ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the resistance that men often display when they are referred to programmes for domestic abuse perpetrators. Contrary to some expectations, violence against women is associated with a sense of shame and is understood as emasculating. As a consequence, the men experience anxiety about the threat that group attendance poses to their gendered sense of self. It is argued the men’s sense of anxiety is compounded by other aspects of the group-based perpetrator interventions, including uncertainty about what will be involved, discomfort with the group environment, and being positioned in the role of a learner. The chapter goes on to argue the men will display strategies of resistance, involving hostility, denial, minimisation, and blame. It is argued that understanding the issues underlying resistance and how it might be displayed is crucial for effective programme facilitation.
