Bringing together unique international research from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Europe, this book presents a detailed examination of the violence perpetrated by males and females within the context of childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Based on illuminating empirical studies it accurately locates the societal implications of violence against males and females as well as the legal, social and public responses to violence. Combining feminism and a related analysis of power, the book provides an introduction to the study of violence in general, and violence against males and females who know each other in particular. It outlines the major evolutionary, psychological, and sociological theories proposed to explain this social problem and the traditional methods of studying this topic. The book also examines child violence – in the playground, the classroom and the home; adolescent dating violence and adult violence, both male and female, within cohabiting and marital relationships and violence occurring between strangers.