The Association Between Child Abuse and other Family Violence

Family violence research and practice is generally fragmented according to the type of violence and the identity of the victim and perpetrator but the few small studies that have been undertaken suggest that a number of forms of violence may occur simultaneously in the same family. An exploratory study of twenty child abusive families found that each family was involved in at least one other violent activity, as well as (with only one exception) more than one type of child abuse. The violence was directed by adults and children towards self, adults, children, and/or the community. It is suggested that failure to take all violence into account may have hindered theory development. It is also proposed that there may be serious implications for intervention in child abuse in that the child protection worker may underestimate the danger to, and other effects on, the child.