This is an exciting and innovative book which provides a thorough introduction to contemporary social theory by examining the way in which the widespread existence of violence against women is explored. A wide range of theories from liberalism to evolutionary psychology are considered culminating in the development of a distinctive feminist realist position. The theories discussed are tested against a large-scale survey, the findings of which challenge many conventional wisdoms as to the patterning of violence in contemporary society.
List of Tables and Figures Acknowledgements Introduction Classicist Criminology: Liberal Explanations of Violence Positivism: Scientific Explanations of Violence Violence and the Three Feminisms Feminist Realism: A Synthesis Researching Violence Revealing the Hidden Figure What Do the Men Say? Male Attitudes to Domestic Violence Violence, Space and Gender: Testing the Theories Tackling Domestic Violence: From Theory to Policy References Index