ABSTRACT
Accountability is the most important part of committing oneself to a nonabusive future. It is working past all of the embarrassment about being labeled a batterer and having to come to group. It means standing up and accepting their strengths and limitations and moving forward. It is not about shame; it is about acceptance and growth. This chapter presents an interaction between two group members about the different levels of accountability. The exercises on accountability are designed to examine how people can recognize and be open about parts of themselves that could change and grow. External accountability occurs when they change their behavior because another person or an outside agency gives them consequences for their behavior. Internal accountability occurs when people change their behavior because they believe it is the right thing to do. Pence and Paymar outline three obstacles to accountability: minimization, denial, and blame.
