Child Abuse: A Global View

(Hardback)

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Description

Although child abuse and neglect is a tragic social problem affecting the lives of many individuals worldwide, the way it is defined, prevented and treated differs from country to country. This unique international survey allows readers to identify the differences and similarities that exist among a variety of cultures when it comes to defining and preventing the problem. Scholars in the field have provided qualitative and quantitative data on the many issues surrounding this universal problem in 16 different countries chosen to represent all regions of the world. Each chapter addresses one country and explores the ways in which it approaches the problem, including: the history of child abuse, how child abuse is defined, the prevalence of abuse, child protection and legal actions taken when abuse is suspected, remedial services available for families and abused children, legal innovations available for child witnesses/victims of abuse, legislative reforms, legal ramifications for offenders, and preventative measures. Readers can choose one or more of these aspects and compare how each differs from country to country. These cross-cultural comparisons can help readers identify how each country's historical perspective and definition of child abuse and neglect determines how each society identifies, prevents and treats the issue, why the problem persists, and what might be done to prevent it worldwide.

Reviews

.,."an excellent compendium of cultural and statistical information regarding what is considered child abuse in many parts of the world."-Library Journal
...an excellent compendium of cultural and statistical information regarding what is considered child abuse in many parts of the world.-Library Journal
Students doing research across cultures and nations will aprreciate the volume because its structure lends itself to cross comparison-Blanche Woolls & David Loertscher (GaleGroup.com)
..."an excellent compendium of cultural and statistical information regarding what is considered child abuse in many parts of the world."-Library Journal
"Students doing research across cultures and nations will aprreciate the volume because its structure lends itself to cross comparison"-Blanche Woolls & David Loertscher (GaleGroup.com)

Author Bio

BETH M. SCHWARTZ-KENNEY is Associate Professor of Psychology at Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, VA./e She has coauthored a number of book chapters and journal articles addressing the reliability of children's memory and techniques for improving children's testimony. Dr. Schwartz-Kenney is currently researching the use of drawing when questioning children about witnessed events, and young children's understanding and use of deception. MICHELLE MCCAULEY is Assistant Professor of Psychology, Middlebury College in Middlebury, VT./e MICHELLE A. EPSTEIN is a Postdoctoral Fellow in Childhood Trauma at la Rabida Children's Hospital and Research Center in Chicago./e