This book introduced a new model of woman defined advocacy that was designed to bridge the gap that sometimes occurs between a battered woman's perspective and a victim's advocate's perception. Created to improve service delivery to women who are victims of domestic violence, this model emphasized placing attention on the victim's assessment of the risk in the violent relationship and on her decision making. The authors aim to help advocates better understand battered women's decisions, including the decision to stay in an abusive relationship, to improve advocacy for victims with various cultural experiences and backgrounds, and to provide advocates with assistance in redesigning their services so they may better meet the needs of battered women.

The second edition will be updated to include current research, greater emphasis on working with marginalized populations, an expanded advocacy framework, more emphasis on client strengths and strengths based perspective, and more pedagogical elements will be introduced.

Safety Planning with Battered Women introduces a new model of ôwoman-definedö advocacy that is designed to bridge the gap that sometimes occurs between a battered womanÆs perspective and a victim advocateÆs perception. Created to improve service delivery to women who are victims of domestic violence, this new model emphasizes placing attention on the victimÆs assessment of the risk in a violent relationship and in her decision making. Authors Jill Davies, Eleanor Lyon, and Diane Monti-Catania strive to help advocates better understand battered womenÆs decisions, including the decision to remain in an abusive relationship; to improve advocacy for victims with varying cultural backgrounds and experiences; and to provide advocates with assistance in redesigning their services, so they may better meet the needs of battered women. Since there are no quick fixes to the problems encountered in cases of domestic violence, it is vital that victims be provided with a real understanding of their options and the opportunity to implement those safety plans they deem most feasible. Safety Planning with Battered Women helps advocates tailor alternatives that will enhance the safety of battered women based on the individual realities of battered women. This book is both enlightening and highly practical and is a must read for anyone working with domestic violence victims. By introducing a woman-defined model and offering a new approach to advocacy, Safety Planning with Battered Women will compel readers to reexamine current approaches and examine the future provision of services to domestic violence victims, making it a valuable resource for students, researchers, academics, professionals, and practitioners.