Transforming Abuse: Nonviolent Resistance and Recovery
by K. Louise Schmidt, New Society Publishers, 1995.
(available through your local Bookshop or Astam Books (02) 566 4400.)

Transforming Abuse: Nonviolent Resistance and Recovery offers a bold and
compassionate framework for preventing violence against women and children.
Using an exciting approach based on feminism and nonviolence, the author
provides a positive direction for personal and social change, to create a
world without violence. It is a book written from the heart and thus it
sparks joy and inspiration.

The author presents a beautifully balanced approach, combining the personal
and the political, the political and the spiritual. She firmly demands that
the global domestic war against women and children must stop and that women
and children have the right to safety in their lives. To do this we need
community-based political action grounded in spiritual practice.  This
combines resistance to patriarchal violence with the deepest respect for all
life. Thus, perpetrators of violence are not seen as the "enemy" but,
instead, are urged to act in ways that break the cycle of violence and that
honour their own and others' humanness. This nonviolent and compassionate
approach frees the victim and the perpetrator from the pain, fear and hatred
that both know.

Transforming violence includes inner transformation and transformation of our
communities. This involves many steps including: using our just anger to
motivate us into action; deeply listening and bearing tender witness to all
sides of the story; creating inner sanctuary and safety zones within our
communities for all those suffering from violence; creating grass-roots
justice beyond the legal system based on deep democracy... the list goes on.
The small section on nonviolent strategy focuses only on Gene Sharp's work
and thus is limited, but the rest of the book is full of intelligent
strategy.  With examples of nonviolent action from around the world and with
excellent exercises on the main themes, this book is also practical. It's
hard not to be inspired by the quotes on every page from those throughout
history who have envisioned a more humane world.

K. Louise Schmidt's dedication to nonviolent social change is obvious and her
work as a feminist therapist for women recovering from abuse and as a
coordinator of a program for violent men means her approach is very grounded
in the reality of the dynamics of male violence against women and children. 
She faces this reality of violence with an optimistic approach full of grace
and strength. The author is, in the words of Alice Walker quoted in this book
(p.9),
"...the woman
offering two flowers
whose roots are twin
justice and hope
let us begin."

This is an important and challenging book as it beckons us all to prevent the
current widespread male violence being inflicted against women and children.
As we face violence and build safe communities, we make it possible for us
all to know joy. "Joy is being captivated by the moment and the will to
breathe in this wide and wondrous existence in full safety." (p. 138).  This
is well worth our collective effort.
Jo Barter