Family Violence

These films offer information about family violence, its profound impact on children, methods of prevention, and treatment. Professionals from the Children's Institute (Los Angeles, CA), the Institute for Family Health (Bronx, NY), and Inter Agency on Child Abuse and Neglect (ICAN) provide their opinions and actual interviews during group therapy sessions for victims. The voices of actual victims of family violence make the information much more immediate. Family Violence: An Overview, intended for a general audience, defines and explains the difference between domestic and family violence. Generational affects, issues of diversity, prevention, and treatment are discussed with emphasis on types of abuse, control and power issues of abusive behaviors, how abusive behavior is learned, and the role of anger in family violence. Impact on Children (for Educators and Caregivers) focuses on the ways babies, young children, and teenagers react to and are affected by family violence. Educators and caregivers are given tips on recognizing the physical and emotional symptoms of family violence and ways to locate help for victims. Impact on Children (for Parents) discusses signs of family violence, children as victims, and perpetrator characteristics. It also offers valuable information on seeking assistance for parent and child victims. Each film focuses on "breaking the cycle." The series provides valuable insights and would be a suitable purchase for public libraries and school library professional collections.—Linda M. Teel, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC