ABSTRACT
Abusive men need to learn new attitudes and skills and actually apply them with their partners and children if their abusive behavior is to stop. Education offers a means to give them some different ways of looking at themselves and the world around them. A critical part of therapists' domestic abuse program is to help men learn about abuse and violence. The handout on Myths About Domestic Abuse asks men to brainstorm societal myths about abusers, victims, and domestic abuse in general. Some excellent films and videotapes are produced by organizations working with domestic abuse, and these can be used as resources. Many abusers feel intense shame regarding their anger because they have viewed it as a destructive force in their lives. Shame does not cause battering. Battering and psychological abuse occur as a result of a consistent and ongoing pattern of abusive behavior by one person in an intimate relationship who is more powerful than his or her partner.
