Women, Violence and Social Change demonstrates how refuges and shelters stand as the core of the battered women's movement, providing a basis for pragmatic support, political action and radical renewal. From this base movements in Britain and the United States have challenged the police, courts and social services to provide greater assistance to women. The book provides important evidence on the way social movements can successfully challenge institutions of the State as well as salutatory lessons on the nature of diverted and thwarted struggle.
Throughout the book the Dobashes' years of researching violence against women is illustrated in the depth of their analysis. They maintain the tradition established in their first book, Violence Against Wives, which was widely accalimed.

Russell P. Dobash, R. Emerson Dobash

1. Violence Against Women, 2. The Rise of the Movement: Orientations and Issues, 3. Refuges and Housing, 4. The State, Public Policy and Social Change, 5. Challenging the Justice System, 6. New Laws and New Reactions, 7. The Therapeutic Society Constructs Battered Women and Violent Men, 8. Knowledge and Social Change, 9. Innovation and Social Change, Notes, Selected References, Index