Título: When Men Batter Women
Autor: John Gottman
Sinopse: While national awareness of the issue of battering has increased in recent years, certain myths regarding abusive relationships still endure, including the idea that all batterers are alike. But as Neil S. Jacobson, Ph.D., and John Gottman, Ph.D., explain, this is not the case. Drawing on the authors' own research, When Men Batter Women offers a significant breakthrough in our understanding of the men who become batterers—and how to put a stop to the cycle of relationship violence.
After their decade of research with more than 200 couples, the authors conclude that not all batterers are alike, nor is the progression of their violence always predictable. But they have found that batterers tend to fall into one of two categories, which they call "Pit Bulls" and "Cobras." Pit Bulls, men whose emotions quickly boil over, are driven by deep insecurity and an unhealthy dependence on the mates whom they abuse. Pit Bulls also tend to become stalkers, unable to let go of relationships that have ended.
Cobras, on the other hand, are cool and methodical as they inflict pain and humiliation on their spouses or lovers; in one chilling discovery, the authors found that during violent arguments and physical beatings the heart rate of Cobras actually declines. Cobras have often been physically or sexually abused themselves, frequently in childhood, and tend to see violence as an unavoidable part of life.
Knowing which type a batterer is can be crucial to gauging whether an abusive relationship is salvageable (Pit Bulls can sometimes be helped through therapy) or whether the situation is beyond repair. Using the stories of several couples in their study, Jacobson and Gottman look at the dynamics of abusive relationships, refuting prevalent myths ("battering often stops on its own" or "battered women could stop the battering by changing their own behavior"). Never underestimating the inherent risk or danger involved, the authors discuss how women in their study group prepared themselves to leave an abusive relationship, where a battered woman can get help, and how she can keep herself safe.
Written with compassion and insight, When Men Batter Women offers invaluable advice and support to women in abusive relationships, as well as to friends, relatives, and caregivers who want to help.
Contexto da obra
Como livro em inglês, esta obra costuma ganhar também uma camada própria de interesse editorial e linguístico. “When Men Batter Women”, de John Gottman, publicado pela editora Simon & Schuster, em 2007 e com 304 páginas, integra a categoria Livros em Inglês. Por isso, o interesse da obra tende a se ampliar quando o leitor considera também a relação com a língua em que ela circula.
Editora: Simon & Schuster
Páginas: 304
Ano: 2007-01-15
Edição:
Linguagem: en
ISBN: 1416551336
ISBN13: 9781416551331
Sobre a editora
Os livros da editora Simon & Schuster revelam uma variedade notável de estilos e temas, transitando entre narrativas ficcionais e obras de não-ficção com forte apelo biográfico e histórico. O catálogo privilegia histórias que exploram transformações pessoais, desafios sociais e momentos decisivos da história, com uma linguagem que ora é densa e reflexiva, ora mais acessível e envolvente. Há uma presença marcante de relatos de jornadas, sejam elas físicas, emocionais ou intelectuais, que convidam o leitor a acompanhar personagens em processos de autodescoberta, superação ou investigação. O tom varia do íntimo e pessoal ao crítico e analítico, com textos que abordam desde conflitos internos até grandes eventos políticos e culturais.
