Routledge Intimate Partner Violence: New Perspectives in Research and Practice

Since the 1970s the issue of intimate partner violence (IPV) has been explained through the patriarchal desire of men to control and dominate women, but this gendered perspective limits both our understanding of IPV and its treatment. Intimate Partner Violence: New Perspectives in Research and Practice is the first book of its kind to present a detailed and rigorous critique of current domestic violence research and practice within the same volume. In this challenging new text, with contributions from the UK, the US, and Canada, the subject is assessed from a more holistic position. It provides a critical analysis of the issue of domestic violence including issues that are often not part of the mainstream discussion. Each of the chapters tackles a different area of research or practice, from a critical review of contemporary topics in domestic violence research, including a critical review of men’s use of violence in relationships, a consideration of male victims, IPV within the LGBTQ+ community, perceptions of perpetrators and victims, and IPV within adolescent populations. The second half of the book examines challenges and opportunities for professionals working in the field and includes an analysis of an evidence informed perpetrator programme, the challenges faced working with male victims, and a discussion of the impact of domestic violence on children. Culminating with a series of evidence-based recommendations to bridge the divide between academic and practitioner stakeholders and to inform future working practices, this is an essential resource for students and practitioners alike. Review ‘This is a must-read book for researchers, practitioners, educators, and policy makers alike, working in the field of IPV; particularly those who value contemporary research, evidence-based-practice and are open to questioning traditional paradigms. The book promotes a critical but balanced evaluation challenging the gendered approach to IPV, examining both men and women’s experiences of IPV as well as issues surrounding neglected victims and adolescents. Significantly, emphasis is placed on exploring how all of this must inform intervention. This excellent book offers an invaluable opportunity, through the shared knowledge from experts in the field, to gain an up-to-date understanding of the complexity of IPV and its treatment and how we need to challenge traditional approaches to IPV based on the evidence that current research affords.’ - Dr. Kate Walker, Professor, Centre for Advances in Behavioural Science, Coventry University, UK. ‘This book is an important contribution to a contested and complex field. As a feminist researcher, I do hold to the importance of a gender based analysis of domestic abuse and intimate partner violence. I feel it is important to understand the role of gender in intimate relationships more generally, and particularly when violence and abuse occurs. Gender plays a role, regardless of whether victims and perpetrators are male or female. It may, therefore, seem surprising that I am offering a recommendation for this book. As a feminist, I’m committed to the robust challenge of patriarchal power, but am also aware that power is a complex and diffuse phenomenon, and that restrictive concepts of gender impact everyone. Whilst there are aspects of the authors’ analysis that I disagree with, they do offer an inclusive account of violence and abuse in intimate relationships, that highlights the importance of recognising male victims, the experience of violence and abuse in LGBTQ relationships, children’s experiences of domestic abuse, programmes for perpetrators and violence and abuse in young people’s dating relationships. This book invites us to consider how power functions in complex ways, in a range of relationships. I continue to feel that a feminist account is valuable and important, but we do need to hear and engage with alternative explanations. What is valuable about thi