Violence and United States' society: a historical perspective -- Violence in homes: social and cultural norms -- Three different faces of violence in families -- General causes and consequences of violence in families -- Violence in intimate relationships -- Theories of intimate violence -- Causes of violence in intimate relationships -- Legal perspectives on intimate violence -- Violence against children -- Theories of violence against children -- Consequences of violence against children -- Criminal justice approaches to violence against children -- Violence against elderly: cause and risk -- Relationship between all types of violence -- Conclusion: future directions for research in family violence -- Appendix A. Florida coalition against domestic violence -- Appendix B. State of Florida mutual order of protection -- Appendix C. State child support enforcement offices -- Appendix D. Hotlines and other contact numbers for battered women