Not To People Like Us: Hidden Abuse In Upscale Marriages - Softcover

"Dr. Weitzman's years of service to diverse populations of abused women shines through in this compelling study. Honest and hard-hitting without sensationalizing, the stories of hidden abuse and the paralyzing fear of victims is gripping, clearly portrayed and poignant. Most important, Dr. Weitzman has identified what it takes to break the cycles of abuse."--Joseph A. Walsh, Ph.D., Dean and Professor, Loyola University Chicago, School of Social Work "This is a book that will change the current thinking on domestic abuse, and begin to equip social workers, psychologists and the courts to deal with this devastating problem more effectively. There is hope behind the poignant and desperate case histories Weitzman presents-this book itself is evidence of it. By ensuring that class concerns no longer obscure our recognition of violence against women, Weitzman has benefited women everywhere."--Sarah Buel "'Spouse abuse, ' 'battered wife syndrome, ' 'domestic violence'--these familiar, featureless phrases roll off our tongues as if they were not really woman-torture, the most brutal treatment men can inflict on their partners, and thus on children. So inconceivable is the idea of violence in our finest households that it's hard even to imagine well-educated, successful men slapping, punching, biting, kicking, scalding, stabbing, and psychologically terrorizing their 'beloved' partners. And because these same men wield the power in our culture, it is no surprise that theirs is the commonest, yet least reported, crime in the nation. In this compelling, groundbreaking book, Dr. Susan Weitzman investigates this hate crime against women 'just like us'-and carefully shows us all the way back to safety and self-esteem."--Dalma Heyn, author of Marriage Shock and The Erotic Silence of the American Wife "This brave and powerful book marks the coming of age of our understanding of one of the most devastating social problems of our time. Written with rare compassion, this groundbreaking book will help the woman trapped in a corrosive relationship to think clearly and act bravely."--Dr. Judith Sills, author of Excess Baggage and Biting the Apple "Written in a voice that is both compassionate and uncompromising, 'Not to People Like Us' is sure to become the definitive work on the topic of upscale domestic abuse."--Marcia Clark "Weitzman provides excellent practical advice for these women to make choices that extricate them from abuse, and proposes a new language and better education regarding 'upscale violence' for the professionals who are likely to see it in their work." --Publishers Weekly

How is it possible for a highly educated woman with a career and resources of her own to stay in a marriage with an abusive husband? How can a man be considered a pillar of his community and regularly give his wife a black eye? The very nature of these questions proves how convinced we are that domestic violence is restricted to the lower classes. Now Susan Weitzman explores a heretofore overlooked population of battered wives-the upper-educated and upper-income women who rarely report abuse and remain trapped by their own silence.