ABSTRACT

In every country surveyed for this book, abuse within families was found to be present. On the basis of this research and the extensive literature on family violence, it can be confidently asserted that family violence is a global issue. Despite this universality, the prevalence and incidence of the problem are not known with any precision, and conceptions of abuse are poorly understood both domestically and internationally. In this chapter, I argue that a human rights paradigm provides a valuable approach to addressing family violence, but that this approach requires specific local knowledge and adaptation.