The Effectiveness of Domestic Violence Batterer Interventions vs. Domestic Violence Victim Advocacy Interventions - Coursework Example

The Effectiveness of Domestic Violence Batterer Interventions vs. Domestic Violence Victim Advocacy Interventions SECTION PROBLEM FORMULATION Introduction Domestic violence batterer interventions and violence victim advocacy interventions need social, economic, political and cultural answers. Given the fatal aspect of domestic violence as well as its effect on all within its midst, each society should have a desired participation in removing and inhibiting domestic violence. Organizations committed to stopping domestic violence in a safe and secure manner should make a priority of the work to enable and enhance shelter, advocacy and back up actions and solutions for battered persons especially the likes of women and young children (Adams, 2004). Improving and controlling of the criminal justice reaction and treatment of domestic violence at all stages of the criminal system should be admired. The criminal justice reaction must be inclusive of a firm pro-arrest reaction by law enforcers, a defined comprehension of the idea of dominant aggressor, implementing prosecutions, proper adjudicating, close scrutiny via probation and sentences that base the weight of the crime committed. Professional training of health, social service provision and fair provision of law must not be overlooked. Widespread society education must also be crucial. Intervention agencies cannot avail services to batterers if advocacy, secure shelter and backup services are not provided for battered victims in the society. When such actions can be categorized and monitored in a society, then it becomes proper to avail in a society, domestic abuse intervention for persons especially men who carry out battering (Austin, 1999). Once created in a society, domestic violence intervention services can hold abusers accountable and hence support victims’ security. These agencies do give the courts with a service proper for all persons who promote violence, whether or not they will be going to receive dire actions which are more grievous. This will hence give individual persons with the information they require in order to inhibit the abusive traits of their partners. Problem Overview Both Domestic violence batterer interventions and victim advocacy interventions strive to enhance security and freedom of women and young children by availing guidelines for efficient, consistent and working intervention programs and other services to hold persons accountable for bad violent traits and actions. The problem of battery of women and young children is a matter of great concern. This is why certain standards become set. Such standards normally direct batterer intervention agencies in the controlling of their services to the victims and advocate for the way forward on such issues. While it is conspicuous that both women and men can be the major aggressor within a relationship, certain measures should be taken on men who batter women mercilessly in such partnerships (Austin, 1999). The focus of this paper makes a reflection on the immense extents and levels of male violence on women and young children in this world. Many intervention programs focus immensely on a selected population mainly men. Certain regulations, policies and standards need to be set to tackle such inhumane acts of men. These will help us to ensure the following: 1. The security of battered women and their young children as a crucial aspect. 2. Using proper modalities for intervention of domestic violence intervention programs. Modalities were historically utilized in the mental health cases, are exemplary for handling a wide range of problems which relate to battery. In the essence of the fact that a batterer’s involvement in any program, can often give his better half and young children a false aspect of safety and hope that he might change. The use of these modalities to halt violence of men battering women may be more harmful at times. Domestic violence intervention programs can be designed so as to impede a man’s domestic abuse. It must be based on a thorough comprehension of the most efficient tactics for this selected issue at hand and must not be compared with the concern that a batterer can well require or need various consultancy help. 3. The providing of services by those educated and experts incorrect program methodologies. Expertise can identify group education and domestic abuse agencies as the most efficient batterer intervention and victim advocacy program setup. Givers of intervention services for batterers must strive to achieve and maintain high quality standards during the provision process. Their training needs deep comprehension of domestic abuse, battered persons, and batterer intervention and victim advocacy. A giver of batterer intervention needs varying information that does one who avails psychotherapy, or the treating of trait and personal issues. Based on this matter of domestic violence, it can be acknowledged that: Domestic abuse is violating human rights. It is so since it makes jeopardy on security, freedom and independence of women and young children. Many countries have enacted laws and policies making certain traits among batterers to be considered to be illegal. While not all human traits can be termed as illegal, any vice of domestic abuse can be observed as violating human rights. The security of battered women and young children is essential. The security and rights of victims must be taken into consideration at all times. Their right to life without violence surpasses other matters. Their emotions, as well as the ability to cause more harm should be of ultimate consideration when formulating policy choices relating to the framework and design of intervention programs (Austin, 1999). Based on history, numerous societies have endorsed the men’s usage of violence to achieve dominance in partnerships with their spouses. Men’s violence within the aspect of family became tolerated and safeguarded as a proper men’s reaction. Community’s tolerance can be based on matters of sex and misogyny and basic norms which rationalize the subordination of females. Etiology and Theory The causes of battery have some theories relating to domestic violence and victim advocacy interventions which support it. In this case, one theory will be discussed in this paper. The social problem approach, the feminist approach Battery intervention programs commenced in the early 1970s, as feminists and others availed to the public’s eye the victimising of women and resulted into related agencies such as rape and battered women’s houses. Providers of such services to women who had been battered felt that those victims given the services will still return to their abodes to face the same wrath of what they left in their partnerships (Bancroft, 2002). To aid victims, advocates discovered it was also essential to address the main cause of their issues, who happened to be the barterers. The Feminist Model Relating To Battering Critical to the feminist view on battering is a gender explanation of power. In relation to this view, domestic abuse in intimate partnerships reflects the patriarchal classification of the community in which men play a dominant task in most social organizations. Along with oral, economic and social violence, abuse is a way of maintaining male superiority in the family when men view their dominance is being jeopardised. Economic tasks have left women to cling to men and not able to evade violent scenarios (Bancroft, 2002). Man’s gifted physical stature can make them to have dominance of women via the act of violence. Feminists suggest that an impact of the social strata in which men hold the command of respect and authority is that men and women alike devaluating the feminine and overvaluation the masculinity aspect. To the abuser, women are childish and observed to not being competent. It is not uncommon for men to convince their spouses that they are not able of adult actions, such as driving a car or doing an office task. In the feminist way of observation, barterers felt that they must be in the position of the family making choices and considerations, mapping out rules and regulations to be followed, disciplining non-obedient spouses and young children and correction of unwanted performing of tasks in the house (Dobash, 1984). Barterers may exercise authority over the family in non-abusive, forceful ways and only sometimes opt to abuse and force. As men, barterers feel subjected to gender-related respect and being worshipped, thus what they believe to be disrespectful and not obedient angers them. Batterers often rationalize their abusive and violent nature on the basis that it was provoked by their spouse’s behaviour who was the main cause of the violent reaction. Feminist programs try to raise sanity concerning sex aspect conditioning and how it affects men’s feelings and traits. This can be done via educating them on sexism, male privileges and the aspect regarding male socialization. Programs with a feminist ideology give a model of egalitarianism in partnerships along with the advantages of non-violence and developing partnerships based on respect instead of violence (Dutton, 1981). Most feminist models back up the confrontation of men over their authority and superiority and control habits in all aspects of the partnership, including oral and outright violence, isolating them socially, and undermining of their spouses self-image and sometimes using sexual force. Furthermore, a specific concern of pro-feminist male organizations is the continual uncertainty and the allusion of collusion with the perpetrators who in this case are the barterers. SECTION 2: INTERVENTION Protection of Victims and the Aspect of Partner Contact Intervention programs can accentuate in all of their actions and professional outreach services that the security of women and young children is the key motive of intervention involving batterers surpassing any other issues. Intervention programs can consider that the violent behavior of men who batter can possibly raise in frequency and intensity when they think that their partners may opt to leave them, when they are virtually preparing to depart or when she has really left the partnership (Edelson, 1992). Studies indicate separated women are four times more possibly compared to divorced and twenty four times more likely compared to married women still cohabiting with their spouses to be abused by a batterer such times the most critical periods for battered women. Victims can be entitled to vital information concerning their batterer’s involvement in intervention programs. These programs also have an obligation to avail information to new spouses of program members, regardless of whether they could be known as victims of violence (Ferraro, 1982). Information concerning a batterer intervention program, services offered to battered women and their young children and a participant’s life history and traits in a program can immensely aid a battered woman’s capability to organize for her security. It may also be a vital remedy that she is not to be blamed for her spouse’s trait and that he can be required to obey her right to security. Intervention with men who batter can avail to the spouse a false implication of safety, and can be used as an immense disincentive to the likelihood of separating and security plans. Thus, when carrying out partner contact, it is vital to avail to the battered victims information on the present intervention programs and on actual expectations concerning what they can attain (Hansen, 2002). Hence, the intervention should be carried out with specific care to secure the safety of battered victims and their young children. It can always be identified that availing information to spouses of program participants can impact on their utmost wellbeing. Hence, it is critical to work hand in hand with violence advocates to make policies and regulations relating to partner contract. Intervention programs must not make contact with spouses of program members in the pursuance of vital information on participant’s traits to be utilized in confrontation of the participants. This act can give a spouse the signal that she has to be involved in some manner in order for the participant to halt his abusive manners (Gelles, 1974). Since partner contact is a critical aspect in batterer intervention, it is vital to note that it can pose danger to the battered woman’s security and respect. Under no situation should information collected from a spouse during the activities of partner contact be utilized in challenging a man in the group without the spouse’s informed permit to carry out such an action. The interests of the battered woman’s security and respect surpass the interests of the accused man and the intervention program. Intervention programs should make it conspicuous to members that making contact between the program and members’ spouses will be carried out and influenced by the program. Members will frequently check on their spouses’ contact with external resources and discipline spouses for having contact with persons or organizations which they do not seek approval. Being conspicuous that contact with the program is not obtained by a member’s spouse is a vital way of trying to safeguard spouses from possible abuse (George, 1993). Assimilating the Aspect of Theory of Change A rising number of researchers are making recommendations that researchers should strive and create a theory of change to help them reason how they can communicate their findings of a research in a manner that will make the valuation of their research for policy and aspects of practice to be maximized and effective. The theory of change aspect has been utilized by intervention programs to maximize on the value of their tasks. It provides us with a way of viewing that enables us to ask vital questions concerning the research. It aids us in creating a comprehensive framework for controlling and evaluating the theory regarding to feminism approach on batterers (Gondolf, 1985). Therefore, designing or redesigning a theory of change can focus on the policy influence sated on etiology segment above. It would draw an image of why such an evaluation can impact on batterer intervention programs and violence advocacy policies and how they can be utilized to impact on practice and policy. Just to note, this feminist approach theory has certain benefits which would be briefly discussed below. It also has its shortcomings. Based on these shortcomings, recommendations would be drawn based on the theory of change on redesigning and improving on that theory. The Theory of Change Proposition Based on the theory of change, certain improvements, and changes, needs to be made for the betterment of the intervention programs. Intervention programs will be redesigned to offer men who batter with all the vital information required in order to eradicate violent and abusive traits, while making clarification that they would eradicate such traits only if they decide to do so (Groves, 2002). Thus, the feminist approach intervention model must include information which would best help in motivating participants to want to and be able to do what is required of them to put an end to all manners of violence. The intervention program shall work too, if: 1. Raise the participant’s comprehension of his violence as a way of curbing his spouse’s and young children’s reactions, ideas and emotions. All manners of violence shall be known and challenged, inclusive of physical violence, intimidating traits, terrorist actions, social isolation, utilizing the aspect of male privileges, exploiting the young children, and sexual violence. 2. Knowing cultural and society’s effects which encourages violent trait, as well as the social perspective in which this violence can be used, without permitting such problems to excuse or emphasize a person’s violent behavior. 3. Confront excuse for violence. This shall comprise of a philosophical stand stressing that men who batter are personally responsible for their decisions to violence and that violence can never be justifiable. Such confronting can occur in a manner which has respect and supports self-change in a person. 4. Examination of the harmful, hazardous and potential dangerous effects of violence on battered women, children and the partnership with them. The short and long run impacts of violence can be enumerated empirically and participants will be required to take claim for developing such outcomes. Intervention programs will also strive to work to raise the participant’s comprehension of the impact of domestic violence on young children and to their spouses. 5. Providing the participant with actual information on how to halt his violent trait and how best to relate with his spouse in non-violent and non-authoritative manners. 6. Avail to the participant with meaningful new information concerning the government and local approaches relating to domestic violence (Groves, 2002). Domestic violence programs do not give a guarantee that batterers will stop their abusive nature, nor will such interventions be used for salvaging fallen partnerships among its participants. Conclusion and Recommendations Domestic violence results to numerous consequences for those affected such as the victims and the young children, also to their families and the society as a whole. Many victims sometimes cannot be known to law enforcement bodies, houses, clinics and other community service institutions. And when they do become known, they face certain setbacks which make the aspect being re-victimized to be possible to occur again (McGee, 2000). The contact a victim has with the advocacy institutions does signify a unique and crucial chance for intervention in the repetition of abuse from the batterers. It is thus important that efficient intervention policies be effectively enforced to minimize on domestic violence victimization. In this regard, perhaps the most sole vital theme which emanates from this discussion above is the necessity for improved quality, integration, theoretical steered research on domestic violence, especially on intervention programs which can better cater for the unique requirements of specific types and classes of victims (Smith, 1997). This discussion must become more rampant and available if it is to avail to practitioners and persons who make policies the basis for promoting and implementing efficient domestic abuse interventions. Despite of the numerous research gaps in the field of domestic violence victimization, many collaborative intervention measures do exist. Research does not strongly back up any single intervention, but many recent researches give useful empirical evidence. Although few researches logically make a documentation of the brief traits of specific interventions, or how definitely to enforce them, many sources cite the overall attributes of these intervention programs. And many previous studies explain the implementation aspects which affect most domestic violence intervention measures, and how such can be resolved (Jaffe, 2003). Participants can take numerous certain steps to progress the state of research and implement them on these domestic abuse interventions. Some of such steps and measures require long-range development. Others however, can be done relatively faster. Researchers, for instance, can avail their findings to be more available to practitioners and persons involved in policy making, outlining clearly their challenges and possible intervention program and policy outcomes. Moreover, practitioners in intervention programs which have evidence and prowess in minimizing victimizing can make a description detailing the specific traits of such intervention programs and how certain issues could be resolved (Kantor, 1987). Given the numerous evidence of domestic violence and abuse, it is never too soon to commence implementing such crucial steps. References Adams, D. (2004). Batterer intervention program outcomes: Broadening the criteria. Domestic Violence Journal, Vol. 9, No. 4, 49-60. Austin, J. (1999). Standards for batterer programs. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 14. Bancroft, J. (2002). The batterer as parent: Addressing the impact of domestic violence on family Dynamics. Thousand Oaks, CA, Sage. Dobash, R. E. (1984) ‘The Nature and Antecedents of Violent Events’, British Journal of Criminology, 24; 269-288. Dutton, S. (1981). Traumatic bonding: The development of emotional attachments in battered Women and other relationships of intermittent abuse. 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