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FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN STARTING A
BATTERERS’ TREATMENT GROUP
The first step in starting
a batterers’ treatment group is to carefully evaluate the objectives of the
program to ensure that victim safety is central to the work. Michael Paymar,
the training coordinator for the Duluth Domestic Abuse Intervention Project,
suggests the following principles and guidelines for a batterers’ treatment
program. The list is not meant to be exhaustive, but provides a good starting
point for those who are considering forming a batterers’ treatment group.
From Michael
Paymar, Violent No More: Helping Men End Domestic Abuse (2000).
Program Goals
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To ensure safety for
the partners of group participants in the program.
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To work to end domestic
violence by creating a culture of deterrence.
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To ensure the program
is collaborating with the justice system, human service providers,
and battered women’s programs.
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To teach offenders alternatives
to coercive, controlling, and violent behavior in intimate relationships.
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Violence is intentional.
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Battering is a system
of abusive behaviors that are used to maintain control.
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Most cultures have supported
male dominance in families.
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Individual men can change.
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Except in cases of self-defense,
there are always alternatives to violence.
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Participants need to
take full responsibility for their behavior.
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Facilitators will respectfully
challenge sexist beliefs and attitudes.
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Groups will support men
to change controlling and violent behavior.
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Facilitators will confront
minimization, denial, and blame.
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The group process should
be compassionate but not colluding.
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Facilitators will teach
men to develop relationship with women based on equality.
Involvement with Battered
Women and Shelters
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Programs will not compete
with shelter programs for funding.
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Advocates should be involved
in the development of program policies related to partner safety.
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Communication procedures
on partner safety will be in place with the shelter.
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Partners will be notified
and offered detailed information about the offender program.
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Programs should not elicit
information from partners of participants until they have had an opportunity
to explore safety planning and contact with a shelter.
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Participants must follow
all conditions of probation and orders from the court.
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Acts of violence and
violation of court orders will be reported to the court.
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Participants must sign
release-of-information and program contract agreement.
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Participants will come
to group free of the influence of alcohol and drugs.
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Participants will not
use racist or sexist language.
Consequences for Breach
of Contract
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Noncompliance with terms
of the contract will result in suspension, and the participant will be reported
to the court.
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Volunteers will not be
treated differently than court-mandated offenders.
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Program staff may testify
at revocation or review hearings regarding violations of a contract.
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Program staff will explore
all past and present threats.
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Threats of homicide or
suicide will be thoroughly examined.
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The victim/shelter will
be warned if the participant has been obsessed with or has stalked his partner.
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The victim/shelter will
be warned if the offender appears to be reacting to a protection order or
divorce in a dangerous way.
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The victim/shelter/law
enforcement will be informed if the offender makes threats regarding the children.
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Program staff will discuss
red-flag cases with facilitators and advocates.
Requirements for Group Facilitators
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Must be violent free
in their own lives.
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Should be thoroughly
trained in an effective model, and work for a period of time with an experienced
facilitator.
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When possible, groups
should be co-facilitated with male and female staff.
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Should not communicate
or act in ways that perpetuate sexism or victim blaming.
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Should be open to self-examination
and feedback from monitors and supervisors on facilitation skills, inadvertent
collusion, sexism, and control issues.
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Battered women’s programs
should be involved in designing evaluation tools.
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Before asking a partner
of a participant to assess progress, the program will be certain of her safety.
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Evaluation should focus
on safety to battered women, accountability, and changes the offender is making.
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All practices and policies
should be periodically evaluated.
Accountability to the Community
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Programs should work
in concert with battered women’s programs to reform the practices of the justice
system, law enforcement, and other interveners.
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Policies and procedures
should be reviewed by communities of color, neighborhood organizations, gay
and lesbian groups, and other stakeholders.
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Programs should speak
out and work with organizations working to reduce violence, bias, and racism.
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