The Importance of Healing-Centered Batterer Intervention Programs in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals
Introduction
In the world of family violence, the focus is on healing victims (survivors). This includes funding for domestic violence shelters, thousands of research projects, state and federal legislation, and changing the criminal justice response.
But that’s providing help for only half the people involved in the problem.
The Issue with Traditional Batterer Intervention Programs
Batterers, the other half, have one option, generally speaking: punishment. Go to jail and/or complete a 26- or 52-week batterer intervention program. Every year, about 500,000 people receive sentences to take one of a hodgepodge of about 2,500 programs. Most of these require participants to take responsibility for their sexist beliefs and stop abusing their partners by teaching them alternative responses for handling their anger. The programs focus repeatedly on how badly abusers have behaved; they don’t help them understand that their anger comes from childhood trauma and that naming and acknowledging those experiences can lead to accepting their behavior and then heal.
Here’s the hitch, and it’s a costly one. As a result of this traditional approach, 12% to 60% of participants in batterer intervention programs are re-arrested for abusing their partners.
The Need for Healing-Centered Approaches
It’s no surprise that domestic violence is still so prevalent and that the numbers of domestic violence calls to police haven’t changed much over the last few years. The dearth of research into figuring out what works to help an abuser to stop abusing “is such a neglected area of study that the field has almost ceased to exist,” according to a paper published this year by Casey Taft and Jacquelyn Campbell. That’s shocking, considering that the economic toll of domestic violence in the U.S. rolls into the trillions of dollars.
Some bright spots have emerged that offer realistic hope to drastically change these numbers. They’re based in science and data, not “clinical assumptions and lore,” as Taft and Campbell describe the current system.
Healing-Centered Programs
These programs take a healing approach. Their re-arrest rates range from near zero to 8 percent.
Nada Yorke’s Approach
Nada Yorke, a retired probation officer, developed a healing-centered batterer intervention program called Another Way. Her program focuses on helping participants understand how their childhood experiences influence their decision-making and provides them with healthy alternatives for coping with stress and resolving conflict. Yorke’s program has been successful in reducing re-arrest rates, with only 20 percent of program completers being re-arrested for domestic violence compared to 53 percent of non-completers.
Dr. Amie Zarling’s Approach
Dr. Amie Zarling, a clinical psychologist, developed Achieving Change Through Values-Based Behavior (ACTV), another healing-centered batterer intervention program. ACTV addresses the emotional roots of abusive behavior and helps participants develop critical thinking skills to understand the impact of their actions on their partners. Studies have shown that ACTV has lower re-arrest rates compared to traditional programs.
The Impact of Childhood Adversity
Both Yorke and Zarling incorporate the science of childhood adversity, as demonstrated by the ACE Study, into their programs. They help participants understand that their childhood trauma can influence their behavior and provide them with tools to heal and break the cycle of violence.
Conclusion
Healing-centered batterer intervention programs offer a promising approach to reducing re-arrest rates and addressing the underlying causes of domestic violence. By focusing on healing, understanding, and nurturing, these programs align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of promoting gender equality, reducing violence, and ensuring healthy lives and well-being for all. Further research and implementation of these programs are needed to create lasting change in addressing family violence.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
SDGs Addressed:
- SDG 5: Gender Equality
- SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
Targets Identified:
- Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in public and private spheres
- Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere
Indicators:
- Indicator 5.2.1: Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls subjected to physical, sexual, or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months
- Indicator 16.1.1: Number of victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population, by sex and age
The article discusses the issue of family violence, specifically focusing on batterer intervention programs that take a healing approach to reduce re-arrest rates. The identified SDGs are SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).
Under SDG 5, the target identified is Target 5.2, which aims to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in public and private spheres. The article highlights the importance of addressing the issue of domestic violence, which predominantly affects women, and the need for effective intervention programs to reduce re-arrest rates.
Under SDG 16, the target identified is Target 16.1, which aims to significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. The article discusses the high re-arrest rates for participants in traditional batterer intervention programs and highlights the success of healing-centered programs in drastically reducing re-arrest rates.
The indicators mentioned in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets are Indicator 5.2.1 and Indicator 16.1.1. Indicator 5.2.1 measures the proportion of ever-partnered women and girls subjected to violence by an intimate partner, which is relevant to Target 5.2. Indicator 16.1.1 measures the number of victims of intentional homicide, which is relevant to Target 16.1.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in public and private spheres | Indicator 5.2.1: Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls subjected to physical, sexual, or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere | Indicator 16.1.1: Number of victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population, by sex and age |
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: acestoohigh.com
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