Domestic and Family Violence

Silke Meyer is an Associate Professor at Monash University and Adjunct Associate Professor at CQUniversity, Australia. Silke is a criminologist and social worker by training, bringing practical and theoretical expertise to her research, teaching, and writing. Her research centres on different aspects of domestic and family violence, including women and children’s safety and wellbeing, men’s accountability in their role as perpetrators and fathers, experiences specific to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and the role of domestic and family violence-informed practice in child protection, policing, and court proceedings. Silke’s research has been published and cited widely and continues to inform policy and practice in areas of victim- and perpetrator-related service delivery. Dr Andrew Frost leads a team of educators in the Domestic and Family Violence Practice program at CQUniversity, Australia. Andrew has been working, teaching, and researching in offender rehabilitation since 1993. His practice and award-winning research into group work with violent offenders, along with the establishment of a forensic therapeutic community, has spawned a range of publications across books and academic journals. Theoretical models and other outcomes from this work have been used by state, NGO, and independent service providers to inform practice.

"This book, intended for students and practitioners, will be extremely valuable to each of these audiences. However, it also has the potential to reach other audiences both policy makers and academic. It is clear, accessible and incisive in its coverage of the complex issues surrounding domestic violence. The authors do not shy away from the hotly contested debates within this field but work through them for and with the reader. As a result, it offers the reader a refreshingly honest critical appreciation of what is known, what is yet to be known, and what might be doable as a consequence. Anyone interested in domestic family violence will learn much from it."Professor Sandra Walklate, Eleanor Rathbone Chair of Sociology, University of Liverpool, UK "Meyer and Frost have created a book that provides a refreshing look at domestic and family violence. The authors address head on the tensions and challenges that exist in current theorising and practice approaches, and provide effective strategies for addressing domestic and family violence. The result is a book that is comprehensive and holistic. It is a must read for domestic and family violence professionals, educators, researchers and students."Dr Yvonne Crichton-Hill, Senior Lecturer, Department of Human Services and Social Work, University of Canterbury, New Zealand "This book is as scholarly as it is practical. Administration and practitioners alike will find this book accessible, informative, and thought provoking. It will undoubtedly be an important resource that will serve as a guide to our efforts to reduce domestic and family violence."Dr Jayson Ware, Group Director, Offender Services & Program Corrective Services New South Wales, Department of Justice, Australia "Given the expansive, complex, and multi-faceted literature of this field, this book contributes a much-needed summary and reformulation of our current knowledge and best understanding of domestic and family violence. It is brilliantly organized to enable readers to find given subjects of interest, while conveying an sensitive "inside" portrayal of victimhood and perpetratorhood alike."Jerry L. Jennings, Ph.D., Vice President of Clinical Services, Liberty Healthcare Corporation, Pennsylvania, USA"This book is very timely for practitioners, educators and students who need a critical yet reflective approach to responding to domestic and family violence. Importantly the book shows constructive ways to respond to perpetrators and victims. It highlights the need for a gendered approach as well as extending to other occurrences of violence such as in same sex relationships and those living with a disability. I fully recommend this book as a practical and thoughtful guide to this complex field of practice."Patrick O’Leary, Professor of Social Work, Griffith Criminology Institute, School of Human Services and Social Work, Griffith University, Australia

• Part 1: The Context 1. Introduction 2. The nature and prevalence of domestic and family violence 3. Theoretical strands Part 2: The People 4. Enacting violence in private spaces: Understanding perpetratorhood 5. Resisting violence in private spaces: Understanding victimhood 6. The burden on children Part 3: Diversity 7. Not just a heterosexual, intimate relationship problem 8. The vulnerability of the displaced and the dispossessed: Matching services to migrant and indigenous populations Part 4: Responding 9. Tackling domestic and family violence: Primary, secondary and tertiary prevention 10. Responding to domestic and family violence: Good practices 11. Conclusion