We must also be aware that the distinction between "aberrant" and "normal" males is not so straightforward as we have been led to believe. It is essential to dispel the perception that men who physically or sexually assault women have a certain profile that makes them easily identifiable and readily differentiated from someone who is not abusive. Most men (from all socio-economic positions, racial/ethnic backgrounds, etc.) use their positions of power and control over women, in varying degrees, to benefit themselves. Abuse is largely facilitated through the social expectation that men and women will conform to masculine and feminine gender roles, and the assumptions of dominance and submission which they entail.

Patterns of Violence in the lives of Girls and Women:A Reading Guide is an excellent resource for any reader wanting a "no non-sense feminist analysis of specific issues of violence against women and of the commonalities of women's experience" (p. 3). It is a compendium of excerpts, much like an annotated bibliography, from articles and books written by feminists on issues of: wife assault, dating violence, child sexual abuse, workplace sexual harassment, rape/sexual assault, prostitution, and pornography. There is also a section on patterns of violence, which links the issues by discussing the similarities of intent and effect of various forms of violence and by placing male violence within the context of a misogynist society.

Using interviews from earlier projects, the research committee developed a composite of women's experiences of violence. These "pictures" begin each section, providing a framework and a reference point from which themes are developed. The composites are powerful as documented anecdotes from real women who have endured and survived horrific violence. They serve to personalize anonymous statistics and also speak for the many women who do not survive the violence or who cannot yet come forward to tell their stories.

The list is not exhaustive; it omits elder abuse and abuse within lesbian relationships (this noted by the editor and committee themselves, at p.5). The Guide and the research contained therein is, however, sensitive to the influence of factors such as race, class, culture, age, geographic setting, and mental or physical condition upon the incidence and effects of violence. As well, most of the references are Canadian-based, and even the non-Canadian content is highly appropriate.

The Guide is well-grounded in feminist pedagogy, making it as appropriate for someone just beginning to look at the issues as it is for someone with extensive personal or, professional experience in the area. It is an I exceptional reference tool for discourse both within the academic and non-academic communities.

The Guide has been written under the assumption that "[w]omen's survival is both the base and the goal of feminist actions against male violence" (p.97), and powerfully. But it is also necessary to move toward methods and means of prevention - to educate the young and old on issues of violence against women and to change attitudes which reinforce gender roles and support myths of power, control and domination. It is essential that we develop proactive strategies in order to ensure safety and freedom for women and children from male violence.