In this study of late nineteeth-century moral reform, Peggy Pascoe examines four specific cases--a home for Chinese prostitutes in San Francisco, California; a home for polygamous Mormon women in Salt Lake City, Utah; a home for unmarried mothers in Denver, Colorado; and a program for American Indians on the Omaha Reservation in Nebraska--to tell the story of the women who established missionary rescue homes for women in the American West. Focusing on two sets of relationships--those between women reformers and their male opponents, and those between women reformers and the various groups of women they sought to shelter--Pascoe traces the gender relations that framed the reformers' search for female moral authority, analyzes the interaction between women reformers and the women who entered the rescue homes, and raises provocative questions about historians' understanding of the dynamics of social feminism, social control, and intercultural relations.

He'd been her friend for years. He said he loved her. Then she realised she didn't know him at all... When everything seemed to be falling apart in Sophie's life, she was thankful for her friend Kas, who was always at the end of a phone, ready to listen and to offer comfort and advice. Her father's cold dislike of her and then her parents' divorce had left her with a deep distrust of men. But, gradually, Kas made her believe there was at least one man who truly cared about her. But she was wrong. At first when Sophie went to stay for a few days with Kas in Italy, he was kind and caring, as he'd always been. But three days after she arrived, everything changed. His eyes were cold as he described the things he expected her to do 'for love'. But soon Sophie's bewilderment turned to fear as he punched and shouted at her and threatened to kill her adored younger brothers if she didn't do exactly as she was told...to sell her body on the streets to pay off Kas's debts. Terrified of Kas, the police and the men whose pleasures she was forced to satisfy, Sophie worked seven nights a week for the next six months on the dark and lonely streets of a town in northern Italy. Subjected regularly to Kas's verbal, mental and physical abuse, she knew she would never escape. And then, one day, after she'd been admitted to hospital with stomach pains - and knowing that Kas would kill her if he found out - she dared to phone her mother. But who would reach her first?

This book offers insights and perspectives from a study of "Cultural Encounters in Intervention Against Violence" (CEINAV) in four EU-countries. Seeking a deeper understanding of the underpinnings of intervention practices in Germany, Portugal, Slovenia and the United Kingdom, the team explored variations in institutional structures and traditions of law, policing, and social welfare. Theories of structural inequality and ethics are discussed and translated into practice. Using a shared qualitative methodology, space was created to listen to professionals discussing the challenges of intervention and as well to hear voices of women who had escaped domestic violence or trafficking for sexual exploitation and of young people who had been taken into care due to abuse or neglect. Voices of professionals as well as of women and young people who have experienced intervention illuminate how and why practices may differ. The authors examine how existing theories can illuminate complex inequalities or encompass the experiences of minorities against the background of European colonial history, and what streams of ethical theory apply to the dilemmas and challenges of intervention practice. Analytical descriptions of the legal-institutional frameworks for each of the three forms of violence set the stage for comparison. Drawing on a rich store of empirical data, five chapters discuss key issues facing policy-makers and practitioners seeking effective strategies of intervention that can diminish violence while strengthening the agency of women and children. Unique among comparative studies, CEINAV integrated creative art workshops into the research and involved both professionals and survivors of violence in the process. "Reflections" include a discussion of different intervention cultures in Europe, alongside working with different voices and making cultural encounters visible through art. Overall the authors argue that overcoming violence cannot be achieved by standardising procedure but require an ethical foundation, for which they offer a proposal.

This book draws on a wide range of evidence to explore the facts about the relationship between substance misuse and domestic violence and their effect on children, and examines the response of children's services when there are concerns about the safety and welfare of children. It reveals the vulnerability of these children and the extent to which domestic violence, parental alcohol or parental drug misuse impact on children's health and development, affect the adults' capacity to undertake key parenting tasks, and influence the response of wider family and the community. It includes parents' own voices and allows them to explain what help they feel would best support families in similar situations. The authors explore the extent to which current local authority plans, procedures, joint protocols and training support information sharing and collaborative working. Emphasising the importance of an holistic inter-agency approach to assessment, planning and service provision, the authors draw from the findings implications for policy and practice in both children and adult services. This book is essential reading for all professionals working to promote the welfare and wellbeing of children and those working with vulnerable adults, many of whom are parents.

Thirty-nine women and their strategies of survival are the central focus of Aysan Sev'er's newest study on women who have left abusive situations. Through a mainly feminist orientation, Sev'er analyzes abuse, its many definitions, and existing theories surrounding violence against women, and incorporates an extensive literature review of Canadian and American sources that investigates feminist, non-feminist, and social-psychological theories of abuse. She then proceeds to relate the intimate stories of women who survived.

These interviews, from women outside institutional settings, candidly reveal the women's strengths and weaknesses. Some successful, some eventually destructive, the detailed stories allow Sev'er to analyse positive and negative social support systems, women's own aggression, and finally to develop a new model for post-violence adjustment. Erudite, revealing and ultimately affirming, Sev'er's study provides a new look and new hope to the issue of violence against women, and will be indispensable to anyone who is involved in women's issues.

Picture family life in Canada. Does it include women or girls being murdered, on average, every two and a half days? Or the fact that intimate partner violence counts as nearly one-third of all reports to police? Or that child or elder abuse is more common than you might imagine? Written for students, instructors, practitioners, and advocates in all related fields, this expanded and updated third edition of Cruel But Not Unusual: Violence in Families in Canada offers the latest research, thinking, and strategies to address this hard reality in Canada today. Violence takes many forms inside relationships and families, and the systems charged with responding and helping can actually add to the harm, further isolating and endangering victims. Nowhere is this more evident than in intentionally marginalized communities, such as Indigenous, Black, people of colour, LGBTQI2S+, people with disabilities, and immigrant, refugee, and non-status women. From recommendations on resisting anti-Black state-sanctioned violence, to a call to action on partner abuse within LGBTQI2S+ communities, the book offers bold ideas for moving forward, highlighting the work of researchers and activists from these communities. Using a range of perspectives (feminist, trauma-informed, intersectional, anti-oppression) and including diverse couple and family relationships and settings (foster care, group homes, institutions), the contributors track violence across the life course, addressing the impact on the brain, trauma, coercive control, resilience, disclosing abuse, the MeToo movement, self-care, and providing practical case examples and guidelines for working with children, youth, adults, couples, families, and groups. The result is an authoritative source that offers new insights and approaches to inform understanding, policy, practice, and prevention.

A terrible act of violence. A chance occurrence - or something more sinister?On a beautiful summer afternoon, Stacey Sullivan is getting married to Mark James. But then screams smother the laughter, police sirens drown out the church bells. Out of nowhere, a drug-fuelled gunman opens fire on the wedding party. The shooter is beaten, disarmed and detained by the guests. No one knows who the gunman is... or if they do, they're not admitting it. The job of solving the two murders is laid solely at the feet of DI Charley Mann. Could this be a random attack, or a pre-planned assassination? When information comes to light of a link to feuding drug-dealing families in Manchester, Charley's team need to act rapidly. They need to find - and apprehend - those responsible. Fast. It soon becomes clear: if they fail, more deaths are coming... An utterly compelling crime thriller that won't let go, perfect for fans of J. M. Dalgliesh, Ann Cleeves and Angela Marsons.

'Give this book to a sister, a mother, a friend; it may change her life.' LAUREN LAVERNE One in four women will experience domestic violence. We all know a woman whose life is dominated and controlled by her partner - and we might not even realise it. Many women find themselves in the thrall of the Charm Syndrome Man, a man whose distinct pattern of behaviour and use of charm ultimately serves to gain control over the woman. In the new edition of her classic work, Sandra Horley CBE draws on almost four decades supporting abused women to provide an insight into the reality behind the mask of the charming man. The book's aim is to show women they are not alone and to help them walk away from the confusing, dangerous situation they find themselves in. Even after devastating emotional and physical abuse, there is hope. This is a story of courage and strength, told by women who have reclaimed their lives so that others may too.

DEEP DOWN is a moving, witty, unexpected novel of family secrets, perfect for fans of Naoise Dolan, Katherine Heiny and Megan Nolan Billie and Tom have just found out their father has died. Dislocated from each other and unable to talk about the trauma in their family's past, Billie decides the best thing to do is get on a plane to her brother in Paris. Maybe there they can find a way to heal? As their story veers between present bereavement and flashbacks to growing up, we see the siblings search for common ground and attempt to repair old wounds. Following the tracks of their grief, Billie and Tom find themselves - unexpectedly - lost in the catacombs of Paris, confronting both each other and their own demons. Funny, moving and unexpected, DEEP DOWN is a novel from a huge new talent who readers are going to love.

Running to stand still is moving testament to enduring love, the hazards of history, the telling of stories and the power of truth. The story begins in Ireland during the Second World War, where O'Riain tells an extraordinary tale of a family at war with one another and the violence that lurks behind their love. O'Riain, forbidden by his mother to join the Boy Scouts or the reserve national army, eventually puts on a uniform; the irregular uniform of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). A couple of spells in prison, a threat from a girlfriend, a daring run from the police and eventual capture, all combine and the early indications of a psychological split between the 'good' and 'bad' O'Riain, are made manifest. These are the threads that take the writer, O'Riain himself, to he present day, and to his search for a way of telling his story, and eventually telling the tale of his marriage to his beloved Verne. That begins one day, as O'Riain finds himself on a Johannesburg street, kicking his wife. He is forced to look at the 'other' O'Riain, the one who is a violent and abusive man. This is the story of his recovery, of Verne's trust and love and their mutual discovery of the roots of violence and provocation. By turns it is shocking and beguiling and the beauty of the writing only underscores the horror of the violence.

Modern scholars of most major religious traditions, who seek gender egalitarian interpretations of their scriptural texts, confront a common dilemma: how can they produce interpretations that are at once egalitarian and authoritative, within traditions that are deeply patriarchal? This book examines the challenges and resources that the Islamic tradition offers to Muslim scholars who seek to address this dilemma. This is achieved through extensive study of the intellectual history of a Qur'anic verse that has become especially contentious in the modern period: Chapter 4, Verse 34 (Q. 4:34) which can be read to permit the physical disciplining of disobedient wives at the hands of their husbands. Though this verse has been used by historical and contemporary Muslim scholars in multiple ways to justify the right of husbands to physically discipline their wives, progressive and reformist Muslim scholars and activists offer alternative and non-violent readings of the verse. The diverse and divergent interpretations of Q. 4:34 showcases the pivotal role of the reader in shaping the meaning and implications of scriptural texts. This book investigates the sophisticated and creative interpretive approaches to Q. 4:34, tracing the intellectual history of Muslim scholarship on this verse from the ninth century to the present day. Ayesha S. Chaudhry examines the spirited and diverse, and at times contradictory, readings of this verse to reveal how Muslims relate to their inherited tradition and the Qur'anic text.

In "Domestic Violence: Intersectionality and Culturally Competent Practice," experts working with twelve unique groups of domestic abuse survivors provide the latest research on their populations and use a case study approach to demonstrate culturally sensitive intervention strategies. Chapters focus on African Americans, Native Americans, Latinas, Asian and Pacific Island communities, persons with disabilities, immigrants and refugees, women in later life, LGBT survivors, and military families. They address domestic violence in rural environments and among teens, as well as the role of religion in shaping attitudes and behavior.

Lettie L. Lockhart and Fran S. Danis are editors of the Council of Social Work Education's popular teaching modules on domestic violence and founding co-chairs of the CSWE symposium on violence against women and children. In their introduction, they provide a thorough overview of intersectionality, culturally competent practice, and domestic violence and basic practice strategies, such as universal screening, risk assessment, and safety planning. They follow with collaborative chapters on specific populations demonstrating the value of generalist social work practice, including developing respectful relationships that define issues from the survivor's perspective; collecting and assessing data; setting goals and contracting; identifying culturally specific interventions; implementing culturally appropriate courses of action; participating in community-level strategies; and advocating for improved policies and funding at local, state, and federal levels. Featuring resources applicable to both practitioners and clients, Domestic Violence forms an effective tool for analysis and action.

Narcissistic abuse. Two horrible words with huge consequences to physical and mental wellbeing. This book gives practical steps that can be taken to avoid getting into an abusive relationship in the first place, how to get out of an abusive relationship and recover from abuse. The Practical Guide to Understanding, Leaving and Recovering from Narcissistic Abuse is a guide to spotting the warning signs with suggestions about how to leave safely and recover from abuse from people who have gone through the traumatic experience personally and understand what you might be going through. This book gives important insights into why it is so easy to get drawn into a romantic relationship with a narcissist and why it is so difficult to leave the relationship, and even harder to recover from it. Discover for yourself the sixteen stages of an abusive relationship, the two pre-leaving stages and the eight recovery phases.

Even the littlest lies can have the biggest consequences... On the night of her mother's wake, only one thing brings Ruby comfort; the knowledge that her mother's killer is safely behind bars. But guilt is eating away at fragile younger sister Sophie, who brought their mother's killer into their lives. This is why Ruby is glad that Sophie is with her supportive boyfriend Ewan, despite Ruby's doubts about him. He's been Sophie's rock, not only taking care of her, but her little kids, too. So what if he doesn't like talking about his past? But when news of another woman's murder spreads through their town like wildfire, Ruby is shocked to find herself with reason to suspect Ewan of the crime. And with one good lie driving a wedge between the sisters, it's hard for Ruby to get Sophie to see what she sees. Ewan is keeping dangerous secrets. But he's not the only person close to home who has something shocking to hide... A gripping and unputdownable thriller that will keep you reading into the early hours of the morning. Read what everyone is saying about One Good Lie:'Oh my GOODNESS!! I absolutely loved this... It got to the point where I was suspecting every single character in the book... The ending was twisty, thrilling, scary and, best of all, satisfying. Truly a wonderful psychological thriller that kept me captivated throughout!' Shalini Boland, author of The Secret Mother, 'I can honestly say that this is psychological fiction at its best. Cleverly written and packed full of chilling suspense... With lots of delicious twists and clashes of personality that could set the pages on fire, One Good Lie ticks all the boxes for me. A hugely satisfying read and one I would highly recommend.' Sheryl Browne, author of My Husband's Girlfriend, 'A clever, creepy and compulsive psychological thriller' Diane Jeffrey, author of The Silent Friend, 'Jane Isaac never lets us down; this is fast-paced storytelling at its best. One Good Lie is a chilling, unputdownable read, packed with menace and suspense... Highly recommended!' Linda Huber, author of Baby Dear, 'One Good Lie had me on the edge of my seat! Every time I thought I had the plot figured out the carpet was pulled from under my feet! Twisty and full of surprises. Highly recommended! 5/5.' NetGalley Reviewer, 'An exciting psychological thriller that will appeal to fans of Ruth Ware, Greer Hendricks, and Sarah Pekkanen... Excellently-written, well-plotted... I sped through this book and finished it in a day... If you're a fan of the thriller genre, you won't regret checking out this book' Goodreads Reviewer, '5 Stars! Highly recommend. It was hard to put this book down. It was a fast-paced story full of suspense. I was hooked from the first chapter... I absolutely loved this story of two sisters.' NetGalley Reviewer, 'I was invested straight away; it was fast-paced and I couldn't put it down.' NetGalley Reviewer, 'Book drought over! Hooked from page one, didn't stop reading until silly o'clock, had a few hours' sleep, walked the dog then dived back in to finish.' Goodreads Reviewer 'Absolutely kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn't wait to find out what happened. The ending didn't disappoint. I highly recommend this one.' NetGalley Reviewer, 'This is a brilliant read... The characters are likeable, even the villainous ones, and it just shows you can never really trust anyone who you think you know.' Goodreads Reviewer,

Violence in the home is one of the most damaging and widespread of social problems. It is an issue that cuts across all socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, gender, and age boundaries. It takes many forms, including emotional, physical, and sexual abuse as well as neglect. This important book reviews the most current theoretical explanations of family violence and then links theory to practice. It looks at the systems and institutions that interact with families, which are mandated to provide protection and services, and explores the current debates surrounding family violence and public policy. In addition, Kurst-Swanger explores the role of power in abusive relationships and considers the short- and long-term consequences of abuse. This insightful book will be a practical resource for professionals and of interest to all those concerned with the far-reaching impact of family violence.

"What a breath of fresh air. [This book] takes on the entrenched and very powerful. Superb stuff. . . . Exhilarating."--Archbishop Desmond Tutu

"Here is a searching and spirited story of human intimacy as it sometimes descends into aggression: violence inflicted and vulnerability endured--a melancholy story told with thoughtfulness, with sensitivity, and with a brave willingness to consider the subtleties and ironies of affliction perpetrated and endured."--Robert Coles, Harvard University, editor of "DoubleTake" magazine, and author of "The Secular Mind"

"Mills is thoughtful, nuanced, and original in her analysis of intimate abuse. With compassionate insight, she reveals how insult can lead to injury and outlines a practical alternative path to healing and safety. "This is a feminist critique, and a survivor's, of a mandated one-size-fits-all approach to punishing domestic violence. Mills moves our thinking beyond unilateralism, beyond bilateralism, to a multilateral approach to repairing lives shattered by violence. It poses a profound challenge to existing orthodoxy and should spawn a generation of empirical research to refute, refine. and vindicate its analysis."--John Braithwaite, Australian National University

"Insult to Injury will change the public relationship to intimate violence: "Linda Mills mines the depths of our personal denial, challenging us to return to what we somehow already know. She'll take hits for the honesty--and the expectations it holds out to us. But she's done the long labor of real scholarship, building a sturdy bridge to these next dangerous steps of trust."--Adrian Nicole LeBlanc, author of "Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble, and Coming of Agein the Bronx"

"In this book, Linda Mills generates a bold and provocative thesis. While some may disagree with her, her views must be taken into account in the conversation on domestic violence."--Phyllis Goldfarb, Boston College School of Law

"Mills's accomplishment is impressive and courageous. Clearly and even elegantly written, her book offers a way out of the current unproductive debate about the agency of women in abusive relationships."--Christine A. Littleton, Professor of Law and Chair, Women's Studies Programs, UCLA

"Mills is the right person to write this book, and she does an admirable job."--Richard Gelles, author of "The Violent Home and The Book of David: How Preserving Families Can Cost Children's Lives"

"Stunning . . . . This is an immensely courageous story that will break your heart, leave you in tears, and, finally, offer hope and redemption. Brava, Kelly Sundberg." -Rene Denfeld, author of The Child Finder In this brave and beautiful memoir, written with the raw honesty and devastating openness of The Glass Castle and The Liar's Club, a woman chronicles how her marriage devolved from a love story into a shocking tale of abuse-examining the tenderness and violence entwined in the relationship, why she endured years of physical and emotional pain, and how she eventually broke free. "You made me hit you in the face," he said mournfully. "Now everyone is going to know." "I know," I said. "I'm sorry." Kelly Sundberg's husband, Caleb, was a funny, warm, supportive man and a wonderful father to their little boy Reed. He was also vengeful and violent. But Sundberg did not know that when she fell in love, and for years told herself he would get better. It took a decade for her to ultimately accept that the partnership she desired could not work with such a broken man. In her remarkable book, she offers an intimate record of the joys and terrors that accompanied her long, difficult awakening, and presents a haunting, heartbreaking glimpse into why women remain too long in dangerous relationships. To understand herself and her violent marriage, Sundberg looks to her childhood in Salmon, a small, isolated mountain community known as the most redneck town in Idaho. Like her marriage, Salmon is a place of deep contradictions, where Mormon ranchers and hippie back-to-landers live side-by-side; a place of magical beauty riven by secret brutality; a place that takes pride in its individualism and rugged self-sufficiency, yet is beholden to church and communal standards at all costs. Mesmerizing and poetic, Goodbye, Sweet Girl is a harrowing, cautionary, and ultimately redemptive tale that brilliantly illuminates one woman's transformation as she gradually rejects the painful reality of her violent life at the hands of the man who is supposed to cherish her, begins to accept responsibility for herself, and learns to believe that she deserves better.

This accessible text takes a multi-disciplinary approach to exploring issues surrounding domestic violence. It draws on contemporary research findings, policy developments, innovative practice and case studies to explore new directions in professional and voluntary sector responses to domestic violence.

Centred on the United Kingdom, but located in a context of global change, the book discusses and critically evaluates new criminal justice and multi-agency initiatives such as domestic violence courts and risk assessment conferences, as well as assessing how far these initiatives improve the safety of women and children.

Harne and Radford aim to disseminate ideas about best practice in relation to dealing with this sensitive and still controversial issue. They use real-life case studies from professionals, including the police, health services and Women's Aid, and are inclusive of the experiences of a wide range of survivors, in order to enable an understanding of the need for appropriate responses, depending on different survivor needs.

"Tackling Domestic Violence" provides an informed background for professionals in the police, probation, health and social care services, the legal system and voluntary sector with a remit to respond to domestic violence. It is also highly relevant to those undertaking courses on domestic violence at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

In the early 1990s policy changes were introduced in the UK in an attempt to increase arrest rates in domestic violence cases. This book examines the criminal justice response to this prevalent form of violence in the light of these changes. In particular, the book discusses the needs and expectations of victims, and how their choices impact on decisions made by police and prosecutors.

From Title IX cases on campus, to #metoo and #timesup, rape is a definitive issue at the heart of feminism, and lately, it's barely out of the news. Cultural critic Mithu Sanyal is picking up where Susan Brownmiller left off in her influential 1975 book Against Our Will. In fact, she argues that the way we understand rape hasn't changed since then, even as the world has changed beyond recognition. She contends that it is high time for a new and informed debate about rape, sexual boundaries and consent. Sanyal argues that the way we as a society understand rape tells us not just how we understand sexual violence, but how we understand sex, sexuality, and gender itself. For instance, why is it so hard to imagine men as victims of rape? Why do we expect victims to be irreparably damaged? When we think of rapists, why do we still think of strangers in dark alleys, rather than uncles, husbands, priests, or boyfriends? The book examines the role of race and the trope of the black rapist, the omission of male victims, and what we mean when we talk about rape culture. She provocatively takes every received opinion we have about rape, and turns it inside out - arguing with liberals, conservatives, feminists and sexists alike.

Obsession, jealousy, lust, revenge ... There is nothing more dangerous than a passion that curdles and spills into murder. Love, when it goes wrong and spirals into violence, leads to the most chilling and tragic consequences. Death at the hands of a partner or ex-partner is the most common form of murder for women, far outnumbering the risk of death from a stranger. Obsessional sexual desire is the common thread through the stories in this book, tragic examples of how death can come at the hands of a once trusted and loved partner. There is the story of talented US landscape artist Jill Cahill, whose husband was not content with battering his wife to a pulp but went back to finish the job while she lay in her hospital bed. There is the case of Martha Freeman from Tennessee, who hid her lover in her wardrobe, and then teamed up with him to murder her husband. There is the wife whose body was found in the boot of her own car, and whose husband had framed his girlfriend for the crime, hoping to get rid of two women from his life. UK student John Tanner served a twelve-year sentence for the murder of his girlfriend, and is now back behind bars for another attack, on another partner. British soldier Emile Cilliers tried to murder his wife by cutting the cords of her parachute; however, while he may not have succeeded, Belgian teacher and amateur skydiver Els Clotterman did when she cut her love rival's cords five years earlier. These, and many others, are the stories of fatal attraction that dominate the pages of this book.

Freedoms Flowers is a book about the effects of domestic abuse on children. It is composed of firsthand accounts from these children and their mothers. Some of the children write as adults from memory and some are male. The youngest contributor is eight years old. Their stories describe not only the abuse from the perpetrators but the dreadful collusion from the so called professionals who should have been protecting the victims instead of worsening the effects of the abuse. This book should be read by every teacher, social worker, solicitor, judge and member of the medical profession who comes in to contact with any aspect of domestic abuse. It should be read by every woman who is staying with an abuser for the sake of the children. Every woman whose children wet the bed, throw tantrums and attack other children should read this. Every woman whose children have been taken into care should also read this. The book also sends a strong message about hope. The contributors describe how their lives were saved when they attended the Freedom Programme. They did not need therapy or threats to save their children from abuse. They only needed information to enable them to make informed decisions. Knowledge is power

Providing an authoritative overview of the growing phenomena of child to parent violence - a feature in the daily life of increasing numbers of families - this book outlines what we know about it, what is effective in addressing it, and outlines a proven model for intervention. Based on non-violent resistance (NVR), the model is founded on a number of key elements: parental commitment to non-violence, de-escalation skills, increased parental presence, engaging the support network and acts of reconciliation. The book outlines the theory and principles, and provides pragmatic guidance for implementing these elements, accompanied by case studies to bring the theory to life.

One Saturday morning, Beverly Gooden is woken by her husband shoving her off the bed. She makes to flee, but he catches her, his sudden anger inexplicable. No words are exchanged. He begins to strangle her - as he has done many times before. With unflinching vulnerability, Gooden outlines in painstaking detail what she had to do to walk away from violence and control, and how others can use her experiences to escape their own abuse, from skimming the grocery money, to squirreling away personal belongings, to navigating a domestic violence shelter. She offers strategies for overcoming the barriers survivors often face, such as money, housing, overcritical social circles, or, most powerfully: love. Uniquely compassionate when it comes to the heartbreak of still loving one's abuser, Gooden shares how she transformed and extended this love outward, using her story to encourage others to choose themselves. The voice and fire behind #WhyIStayed, Bev Gooden is exceptionally positioned to explore the many reasons victims stay in abusive relationships, and how they can muster the resources and motivation to leave. Surviving is unlike any other memoir of survivorship, given its nuance, compassion, and candour. Above all, it is an exquisitely powerful testament to Gooden's healing, survivorship, and dedication to helping others do the same.