Domestic Abuse Perpetrators Programme
The Domestic Abuse Perpetrators Programme is a scheme offered to
men who have appeared before the Court following an offence of
assault against their female partners (wife, ex-wife,
girlfriend or ex-girlfriend). Sometimes the programme is
offered to men who have been charged with other offences, for
example breach of the peace, but where the Court considers that the
man's violence is a problem. Men come onto the programme as a
condition of a Probation Order.
What do I have to do on the Domestic Abuse Perpetrators
Programme?
You will have to attend a group session of the programme once a
week for two hours, usually during the day. These group
sessions are held locally and involve groups of six to ten men as
well as two workers from Criminal Justice Services. You will
attend for a minimum of six months and your progress and
participation will be reviewed frequently with your Supervising
Officer.
What can I learn from the Domestic Abuse Perpetrators
Programme?
The programme can help you to understand why you have been
violent or abusive to your partner. It looks at the kinds of
excuses you may have used to explain your violence and how you can
learn to live without being violent in future.
What you learn is up to you and how seriously you want to
change. The programme offers no guarantees and it is important
that both you and your partner know this.
What will I be expected to do when I attend the programme
sessions?
You will have to turn up regularly and on time each week and you
will be expected to take the work seriously. You will take
part in exercises and discussions and you will be asked to do some
homework each week. The homework is simple and straightforward
and is there to help you think about the programme in between
sessions. You do not need to have been good at school in order
to understand the work done in the men's programme.
Will the programme help my relationship?
The programme can offer no guarantees about whether your
relationship will improve. It will however, offer you a chance
to examine the way in which your behaviour affects your partner,
you and your children, and will provide you with a real opportunity
to change.
What if I don't think the violence is all my fault?
It is usually easier to blame someone or something else for
things we do that we are ashamed of. No matter what kind of
excuses you come up with they are just excuses. In the end it
is you who makes the choice to be violent or not to be
violent. By blaming other people or other things you are
simply giving yourself permission to carry on being
violent. Only by taking responsibility for yourself and your
actions can you take the first step towards stopping your
violence.
