Date Abuse (Issues in Focus)

Silverstein, Herma

ISBN 10: 0894904744 ISBN 13: 9780894904745

Publisher: Enslow Pub Inc, 1994

Synopsis

Discusses teenage date abuse, explains how and why it occurs, and tells how to end an abusive relationship and where to go for help

About this title

From Kirkus Reviews:

Abusive relationships may feature physical violence, from slaps to rape and murder; verbal abuse, including persistent belittling; such emotional tactics as unpredictability and the silent treatment; and other harassment--threats or stalking. Addressing victims, Silverstein surveys the causes of these behaviors in family patterns and the abusers' need to compensate for perceived inadequacies and offers victims firm advice on extricating themselves--and avoiding more such relationships--by being clear and consistent about what's acceptable. Though she doesn't differentiate between occasional and habitual offensive behavior, and her assertion that ``Any forced sexual activity is rape, from kissing to intercourse'' is extreme, her simple (and somewhat repetitious) exposition will help teenagers clarify the subject, while her insistence that victims are not to blame should give them courage. A chapter detailing specifically what is likely to happen when a rape is reported--with police, at the emergency room, with the legal system--is especially useful. National and state-by-state list of rape prevention and treatment resources, and of victim assistance programs; index. (Nonfiction. 12+) -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 7-10-Young people today, male and female, are expected to navigate the minefield of dating and sexual relationships more or less on their own. In order to be helpful, any book on the subject should be informative, accurate, well written, and authoritative. Date Abuse is weak on all counts. The large-print, wide-margined text includes a 39-page state-by-state listing of hotline addresses and phone numbers. But worse than the padding is the book's inaccuracy due to generalities and vagueness. It is of no use to tell a rape victim that to get rid of self-blame, "try thinking positively about yourself in what are called affirmations." Silverstein states that "in the middle of sex, certain chemicals take over." What constitutes the "middle" of sex? The bibliography lists only nine items, including articles from Vogue and Redbook. Andrea Parrot's Coping with Date Rape and Acquaintance Rape (Rosen, 1993) is packed with facts, statistics, examples from research studies, personal narratives, current events, and court cases. It is the better resource.
Kathy Fritts, Jesuit High School, Portland, OR
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Enslow Pub Inc
• Publication date: 1994
• ISBN 10: 0894904744
• ISBN 13: 9780894904745
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 128