: University of Edinburgh

Robert Gordon University

School of Applied Social Studies

Faculty of Health and Social Care

Garthdee Road Aberdeen AB10 7QG

Figure 9.1 on p.161 has been reproduced with kind permission from Domestic Abuse Intervention Project (202 East Superior Street, Duluth, MN 55802, 218.722.4134, www.theduluthmodel.org).

First published in 2013

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Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Violence against women : current theory and practice in domestic abuse, sexual violence, and exploitation / edited by Nancy Lombard and Lesley McMillan.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-84905-132-3 (alk. paper)

1. Women--Violence against--Great Britain. 2. Girls--Violence against--Great Britain. 3. Sex crimes-- Great Britain. 4. Women--Crimes against--Lesotho. 5. Women--Violence against--Great Britain-- Prevention. 6. Abused women--Services for--Great Britain. I. Lombard, Nancy, 1977- II. McMillan, Lesley, 1976

HV6250.4.W65V52167 2013

362.880820941--dc23

2012027220

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978 1 84905 132 3

eISBN 978 0 85700 330 0

Introduction

Nancy Lombard and Lesley McMillan

Introduction

Violence against women is a pervasive problem in society and responding appropriately to those who experience such violence and those who perpetrate it is a constant challenge for social work, health and related professions today. Mens violence against women takes many forms including, but not restricted to, domestic abuse, rape and sexual violence, child abuse, sex work/prostitution and trafficking and so called honour crimes. This violence affects adult women, young and teenage women and children and does not discriminate by ethnicity, sexuality or class. It is, however, the case that particular groups of women have particular needs in relation to the violence they experience and this volume will delineate the issues likely to be pertinent to women as a whole, and the issues that are specific to particular groups of women.

The volume provides those working in social work and related professions with up-to-date coverage of the major issues pertaining to violence against women and in doing so ensures practitioners have access to relevant evidence to inform practice. The book provides commentary on violence and motherhood, safety and parental contact in domestic abuse, partnership working and violence against women, training in domestic abuse awareness, working with men in violent relationships, and the response to and impact of sexual violence, and it addresses the particular experiences younger women, older women, BMER women and women in sex-work have of violence. The book discusses relevant research findings, policy developments and debates surrounding violence against women providing academics, practitioners and students with up-to-date knowledge that can be translated into practice. This is of paramount importance as statistics suggest the vast majority of women will have direct, or indirect, experience of violence in their lifetime and it is vital that social work and related professions are able to adequately respond to the needs of both victims/survivors and perpetrators. The book draws on contributors from academic research as well as those involved on the front line in the public and third sector thus providing a variety of perspectives and experience.

This introduction outlines the theoretical importance of gender to any analysis of violence against women and the pervasiveness and persistence of violence against women. It then moves on to clarify the terminology used throughout the book and seeks to place in context the choice to use certain terms, for example domestic violence or domestic abuse and victim or survivor.