CUP book aims to help those trying to reduce violence

The co-editors of a new book on violence, published by Canterbury University Press, hope it will provide a valuable resource for those providing prevention programmes and studying its impact.

Dr Annabel Taylor

The book, Understanding Violence: Context and Practice in the Human Services, is co-edited by University of Canterbury (UC) social work expert Dr Annabel Taylor and Professor Marie Connolly from the University of Melbourne.
Dr Taylor said the book aims to increase the understanding of violence, its origins and the practices that have developed in response to violence.

“This book reflects the work of UC’s Te Awatea Violence Research Centre researchers and includes a broad coverage of many types of violence and recent response initiatives.
“It will be an essential resource for family violence practitioners, police, shelter organisations and violence prevention programme providers, as well as students and academics,” she said.

“Gangs, elder abuse, sexual offending and social networking risks are some of the areas described. I hope this contribution to research and writing will help to inform the public about violence prevention and contribute to on-going debate concerning effective responses to violence.”

Dr Taylor said the economic cost of family violence was estimated at $1.2 to $5.8 billion per year by economist Suzanne Snively in 1994. In today’s figures that would rise to $8 billion.
“We [New Zealand] have the fifth worst child abuse record out of 31 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries with, on average, one child killed every five weeks.”
Understanding Violence: Context and Practice in the Human Services was launched at the University Bookshop, University of Canterbury, on 27 June.

• Understanding Violence: Context and Practice in the Human Services, co-edited by Dr Annabel Taylor and Professor Marie Connolly, published by Canterbury University Press,  RRP$45, ISBN 978-1-927145-48-7.

About the editors:Dr Taylor is a member of, and is assisting, the Sir Owen Glenn National Think Tank Inquiry into child abuse. She is also Director of the Te Awatea Violence Research Centre at the University of Canterbury.
Professor Connolly is Chair and Head of Social Work at the University of Melbourne. Prior to this she was Chief Social Worker in the New Zealand government.