Therapy Programs for Batterers Are Ineffective at Reducing Domestic Violence (From Domestic Violence: Opposing Viewpoints, P 149-153, 2000, Tamara L. Roleff, ed. -- See NCJ-185753)

• NCJ Number: 185772
• Author(s): Margaret A. Hagen
• Date Published: 2000
• Length: 5 pages
• Sale Source: Greenhaven Press
• Publication Format: Book (Hardbound)
• Publication Type: Collected Work
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Opposing Viewpoints Series

Annotation

The author contends that therapy programs for male batterers do not prevent men from continuing to abuse women and that many programs for batterers are based on feminist theories that try to change men's attitudes toward power, control, and dominance.

Abstract

The author notes that studies of therapy programs have found that many abusers continue to be violent against their partners and indicates that feminist political gender analysis has reframed the problem against women as one of misuse of power by men who have been socialized into believing they have the right to control the women in their lives. She points out that feminist analysis is buttressed by a more general victimology; not only are batterers the victims of their socialization, but they are also the result of dysfunctional families with absent or abusive parents. The author concludes that programs based on the misguided feminist theory of re-education are not effective for many batterers and that incarceration is necessary in some cases.