The statistics on sexual abuse in the United States suggest that such crimes are perceived as socially acceptable, despite laws to the contrary. Thirty percent of women are battered at least once in their adult lives, while four million girls and women are trafficked annually. Seventy-five percent of employed battered women are harassed at their jobs by abusive husbands or lovers and half of them are murdered by these mates. At least twenty percent of women have been victimized by incest.

Victims of Sexual Assault and Abuse serves as a reference guide for professionals working with victims and perpetrators. Topics addressed include assault within marriage, courtship violence, abducted and runaway youth, violence against pregnant women, cyberspace violence, and sexual harassment of students and employees. This multivolume set promotes legislation to break the cycles of violence and dispels myths about victims and perpetrators. Preventative programs, policies, and educational programs are emphasized.

Features

• Over 70 expert contributors in the area of violence against children, teens and adults
• Provides examples of effective prevention programs and violent offender treatment programs, as well as recommendations for assessing and treating battered women
• Presents a clear history of sexual abuse in the United States
• Bibliographies accompany each chapter in each volume
• A listing of websites and organizations dealing with sexual assault and abuse provides additional resources