Transcript A Practitioner's Perspective on Services for Domestic

Charlie Stoops, PhD, LCSW
Graduate School of Social Work
Dominican University
Overview
 What is domestic violence and abuse? A view from a
change agent
 Is it Clinical or Is it Behavioral? A perspective on
working to end men’s use of domestic violence
 How do we facilitate change: Common components of
Partner Abuse Intervention Programs
 Does it work?
 How can the legal advocacy/process help?
A view from a change agent
Unique Form of
Violence
1. Specific Target
2. Specific Gender
3. Specific
Relationship
4. Specific Location
5. Violence is a last
resort
6. Planned &
Systematic
How many men?
 About 12% of adult men have been violent with an intimate
female partner in past year
 According to US 2010 Census, 138 Million men in US. 16.6 million men will
use violence with a partner this year.
 According to a report by the Bureau of Justice, of 3,750
reports of intimate partner violence filed in the state
courts of 16 large urban counties in May 2002:
 Most involved a female victim and a male defendant (84%).
 1 in 20 involved a defendant and victim of the same gender.
 The majority of the cases (male defendant/female victim)
were more likely to entail a history of abuse between the
victim and defendant.
 Defendant weapon use was more prevalent in cases with
female defendants and male victims than in other cases.
(Straus & Gelles, 1987; US Census 2010,; US Dept. of Justice, 2009)
5
How many men?
 Male Partners commit 30% of female homicides;
Female partners commit 5% of male homicides

In Chicago from January to June 2011, detectives
have determined there were 10 general domestic
related murders. Of these murders, most
occurred in districts that averaged the lowest
domestic-related calls/day. There were 4
murders in three districts that averaged 1-9
domestic-related calls/day.
(Straus & Gelles, 1987; US Census 2010, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Intimate Partner Violence in the
U.S. 1993-2004, 2006; Chicago Police Department — Quarterly Domestic Violence Statistical Summary — YTD - June 2011)
6
Probability of Being a Man in a PAIP
 (x) Cook County IL has 1,889,934 men age 18 or older (2000
US Census)
 (y) y  x*.12: 157,495 batterers in Cook Co IL
(Straus & Gelles,
1989 found 12% of men batter in a given year)
 (z) In the year 2000, Cook County Court Dept. Social
Service (DSS) disposed 1,905 new men for intervention
related to domestic violence
 z/y = 0.012 (1.2%) . . . the approximate probability of
getting into a PAIP (via DSS) in Cook County Illinois if you
batter
 Compare Dutton rate: 4 per 1,000 (0.4%)
Conclusion
It is rare for a man who batters to be in a
Partner Abuse Intervention Program!
A perspective on working to end
men’s use of domestic violence
Intervening with men who batter
 Intervention vs. Treatment
 Mandatory vs. Voluntary
10
Why do men batter?
Social Theories
 Feminist Sociological
 Patriarchal Structure of Society
 Men’s violence toward women as a sanctioned action to
maintain Patriarchy
 Ecological
 Integration of Biological, Individual, Environmental,
Feminist




Genetic Factors
Learned Behavior
Societal Structure
Gendered Analysis
11
Characteristics of Men who abuse their
intimate female partners
 Environmental Constraints
 Behavioral Deficits
 Family of origin violence
 Dating Violence
 Community Violence
 Abuse of own children
12
Characteristics of Men who abuse their
intimate female partners
 Feelings Management (Anger)
 Stress/Anxiety
 Depression
 Generalized Aggression /Antisocial Traits
 Personality Disorders

based on Saunders, D (1995)
13
Common components of Partner
Abuse Intervention Programs
How do we Intervene!
 Accountability
 Men's
 Programs
 Beliefs
 Communication Skills
 Sexism, Racism, Classism, Homophobia
 Feelings Management vs. Anger Management
 Empathy - Impact on Women, Children & Self
 Impact of Other Issues & Referrals
15
Intervening with men who batter
 Treatment/Intervention for Co-occurring
Conditions
 Environmental
 Physical
 Psychiatric
 Substance Misuse
 Personality Disorders
 Neurological
16
What we don’t do!
Contraindicated Approaches
“Anger Management”
Pastoral Counseling
Individual Therapy
Couples Therapy
Personal Confrontation
17
Why NOT Anger Management?
Most men who batter have
no problem controlling
anger when they are angry
at a boss, or a banker, or a
police officer. Usually they
will stop an assault if a
child, parent, or neighbor
enters the room.
18
Yes – Maybe – No
Is Intervention Effective?
 Most who re-offend do so early in programs/or
while on waiting list
 Modest effectiveness in general
 Only 6 randomized studies to date
 2 - small positive effects - 4 - no significant effects
when using official records
 No significant effects when using victim reports
 After 5 years, 75% of partners/victims of
completers report feeling safe!
20
Reasons for Small Effect of BIPs
 Unidentified and untreated substance abuse
and mental illness
 Poverty, culture, and “stake in conformity”
issues
 Applying person-level solutions to a societallevel problem
 Failure to sanction non-compliance
 No intervention for the really bad guys
Cook County Study
 Study done for Cook County Adult Probation
available at :
 http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/ResearchRep
orts/CookCountyDVInt.pdf
(Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority’s
website)
 Shows 75% completion rate in Cook Co. and that
completion reduces incidence of re-arrest by 39 –
62%
 Class predicts completion better than disorders
 Marital Status, Employment, Education, Income
22
Is Intervention Effective?
 What works with whom?




Culturally-matched Interventions/Facilitators
Cognitive Behavioral with more Antisocial
Process-oriented with those with “Stake in Society”
Combined with case management
 Victim is best predictor!
23
How can prosecutors & defense attorneys
help in the process?
Prosecutors can…
 Be understanding when a victim chooses not to
proceed
 The victim knows best!
 She maybe safer with the perpetrator
 Encourage victim to use DV Advocates and Victim
Services
 Include in sentence or plea
 Mandate to PAIP rather than jail or anger managment
 Mandate to additional services
Public Defenders can…
 Understand SOP of Men who Batter
 Minimize Deny & Blame
 It’s her or the drugs or ….
 “you know how women are”
 Encourage defendant to….(at plea or sentencing)
 Attend PAIP rather than jail or anger management
 Enroll in Additional services as needed
Thank you!