The training program conducted by Alternative to Violence – on

behalf of the Daphne – II project:

Marius RåkilClinical psychologistExecutive director

Alternative to Violence (ATV), Norway

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ATV consists of the following projects:

Treatment of men who are violent towards their partner and childrenTreatment of violent adolescents (10-18 years old)Treatment of children witnessing violence in their familyTreatment of women exposed to intimate violence Treatment of drug addicts with violence problemsTreatment of women who use violence against their partners and/or childrenTreatment of men and women with an ethnic minority backgroundResearch on the effect of treatment – prospective study

Program struc ture

The training program must contain at least 3modules:

• Theory on violence agaist women and children – as a phenomenon (the trainee’s knowledge base)

• The trainees personal history, anticipations and attitudes on WAV(the need for a personal prcesss as a basis for being trained)

• Practical treatment skills(interventions, type of questions, exercises, and professional attitude)

Part one:

Theoretical considerations on violenceagaist women and children – as aphenomenon

Vio lence as a problem in society

• Violence as a criminal justice problem• Violence as a social problem• Violence as a invisible problem• Violence as a health problem• Violence as a gender equality problem• Violence as a human rights problem• Violence as a democracy problem

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Different perspectives – different understanding violenceagainst women:

• Psychoanalytic approach

• Family therapy / systemic theory

• Cognitive behavioral approach"Battering is learned behavior. According to social learning theory, behavior is learned in two ways; through modeling and positive reinforcement" (Adams & Cayouette, 2002).

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Different perspectives – different understanding violenceagainst women:

• Our recent past: Violence does not exsist (normalized)

• Profeminist approach (patriarchy)

• Psychiatry’s approach (mental illness)

WHY?

WHY WORK WITH MEN’S VIOLENCE?

- Violence against women exists-Men have to take responsibility for their use of violence- Women, children & men are suffering, they need the violence to stop- Violence is a problem in all levels of society- Socio-economic costs

BASIC VALUES

Basic values- ATV

Equality between women and menViolence is gender-specificThe perpetrator is responsible for the violenceViolence is always dangerous and damagingViolence creates powerlessness and is also an attempt to

reduce powerlessnessViolence in the family is violence towards childrenViolence is misuse of powerViolence is a criminal offenceViolence is not “blind”Violence is not an illness

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Different types of violence?

Situational violence:

Relational violence:

“Fundamentalistic” violence

Functional/operational violence:

Trauma based violence:

DEFINITION OF VIOLENCE

“Violence is any act directed against another person, where this act either harms, hurts or offends in a way that

makes the person do something against his/her will or stop doing

something that he/she would like to do”

(Isdal, 2000)

VIOLENCE

Physical violence – violence including physical contact, includes use of weaponsPsychological violence

-Direct threats-Indirect threats-Degrading behaviour-Pathological jealousy-Controlling behaviour-Isolating behaviour

Material violence – to hit doors, windows, tables, destroy property, throw objects/food etc.Sexualised violence – from sexual harassment or use of verbal force to achieve intercourse, to rape Latent violence – violence due to violence. Example: because of a physically violent act 10 years ago his partner still does not express her opinions nor can she act freely

Characteristic features of men’s violence agaist women

• Violence is hierarcical (always connected to power structure and systems / directed downvards)

• Violence is intelligent

• Violence has rewarding effects to the perpetrator

• Violence is cyclical (transgenerational)

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Violence being a problem in itself

Violence serving as a symptom

WHY?

WHY WORK WITH MEN’S VIOLENCE?

- Violence against women exists-Men have to take responsibility for their use of violence- Women, children & men are suffering, they need the violence to stop- Violence is a problem in all levels of society- Socio-economic costs

BASIC VALUES

Basic values- ATV

• Equality between women and men• Violence is gender-specific• The perpetrator is responsible for the violence• Violence is always dangerous and damaging• Violence creates powerlessness and is also an attempt to

reduce powerlessness• Violence against women is violence towards children• Violence is abuse of power• Violence is a criminal offence• Violence is not “blind”• Violence is not an illness

WHY DO THEY USE VIOLENCE?

Causes of violence – individual level

Causes of violence – group level

Causes of violence – societal level

Causes of violence – violence-related level

CAUSE 1

Causes of violence – individual level

- Exposed to violence, witnessed violence- Deficit of parental care- Parent(s) had alcohol or drug problems- Laissez faire parenthood, no love or affection- The sum of his learning experiences

CAUSE 2

Causes of violence – group level

- Group norms- Status in the group-Group pressure(THE MALE COIR)- Recognition / acceptance

CAUSE 3

Causes of violence – societal level

- Gender roles- Male role model- Role models / ideals in movies, media, etc.- The individuals lack of influence/power or perception of powerlessness- The level of violence in societyPoverty, class distinction

CAUSES 4

Causes of violence – violence-related level

- Violence breeds violence- Violence gives relaxation, power, influence, identity, benefits, “respect”- Violence leads to changes in the relationship and the interaction within the family (frustration, insecurity, anxiety, stress, less communication)- Violence leads to contempt, contempt leads to violence

Characteristic features of men’s violence agaist women

• Violence is hierarcical (always connected to power structure and systems / directed downvards)

• Violence is intelligent

• Violence has rewarding effects to the perpetrator

• Violence is cyclical (transgenerational)

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Violence being a problem in itself

Violence serving as a symptom

MENS EXPANATIONS

How does the man explain his own violence?

Externalising – blaming others (partner, alcohol, etc.)

2. Denial – the violence has not happened

3. Minimisation – “it was only a little quarrel, I barely touched her”

4. Fragmentation – “mostly I’m a good guy, I have only slapped her a couple of times”

Why are these strategies used? It makes the violence possible. Guilt and shame cause active repression of the violent incidents and so the violence will no longer seem to be a problem, or even to have existed.

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HOW DO MEN WHO USE VIOLENCE PRESENT THEIRVIOLENT PROBLEM?

• Being reluctant to talk about the violence• Blaming the victim(s)• Family matter• Mutual responsibility• Caused by social problems• Caused by alchohol and drug problems• The women are responsible

MEETING VIOLENT MEN

How to talk about violence

Direct questionsNo contemptUnderstandingWarmthAttentivenessSupportivenessTechniques: be attentive and interested, willing to learn, be concrete and specific (who, where, how, what, etc.)Ask a lot of questions – ask for detailsAsk with respectAvoid “why?”

TREATMENT PRINCIPLES

Treatment principles:1. FOCUS ON VIOLENCE-Detailed and expanding reconstruction of the violence (behaviour)

2. FOCUS ON RESPONSIBILITY-Focus on choices and intentions. Get in touch with own need for control and own control strategies (responsibility)

3. FOCUS ON THE CLIENT’S PERSONAL HISTORY-Re-establish the connection between own “life learning” on masculinity, manhood, attitudes towards women etc, childhood experiences, significant aspects of adult coping strategies and the use of violence (connections)

4. RECOGNISING THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE VIOLENCE -Empathy with the victims (partner/children) of the violence. Recognising the pain inflicted on others (consequences)

VIOLENCE

Physical violence – violence including physical contact, includes use of weaponsPsychological violence

-Direct threats-Indirect threats-Degrading behaviour-Distorted ways of dealing with own feelings of jealousy-Controlling behaviour-Isolating behaviour

Material violence – to hit doors, windows, tables, destroy property, throw objects/food etc.Sexualised violence – from sexual harassment or use of verbal force to achieve intercourse, to rape Latent violence – violence due to violence. Example: because of a physically violent act 10 years ago his partner still does not express her opinions nor can she act freely

Time out

1. Identifying warning signs ( Detailed work on getting in contact with bodily, behavioral and cognitive signals

2. Stop!3. Remove from the situation. Leave the room/house

completely. Be away for approx 10 min.4. Calming yourself. Work on tghoughts and things to do that

helps you to calm down, in opposition to those who maketyou angry and on alert.

5. Og back again when the time is up, and try to continue the interaction, but in a calm and respectful way. If the aggression comes back, start the time out procedure again.

VIOLENT MEN AS FATHERS

• Work with the men’s images of themself as a fathers

• How the violence is affecting the child - father relationship • How the violence is affecting the child - mother relationship

• How the child is affected by the violence – both on a short term and long term basis

• Educate the men on the basic needs of children within a developmental perspektive – and how the presence of violence is obstructing the coverage of these needs.

References:

Råkil, M. (2002). A Norwegian Integrative Model for the Treatment of Men Who Batter. Family Violence & Sexual Assault Bulletin, 18, (8-14). San Diego, CA Råkil, M. (2006). Are men who use violence against their partners and children good enough fathers? The need for an integrated child perspective in the treatment work with the men. In: Humphries, C. & Stanley, N. Domestic Violence and Child Protection. (pp. 190-202) London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers Ltd.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Marius Råkil Alternative to ViolenceAddress: Lilletorget 1, 0184 Oslo, NorwayTelephone: +47-22114040Mobile: +47 - 91363022Fax: +47-22114011E-mail: marius@atv-stiftelsen.no