This book for GPs on family violence aims to provide the theoretical and practical grounding to respond effectively and safely to all forms of violence. Contributions are drawn from general practice itself, related medical specialties, social work, sociology, psychology, the law and patient representative groups.

Violence within the family, whether directed against children, partners or elders, profoundly disturbs our notions of what the relationship between the family and the discipline of general practice should be. GPs are doctors to whole families and yet their relationships with patients are
individual ones, drawing their strength from the principles of confidentiality, mutual trust and positive regard. Violence and abuse within families necessarily challenges all of these, creating a profusion of ethical, interpersonal and practical difficulties and dilemmas. At the same time the
nature of general practice confers unique opportunities to deal effectively with family violence.
GPs and GP registrars will find this book an invaluable and empowering resource. It brings together a broad range of expertise and opinion from relevant specialties and disciplines and sets family violence in its historical, epidemiological and societal context. It describes in separate sections,
child abuse, domestic violence and elder abuse, its presentations, diagnosis and treatment; and suggests ways forward for its prevention and early detection. It draws throughout on the experience of GPs, health visitors and social workers, providing practical safe and workable guidelines.

It was refreshing . . . to turn to this book and read such a comprehensive review of the problem of family violence. It is compiled by GPs able to call upon the expertise of authors, who can write plain English, who demonstrate an awareness of the context in which family violence presents to primary care health workers . . . If the lessons to be learnt from this book are heeded, then great progress will have been made to prevent this from happening.