ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a practitioner perspective on developing and implementing a programme for people who use abusive and/or violent behaviours in their intimate partner relationships. Working with people who use domestic abuse has become an area of increased focus, however there remains a polarisation in the views of why people use domestic abuse, and what approach needs to be taken to tackle this. Many researchers recognise that men may be domestically abusive for reasons of power and control, however growing evidence suggests that Domestic Violence Advocates (DVA) is a more complex issue with no one cause or pattern that fits all situations. DVA victim services worked to a model of male dominance, power, and control. Working mostly with female victims, they also worked with male victims but men were always assessed as possible perpetrators in initial assessment stages.
