This authoritative reference work surveys family violence and abuse in America and the many forms that it can take. It provides extensive coverage of widely recognized forms of violence and abuse in family settings, including physical, verbal, and emotional abuse of spouses and intimate partners (both female and male) as well as children. In addition, the encyclopedia scrutinizes less recognized types of violence and abuse in households, such as abuse of siblings by other siblings and abuse of parents or grandparents by children and grandchildren (both minor and adult). The encyclopedia will thus be a valuable resource for readers seeking to better understand the true scope of these various forms of violence and abuse, important factors that contribute to incidence of family violence and abuse, and the various elements of laws, programs, and therapy alternatives that have been created to help victims of abuse and rehabilitate offenders.