Creating a Process of Change for Men who Batter

1. Creating a Process of Change for Men who Batter

2. Coordinated Community Response(Criminal Justice System) Sharing information, creating policy together to maximize victim safety & offender accountability Jail Prosecution Intervention Project Women’s Shelter Law Enforcement (Incl. 911) Courts (Civil & Criminal) Batterer Program Probation

3. What Should the Counselor Do? • Start program over • Report to PO and recommend jail • Report to PO recommend partial jail time and start over • Continue in program • Follow partner’s recommendation • Let participants in program decide • Recommend counseling for victim • Pursue marriage counseling in addition to groups • Give a warning

4. Batterer Intervention Programs Participate in coordinated community response Have written policies Comply with state standards Share information on attendance with the Court Prioritize partner safety Ensure partners are contacted and offered information Discuss most dangerous cases with victim advocates

5. Signed contracts and releases Allow groups to be monitored Group process that focuses on stopping the violence and changing beliefs Programs should not advocate on behalf of offenders Develop culturally specific programs Assess for effectiveness

6. Applying theory to practice • Use your assigned theory to describe what’s happening in the vignette • What are the different options for interventions using that theory? • What gets exposed by that theory? What is covered up or ignored by that theory?

7. What Causes the Violence? • Pathology and Personality Disorders • Relationship Dysfunction • Anger—Cycle of Violence Theory • Theory of Dominance

8. Individual Pathology • The batterer has some kind of illness • Personality disorders • Batterer is a problem – not society • Individual problem Response: Individual psychiatric care, treatment for addiction, or therapy

9. Relationship Dysfunction • “It takes two to tango” • Couples playing off each other • Either could stop the violence • Both parties are responsible Response: Couples counseling or relationship counselingseparately

10. The Cycle of Violence • Theory developed by Lenore Walker • Tension-building phase • Explosion of violence • Honeymoon phase or respite • Men socialized to use violence • Increases in frequency and severity • Popular theory, not backed by research Response: Anger management classes

11. Battering • Pattern of power and control, includes: • Fear • Threats • Intimidation • Coercion • Belief in entitlement

12. Hierarchy Top has power to: • Reward and punish • Make and enforce rules • Time and mobility of others • Resources and economy

13. Hierarchy The Bottom: • Free labor or low pay • Economically dependent • Defined as defective • No say over resources • Time and mobility controlled • Opposition harshly punished

14. Hierarchical social structures Objectification Internalized oppression - horizontal hostility No consequences for violence The Four Facilitators of Violence

15. What Stops the Violence • Swift intervention • Interveners that don’t collude • Meaningful sanctions • Counseling that focuses on stopping the violence and changing beliefs • Consequences for further violence • Community-wide accountability • Victim empowerment

16. Submerged consciousness - the world happens to me - fated, numb Emerging consciousness - you see it but you reject it - fear Split consciousness -one foot where you’ve come from, one foot where you’re heading to - angry, you see the injustice Critical consciousness - love, forgiveness, action, compassion Freire’s Four Steps to Liberation

17. Closed/Open Environments Banking Teacher has all information Students are empty vessels Teacher talks Students absorb information Liberating Provides framework for creative thinking Raises questions: why, how, who? Participants are active: describing, analyzing, planning

18. The Role of the Educator • Built on the authenticity of the teacher • Promote dialogue without collusion • Concrete condition of people’s lives • Use codes • Pose questions (genuine inquiry) • Explore contradictions (nature or culture) • Reflection • Liberated consciousness

19. Education is NEVER NEUTRAL Challenge men who batter by inquiring: • What are your beliefs about women, men, and relationships? • How has the culture influenced men’s thinking about entitlement? • How are your feelings tied to your beliefs? • How could you have responded without being violent or abusive? • Why do so many men who have been violent view themselves as victims? • Why and how do oppressed people resist?

20. Questions about the process Did the facilitator: • Pose questions—deepen understanding about his beliefs? • Make the connections between feelings and beliefs? • Lead the discussion to “set” answers? • Listen? • Challenge in a respectful manner? • Collude? • What other strategies can the observer suggest?

21. What we need to do this work • Think critically about your own life • Love (basic humanity) • Humility (open to learning) • Respect • Mutual trust • Faith in people (participants can change) Paulo Freire methodology

22. Themes of the Curriculum • Nonviolence • Non-threatening Behavior • Respect • Support and Trust • Accountability and Honesty • Sexual Respect • Partnership • Negotiation and Fairness

23. Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Defining the theme Examining abusive behavior Practicing non-abusive and non-controlling behavior Three-Week Process

24. Actions Intents and Beliefs Feelings Minimization, Denial, and Blame Effects On you On her On others Past Violence Non-controlling Behaviors Control Log

25. Teaching Non-controlling Behaviors • Acknowledging women’s fear • Accepting women’s anger • Not needing to win • Using open communication • Appropriate use of time-outs • Recognizing cues • Positive self-talk • Letting go

26. Role of the Facilitator • Commitment to interagency effort • To keep class focused and support men to change • To facilitate reflective/critical thinking • To maintain compassionate atmosphere • To provide new information • To teach non-controlling relationship skills • To facilitate a healthy group process • Seek out and be open to feedback

27. Goals of Women’s Orientation • Provide information, advocacy & referrals • Discuss battering • Explain the curriculum • Offer a safe place for women to critically examine their lives • Discuss effects of abuse on children • Describe behavioral checklist • Talk about expectations for change

28. The Role of the Monitoring Agency • Secure agreements • Track all cases through the system • Produce reports • Address documentation problems • Document deviations of policy • Coordinate interagency meetings • Coordinate information sharing • Evaluate community response

29. Keeping a shared focus on victim safety Maintaining trust and information exchange between agencies Reviewing policies and procedures using interagency working groups Holding each other accountable while maintaining effective working relationships Building effective child protection into domestic violence response Challenges for Coordinated Community Response

30. Domestic Abuse Intervention Project www.duluth-model.org Mending the Sacred Hoop www.msh-ta.org Battered Women’s Justice Project www.bwjp.org Praxis International www.praxisinternational.org Minnesota Center Against Violence/Abuse: www.mincava.umn.edu Resources