NCJ Number
194954
Journal
Family Violence & Sexual Assault Bulletin Volume: 18 Issue: 1 Dated: Spring 2002 Pages: 6-14
Date Published
2002
Length
9 pages
Annotation
The article discusses the Norwegian program, Alternative to Violence, and its approach to and success with treating domestic batterers and discouraging continued use of domestic violence.
Abstract
The author provides an overview of the scope of domestic violence victimization in Scandinavian culture and discusses the development of domestic violence treatment and interventions from the 1970's to the present. The development and use of the "psychoeducationally based cognitive-behavioral program" is presented. The author asserts that these programs are rooted in the idea of violence as a learned behavior. Outcomes based research on these programs is not widely available. The five maintaining factors of male violence, emotional invisibility, cognitive externalization, reinforcing consequences for batterers, powerlessness, and patriarchal gender roles and attitudes towards women are presented and discussed. The Norwegian treatment approach, specifically the experience of Alternative to Violence (ATV), is reviewed. ATV is an individualized, open-ended treatment program which uses both group and individual therapy elements. The four methodological principles of the ATV model are to focus on violence, focus on responsibility, focus on the connection between past history with violence and present use of violence, and to develop an understanding on the part of the client/batterer that the use of violence has harmful consequences. Initial research of the outcomes of ATV indicate that ATV has been effective in preventing continued use of violence. The author attributes this success to the individualized approach of the program. 41 references