Available From UC Press

Abusive Endings offers a thorough analysis of the social-science literature on one of the most significant threats to the health and well-being of women today—abuse at the hands of their male partners. The authors provide a moving description of why and how men abuse women in myriad ways during and after a separation or divorce. The material is punctuated with the stories and voices of both perpetrators and survivors of abuse, as told to the authors over many years of fieldwork. Written in a highly readable fashion, this book will be a useful resource for researchers, practitioners, activists, and policy makers.

Walter S. DeKeseredy is Anna Deane Carlson Endowed Chair of Social Sciences, Director of the Research Center on Violence, and Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at West Virginia University. 

Molly Dragiewicz is Associate Professor in the School of Justice, Faculty of Law at Queensland University of Technology. 

Martin D. Schwartz is Professional Lecturer in the Department of Sociology at George Washington University, and Professor Emeritus and Presidential Research Scholar at Ohio University. 

“Why don't they leave?" is perhaps the most common reponse to hearing about men’s violence against women. In this detailed analysis, Walter DeKeseredy, Molly Dragiewicz, and Martin Schwartz—three of the most thoughtful researchers we have—offer a painfully precise empirical answer: because women are most vulnerable to violence when the relationship ends. A vital empirical addition to a heartbreaking literature.”—Michael Kimmel, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Gender Studies, SUNY Stony Brook

“If you find yourself crying out ‘Why does this keep happening?’ after reading yet another gruesome headline about a domestic-violence homicide, read this fascinating book. The authors have assembled a treasure trove of research-backed insight into the ongoing tragedy of men’s violence against the women they claim to love or have loved. Abusive Endings is a tremendous resource for domestic- and sexual-violence advocates, law enforcement, researchers, and policymakers, but also for anyone who wants to understand the ideologies of gender and power that help perpetuate this terribly sad and persistent problem.”—Jackson Katz, PhD, author of The Macho Paradox: Why Some Men Hurt Women and How All Men Can Help

“Abusive Endings is an important work that sheds much-needed light on the dynamics of violence against women as they seek to exit abusive relationships. DeKeseredy, Dragiewicz, and Schwartz have once again provided an invaluable resource for educators, policymakers, and practitioners.”—Jody Miller, author of Getting Played: African American Girls, Urban Inequality, and Gendered Violence