ABSTRACT
The Southern Collective Against Violence and Abuse is an autonomous reference group that guides the development and delivery of two community health programmes for men who use violence and control in their intimate partnerships with women. Men joining the group must sign a “no confidentiality” clause, providing the therapists with the details of their ex and/or current partners. The men are informed that the therapist will speak with their partners, but that they will not be told when, nor will they be given information about the content of what their partners say. The assessment and pre-group meetings are a key mechanism in engaging with the men. This process can be confronting for the men for various reasons. A significant part of the building of the therapeutic relationship occurs before men join the group in the assessment phase and between sessions via phone calls, therapeutic letters, and individual meetings.
