The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore the effectiveness of the Stop Violence program for men provided by the Prince George, Stop Taking it Out on Your Partner (P.G. S.T.O.P.) of the Northern John Howard Society. This research explores the outcomes of intervention for men attending the (P.G. S.T.O.P.) at the Northern John Howard Society. For the purpose of this research, open-ended, semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the participants were engaged in a spirit of cooperation and joint participation. A thematic analysis was applied to the collected data in four interviews, which yielded five main themes of importance: abuse, family history of violence, support, anger, and change. From the analysis, it was evident that the participants benefited from the program content and structure, including group and staff interaction and support. It is also important to understand that change does not happen instantaneously, but rather as a process: as these men attested to their journey through the direction of healing. The recommendations in this thesis include the need to implement an effective intimate-partner violence treatment and intervention model that incorporates the use of a person-centered approach and a trauma-informed practice. There is also the need for more research on gender analysis and accountability, combined with individualized treatment planning based on an in-depth assessment of individual biological, psychological, social, and spiritual treatment needs at intake. --Leaf ii.
This thesis examines the gap between the objectified knowledge created by institutions and the expert knowledge or experience of one woman within institutional systems dealing with wife battering. Examining this gap reveals the patriarchal and hierarchical relations inherent in institutional systems and uncovers the discursive practices which they employ in order to construct ideologies about wife battering. The discourses of Law, Psychology and the helping professions stand in direct opposition to feminist discourses based in concepts of gender inequity and patriarchal domination. All discourses, however, are not created equal. The discursive battlefield is dominated by treatment discourses that insist battering is a sickness not a choice as feminist discourses maintain. This is validated by legal systems that remand or recommend that batterers enter treatment programs for abusing their wives. In order for feminists to compete successfully against dominant discourses they must construct a discourse which validates and encompasses the experiences of all battered women and resist the appropriation of services for battered women by the state.
This study looks at one aspect of child custody and access within the context of family violence; that is, how the presence of abuse within a parental relationship is considered in court ordered child custody and access evaluations. The personal accounts of three women as related to me in personal open-ended interviews were examined along side the respective custody and access evaluations as prepared by psychologists. It is through this qualitative case study approach that I hoped to gain some perspective and insight into some of the real life issues and obstacles that women everywhere are facing. Among the number of things that these women faced, perhaps most evident was the tendency of evaluators to disregard the existence of intimate violence whether it occurred before separation or continues to occur in other forms (i.e., intimidation, harassment) and fail to see it as a risk for children. Apparent also was how different standards were applied to levels of parental involvement and skills, with fathering tending to be more highly valued. In summary, the study suggests that the rights of fathers to continue to have relationships with their children given priority over the needs of women to protect themselves and their children from further violence.
The objective of this project is the development of an integrative, attachment-focused domestic violence intervention program and manual to educate professionals involved in facilitating treatment groups for men. --P. 1.
