The Domestic Assault of Women: Psychological and Criminal Justice Perspectives

by Donald G. Dutton

The Domestic Assault of Women provides a comprehensive look at the causes and effects of wife assault and its relationship to criminal justice policy. Thoroughly revised to reflect the recent explosion of research interest in family violence, the book explores the psychology of the male who assaults his intimate partner and the dynamics of teh victim/abuser relationship which so frequently leads to the question, ‘Why does she stay?’

Donald G. Dutton, a leading authority on wife assault, takes a fresh look at many of the questions posed in the original edition of the book, updating them with the latest research findings. The present edition includes an expanded history of social policy towards family violence as well as new chapters on the abusive personality and on taumatic bonding and teh battered woman syndrome. Dutton also examines important new research on the efficacy of arrest and treatment of batterers, he points to a disturbing increase in the level of violence in dating relationships.

Comprehensive in its coverage, The Domestic Assault of Women is the product of the author’s twenty years of experience working with batterers, battered women, police, and academic researchers. By looking at its root causes, Dutton argues that domestic assault is not just a ‘family problem but a problem for all society.

348 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1987