Helen grew up in a house, not much bigger than a box, which had domestic violence oozing from every corner. The source of this violence was her father, Jack, and she was powerless to escape or change her situation.

Violence in a Box invites you to step into Helen’s childhood world and experience life with a father who instills fear and terror, every day, into the lives of his wife and children.

Fifty years ago, doctors understood the behaviour of men like Jack as “violent, temporary therapy”, outbursts that “served to release him momentarily from his anxiety…”

In Australia today, women and children are being murdered by intimate family members at an inexcusable rate. One murder is too many, but up to two women a week is an epidemic — a public crisis that demands our urgent intervention.

As a practising social worker for 30 years, Helen’s story is interwoven with a professional analysis of the historical and cultural context that has enabled domestic violence. She offers practical tips and resources for both victims and witnesses.

Helen Austin

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