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Abuse and Protection Issues across the Lifespan: Reviewing the Literature

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2010

Fiona Johnson ,
James Hogg  and
Brigid Daniel
Fiona Johnson
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Social Science, University of Stirling E-mail: f.c.johnson@stir.ac.uk
James Hogg
Affiliation:
White Top Research Unit, University of Dundee
Brigid Daniel
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Social Science, University of Stirling E-mail: f.c.johnson@stir.ac.uk
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Abstract

The literature is reviewed: (a) comparing models of abuse and protection applied at each stage of the lifespan; and (b) exploring abuse and protection issues with respect to individuals over time. A paucity of comparative and lifespan work in the field of abuse and protection is reported. Within the available literature, different types of knowledge are drawn upon and contrasted definitions of ‘abuse’ and ‘protection’ employed. Accordingly, the most significant findings of the review are in the dissonances and the gaps surrounding the substantive findings. Examples are presented to demonstrate this, while new directions for discussion and research are proposed.

Type
Themed Section on ‘Harm’, ‘Abuse’, Agency and Resilience Across the Lifespan
Information
Social Policy and Society , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , April 2010 , pp. 291 - 304
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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