NCJ Number
54904
Editor(s)
S K STEINMETZ
Date Published
1978
Length
59 pages
Annotation
DIMENSIONS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE ARE DISCUSSED IN THIS RESOURCE BOOKLET, FOLLOWED BY A SYNOPSIS OF DELAWARE, PENNSYLVANIA, AND MARYLAND LAW PERTAINING TO FAMILY OFFENSES AND LISTS OF THESE STATES FAMILY SERVICES.
Abstract
ALTHOUGH EXTENSIVE MEDIA COVERAGE OF FAMILY VIOLENCE IS A RECENT PHENOMENON, AN EXAMINATION OF COURT RECORDS, NEWSPAPER ARTICLES, AND LAWS SUGGESTS THAT AS LONG AS THERE HAVE BEEN FAMILIES, THERE HAS PROBABLY BEEN FAMILY VIOLENCE. CHILD ABUSE, VIOLENCE AMONG SIBLINGS, AND VIOLENCE BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. IN A STUDY BY STEINMETZ IN 1977, 57 FAMILIES REPRESENTING A WIDE VARIETY OF CLASSES AND RACES AND CONTAINING 2 OR MORE CHILDREN, WERE SURVEYED ON FAMILY CONFLICTS. ANALYSIS OF RESPONSES SHOWED THAT OVER 60 PERCENT OF ALL THE FAMILIES EXPERIENCED SOME FORM OF MARITAL VIOLENCE DURING THEIR MARRIAGE. THE DATA INDICATE FEW DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HUSBANDS AND WIVES IN THEIR USE OF VIOLENT ACTS WITH THEIR SPOUSES, AND THE FREQUENCY OF METHODS USED IS SIMILAR. THE DATA SUGGEST SEVERAL POSSIBILITIES FOR REDUCING SPOUSE ABUSE. MECHANISMS CAN BE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE PROTECTION FROM FURTHER PHYSICAL ABUSE BY THE BATTERING SPOUSE. THE LONG-TERM SOLUTION, HOWEVER, REQUIRES THE REEDUCATION OF FAMILY MEMBERS, STARTING WITH YOUNG CHILDREN, AS REGARDS NONVIOLENT CONFLICT RESOLUTION. FOLLOWING THIS GENERAL DISCUSSION OF FAMILY VIOLENCE, THE BOOKLET REPRODUCES SPECIFIC STATES' LAWS CONCERNING ASSAULT, CHILD ABUSE, CHILD CUSTODY, RAPE, DESERTION, SPOUSE ABUSE, DIVORCE, KIDNAPING, AND CHILD SUPPORT. FAMILY RESOURCES AND SERVICES AVAILABLE IN DELAWARE, PENNSYLVANIA, AND MARYLAND ARE LISTED ALONG WITH SEMINARS ON 'THE LAW AND FAMILY VIOLENCE' HELD IN DELAWARE IN 1977. EMERGENCY NUMBERS IN DELAWARE ALSO ARE PROVIDED. STATISTICS FROM THE REPORTED STUDY ARE INCLUDED, ALONG WITH A BIBLIOGRAPHY. (RCB)