By helping students understand more fully the etiology, prevalence, treatment, and prevention of child maltreatment, the authors hope to help prevent future violence against children. The extensive range of topics includes child sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, psychological abuse, child neglect, and effects of witnessing violence on children. The focus is on abuse perpetrated by family and non-family intimates who are the most frequent perpetrators but the focus also includes children abused by strangers. Theoretical and methodological issues in the study of child maltreatment are addressed. Case examples of child maltreatment covered by the media are provided, along with legal and cross-cultural perspectives. The textbook includes an extensive reference section and detailed indexes, an appendix of resources pertinent to child maltreatment, a list of related readings, interviews with experts in the field of child maltreatment, and an instructor's manual. References, tables, and figures