Child Abuse: A Global View

Each chapter addresses one country and explores the ways in which it approaches the problem, including: the history of child abuse, how child abuse is defined, the prevalence of abuse, child protection and legal actions taken when abuse is suspected, remedial services available for families and abused children, legal innovations available for child witnesses/victims of abuse, legislative reforms, legal ramifications for offenders, and preventative measures. Readers can choose one or more of these aspects and compare how each differs from country to country. These cross-cultural comparisons can help readers identify how each country’s historical perspective and definition of child abuse and neglect determines how each society identifies, prevents and treats the issue, why the problem persists, and what might be done to prevent it worldwide.