"Listening to Battered Women: A Survivor-Centered Approach to Advocacy. Mental Health, and Justice presents an in-depth, multidisciplinary look at society's responses to domestic violence. Although substantial reforms have been made in the services available to battered women since the 1970s, the book shows how the public and private systems available to victims of domestic violence are still failing to meet the needs of the women who seek help." "Using a feminist perspective, authors Lisa A. Goodman and Deborah Epstein explore and critique the current available services in three different arenas: the domestic violence advocacy community, the mental health profession, and the justice system."--BOOK JACKET. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Both specialists in domestic violence, Goodman (psychology, Boston College) and Epstein (law, Georgetown Univ.) provide a multidisciplinary, feminist review of responses to domestic violence. Shelters, hotlines, protective orders, and improved arrest, prosecution, and therapeutic responses have revolutionized services to battered women and go far beyond services offered during the early years, when women were encouraged to leave not only their abuser but also their community and support network. Such a "one-size fits all" mentality is not only unsuitable for impoverished, immigrant, or minority women, it also does not confront issues of gender and trauma at the core of domestic violence nor respect women's voices and empowerment. In addition to recommending domestic-violence training for all health care, justice, and advocacy providers, the authors urge the mental health system to reach out to disenfranchised/impoverished women and the justice system to be sensitive to individual women's voices and not automatically usurp the women's control. Goodman and Epstein argue that services need to coordinate to provide a response that respects the woman, adjusts services to the women's needs, and recognizes the influence of poverty and gendered society on this problem. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers, all levels. General Readers; Lower-division Undergraduates; Upper-division Undergraduates; Graduate Students; Researchers/Faculty; Two-year Technical Program Students; Professionals/Practitioners. Reviewed by S. M. Valente. From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Deborah Epstein is a professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center, director of the Domestic Violence Clinic, and associate dean for the Clinical Education and Public Interest & Community Service Programs. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.