Book excerpt: Forsaken Females describes the varied types of violence women experience throughout the life course, from female infanticide and genital mutilation to sexual slavery and trafficking. From a truly global perspective, the book illuminates the diverse ideologies and cultural conditions that condone and perpetuate such brutality against women. In their own compelling words, women describe their personal experiences, victimization, and horrors. This book also addresses the physical, emotional, and economic impact of such violence, and each chapter concludes with examples of promising policies and practices developed to address and reduce violence against women. Book jacket.