NCJ Number
93120
Date Published
1983
Length
271 pages
Annotation
Testimony from persons involved in programs for battered and abusing spouses, including victims and abusers, focuses on the extent and nature of spouse abuse, the services offered and needed, and recommendations for Federal legislation to help deal with the problem.
Abstract
Witnesses document the growing problem of domestic violence in their communities and discuss the cycle of violence that traps victims in abusive situations. Women who have been victims of abuse testify to the fear and suffering accompanying abuse and the difficulties they have had in obtaining the shelter and support services needed to escape from the victimization cycle. An abuser describes the program that helped him modify his violent behavior, a program in which he now participates as a member of the staff. Witnesses who are professionals and volunteers involved in programs for victims and abusers indicate that demand for their services is exceeding their ability to supply the services, due largely to funding cutbacks at the Federal level. Some of the witnesses' recommendations for Federal help include the provision of financial assistance for shelter, food, and counseling programs as well as the passage of family-focused legislation that addresses prevention, early intervention (counseling and in-home services), treatment for all family members, shelter care, and followup after residential services. Materials related to the problem of and services for domestic violence are also included.