Partner Abuse Group Intervention

Abstract

Since the time that work with men who batter was expanded to include psychosocial intervention, the question of victim safety and effective practice has been one of its most prominent themes. Over the decades, an education model evolved that embodied both sociopolitical concerns about woman abuse and practice expertise from community workers and the helping professions. In reviewing that development and current intervention, this article proposes that a narrative therapy approach in group intervention with men who batter might be promising in effectively engaging this population to end their abuse. Mindful of the need for committed participation, program and client accountability, and safety for victimized partners, current practice is examined in findings from a recent qualitative study conducted in Nova Scotia, Canada, with domestic violence group facilitators