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Rating: 
Summary: Great Book - Very insightful
Review: The reviewer from Western Australia has either not read the book or has just scanned it. The authors do not link domestic violence with mental illness on the perpetrators side, encouraging the perpetrator not to accept responsibility. In fact, they state exactly the opposite, that assault and battering is a choice batterers make, and the authors repeat this over and over, almost in every page. In addition, the authors do concentrate on the power and control issues, as main motivators for the violence. You have to admit, however, that there is nothing 'sane' about someone hitting their spouses. In fact, this is criminal behavior.
The reviewer from Western Australia makes a statement that this book reminds you issues from the '60's. This is innacurate. In the '60's there was very little, if any, mention of domestic violence both in the psychological community/trade papers and in the penal code. This book was written in the early '90's, and most research quoted is from a few years before that. In addition, the issues of social/financial control and sexual agression are reviewed and properly addressed in the appropriate context of one opressor and one victim.
The book descriptions of the whole dynamics and overall process are very accurate, and, as an ex-battered domestic violence survivor I wish I had the chance to read this book when it was hapening to me, and not after. This book gives specific actions a victim should take in order to get away from a perpetrator and very insightfully explains why some people stay in unhealthy relationships and decide that they can best cope with an agressor more by staying in the relationship than by leaving, as many of us do.
Lastly, this book helps you in identifying prospective batterers in new people you may be dating, with specific red flags to look for.
If you are reading this, you are probably a victim, batterers do not seek help unless the courts orders it, and they are not interested in reading about this because they think they are right in hurting you (and that it is their right to do so). You have to take action now, dont wait until you are hit again because, as the authors rightfully say, it will happen again, regardless of you making up or your wishful thinking or the amount of time that passed since you were last battered. This book will tell you how to get out and stay out.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing book
Review: When I first found out about this book, I wanted to read it - but found myself very disappointed. It does seems to have been written in isolation and does not reflect much of the current literature and ideas around domestic violence. The author seems to want to link the presence of domestic violence, with mental illness or other type of 'sickness' within the perpetrator. I find this model unhelpful, as it tends to encourage the perpetrator not to accept that he is responsible for his actions, and therefore discourages his need to take responsibility and change. I believe that this philosophy is `old fashioned' and the debates around domestic violence have become much more sophisticated and complex since the 1960's. It also concentrates more on physical assault and ignores the wider aspects of power and control - ie social, financial control, sexual assault etc. I found that his understanding of domestic violence was limited and naive. It's one positive aspect is the fact that it `names' domestic violence in gay male relationships. Many authors are writing about violence in straight relationships, and there are a few who write about violence in lesbian relationships, however the existence of DV in gay male relationships is still in the closet. The presence of this book helps to change that. Overall, I do not find this book to be very helpful for gay men in relationships where domestic violence is a feature.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing book
Review: When I first found out about this book, I wanted to read it - but found myself very disappointed. It does seems to have been written in isolation and does not reflect much of the current literature and ideas around domestic violence. The author seems to want to link the presence of domestic violence, with mental illness or other type of 'sickness' within the perpetrator. I find this model unhelpful, as it tends to encourage the perpetrator not to accept that he is responsible for his actions, and therefore discourages his need to take responsibility and change. I believe that this philosophy is 'old fashioned' and the debates around domestic violence have become much more sophisticated and complex since the 1960's. It also concentrates more on physical assault and ignores the wider aspects of power and control - ie social, financial control, sexual assault etc. I found that his understanding of domestic violence was limited and naive. It's one positive aspect is the fact that it 'names' domestic violence in gay male relationships. Many authors are writing about violence in straight relationships, and there are a few who write about violence in lesbian relationships, however the existence of DV in gay male relationships is still in the closet. The presence of this book helps to change that. Overall, I do not find this book to be very helpful for gay men in relationships where domestic violence is a feature.
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