ABSTRACT
Given the enormity and depth of the problems encountered, women who are threatened by partner violence need a continuity of supportive networks and helping services. This chapter is written with passion by the first author who was an advocate-volunteer in a campaign to found a women’s shelter in Kent, Ohio. Later, for years, she counseled female survivors and male batterers in substance-abuse treatment sessions.
Central to this chapter is the focus on crisis intervention. Recent reports are summarized that reveal the extent of this crisis—in personal injury, child safety, mental health problems, and death. can be the starting point on a longer journey toward safety and renewal. For the majority of battered women, permanently leaving the batterer, regaining self-esteem, and finding safe housing and a source of income are all necessary. For the many who want to give the relationship another try, a safety plan is essential to be able to escape a dangerous situation. Many controversies surround reports on domestic violence, and this chapter meets them head-on, with an emphasis on research findings that are evidence- rather than ideologically based. First, there are the statistics of who is battering whom. Then, there is the Duluth Model and its Power and Control Wheel and how it is used in batterer intervention programming. Then are the well-meaning laws passed to protect women with well-intended but negative consequences. Attention is paid to evidence-based research throughout this chapter to find out what works and what does not.
