Jeffrey L. Edleson, PhD, is Dean and Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Social Welfare. He is Professor Emeritus in the University of Minnesota School of Social Work and founding director of the Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse. He has published more than 130 articles and 12 books on domestic violence, group work, and program evaluation. Edleson recently served on the US National Advisory Council on Violence Against Women and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare.
The first shelter for battered women was established in Britain almost 25 years ago. Since then, the plight of battered women has grown rapidly. This volume examines the progress made in the field to date. The contributions reveal the innovative character of the battered women's movement that is evident throughout the world and is a tribute to the results of often difficult and life-threatening work. They address the diversity of efforts, challenge readers to reflect, assimilate and take action, and envision a future in terms of: the way in which societies define the problem; global organizing; informal social networks; new interventions to assist victims/survivors, perpetrators and their children; and practice research that informs intervention.