Child Abuse: A Global View

by Michelle A. Epstein, Beth Livingston, Michelle McCauley

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313307454
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	10/30/2000
Series:	A World View of Social Issues
Pages:	296
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.69(d)

About the Author

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 jourbanal 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

Table of Contents

Series Foreword
Foreword
Australia by Suzanne E. Hatty and James Hatty
Canada: Increasing Awareness and Changing Responses by Marcellina Mian, Nicholas Bala, and Harriet MacMaillan
England by Wendy Stainton Rogers and Jeremy Roche
India by Uma A. Segal
Ireland by Harry Ferguson
Israel by Tamar Cohen
Japan by Akihisa Kouno and Charles Felzen Johnson
Kenya by Phihsta Onyango and Victoria Kattambo
Malaysia by Mohd Sham Kasim
Mexico by Antonio Estrada
Norway by Kari Killén
Romania by Ana Muntean and Maria Roth
Russia by Frederick B. Berrien, Tamara Yakovlevna Safonova, and Evgeny Iosifivich Tsimbal
Spain by Joaquín De Paúl and Olayo González
Sri Lanka by D.G. Harendra de Silva
United States by Michelle R. McCauley, Beth M. Schwartz-Kenney, Michelle A. Epstein, and Elizabeth J. Tucker
Index

Editorial Reviews

This academic survey of child abuse policies is an excellent compendium of cultural and statistical information regarding what is considered child abuse in many parts of the world. Child advocates ranging from medical doctors to researchers contributed each of the 16 chapters, which are arranged alphabetically by country name. These chapters describe evenhandedly the situation that confronts children and those who try to help them. It is startling to read, for instance, that only a short time ago caning a child was not considered unusual in Asia. As the globe shrinks, this book nobly aims to facilitate the belief that understanding and respecting all people is important. Though Child Abuse is extensively documented, it would have been better if the informative country profiles that open each chapter had been reproduced as a comparison chart in an appendix. Recommended for academic and large public libraries.--Margaret Cardwell, DeKalb Technical Coll., Clarkston, GA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

Chapters on 16 different countries allow readers to identify differences and similarities that exist among a variety of cultures when it comes to defining and preventing child abuse. They examine the history of child abuse and neglect, legal definitions, the prevalence of abuse, children's role in the legal systems, and penalties for abuse. Also discussed are investigation of allegations, treating victims and perpetrators, and gathering statistics. Schwartz-Kenney teaches psychology at Randolph-Macon Woman's College. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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