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Geauga County Board of Mental Health
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24-Hour Emergency Hotline
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Treatment For Batterers Batterers Intervention Programs (BIP) There are programs available to help abusers address and change their violent behavior. Batterer intervention programs are most often conducted in groups with several abusers and led by a social worker, psychologist or counselor with mental health training. The sessions generally focus on the abusers taking responsibility for and changing their abusive and controlling behavior. Anger management programs, on the other hand, usually concentrate primarily on techniques for handling anger. The duration of batterer intervention programs varies. Some programs only involve 8 hours of group work, while others last up to 26 weeks or longer. An 8-hour program is not long enough to make a significant impact on the abuser's behavior and attitude; the longer programs are recommended. Anger management programs tend to be much shorter than batterer intervention programs and are not the recommended mode of treatment for domestic violence. Locally, Geauga County Catholic Charities Community Services offers a 26-week Family Violence Intervention program for batterers. Abusers can become involved in a batterer intervention program voluntarily, although they are usually ordered into one by a civil or criminal court. Unfortunately, the success rates of batterer intervention programs are very low, and it is important that you recognize this as you explore this option. This is not to discourage you from considering batterer intervention programs, but to prepare you for the reality of their effectiveness. Couples Counseling: Can my abuser change? Many abuse victims wish to help their abuser, especially after the abuser has promised to get counseling. However, relationship or couples counseling is often both unproductive and dangerous. While abuse certainly affects the victim and the entire family, the abuser is the sole problem and responsible for the abuse. Couple's counseling suggests that both partners contribute to the "problem." Many victims have reported that when abuse was present in the relationship, their abuser got angry and violent after a couples counseling session when something was said or discussed that the abuser did not like. The counselor will not be present in the home to protect you at this point. Remember also that abusers are master manipulators - this is their way to control situations. As a result, the abuser is likely to try to manipulate the counselor as well as the individual session - and in couples counseling they are often successful. The abuser may easily manipulate counselors who generally do not understand the dynamics of domestic violence; counselors who are familiar with domestic violence usually will not participate in couples counseling because they recognize the danger. Another problem with couples counseling is that abusers often perceive their behavior as the fault of their victims. The counseling gives the abuser more reasons to blame the victim. Couples counseling helps to support the perception that the abuse is a shared problem - it is not. The abuser alone must take action to address the abusive behavior. Remember that abuse is likely to increase over time. You cannot change the other person's behavior, and the abuser's behavior is never your fault. You can only change yourself. You have the right to have a relationship free of degradation and fear; and you have a right to choose how you wish to live. There are people to help you realize a productive and healthy life. Anger Management Programs Domestic violence offenders are often court-ordered to attend anger management programs instead of batterers intervention programs. Anger management is an ineffective mode of treatment because anger management is not for those whose use of violence is not mediated by emotions or not for those who use violence to achieve short-term or long-term goals. Domestic violence is not caused by emotions, such as anger, but caused by those who use violence to gain power and control over another individual to achieve personal goals.
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