Violence within the family, whether directed against children, partners or elders, profoundly disturbs our notions of what the relationship between the family and the discipline of general practice should be. GPs are doctors to whole families and yet their relationships with patients are individual ones, drawing their strength from the principles of confidentiality, mutual trust and positive regard. Violence and abuse within families necessarily challenges all of these, creating a profusion of ethical, interpersonal and practical difficulties and dilemmas. At the same time the nature of...