TY - JOUR
T1 - Participants’ views about the survivor contact element of IPV perpetrator programs: a preliminary study.
AU - McGinn, Tony
AU - Taylor, Brian
AU - McColgan, Mary
AU - Daly, Margaret
PY - 2019/12/10
Y1 - 2019/12/10
N2 - Advocacy services, for victims and survivors, are at the core of our response to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). The survivor contact element of IPV perpetrator programmes is recognised as a necessary safety measure for their operation. Within the context of equivocal evaluations of these programmes, and the impetus to find opportunities to enhance their effectiveness, this study report explores the service user perspective on survivor contact work. In-depth semi-structured interviews were completed with 18 perpetrators and 18 survivors involved in three Irish-based programmes, and findings were analysed using grounded theory principles. Almost without exception, survivors were positive about their engagement with an outreach service. There was evidence to suggest that perpetrator programme outreach services do reach survivors who may not ordinarily make contact with an advocacy service. In general terms, survivors felt validated as survivors, they felt supported, they learned about abusive behaviours and some saw the service as a monitor of what their partner was saying during group work. However, some survivors described their fear that any reports of ongoing abuse, which they offered, would attract reprisals from their partner or the attentions of child protection services. More determined application of criminal justice measures, and enhanced resourcing of the survivor contact element of these programmes, should be considered.
AB - Advocacy services, for victims and survivors, are at the core of our response to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). The survivor contact element of IPV perpetrator programmes is recognised as a necessary safety measure for their operation. Within the context of equivocal evaluations of these programmes, and the impetus to find opportunities to enhance their effectiveness, this study report explores the service user perspective on survivor contact work. In-depth semi-structured interviews were completed with 18 perpetrators and 18 survivors involved in three Irish-based programmes, and findings were analysed using grounded theory principles. Almost without exception, survivors were positive about their engagement with an outreach service. There was evidence to suggest that perpetrator programme outreach services do reach survivors who may not ordinarily make contact with an advocacy service. In general terms, survivors felt validated as survivors, they felt supported, they learned about abusive behaviours and some saw the service as a monitor of what their partner was saying during group work. However, some survivors described their fear that any reports of ongoing abuse, which they offered, would attract reprisals from their partner or the attentions of child protection services. More determined application of criminal justice measures, and enhanced resourcing of the survivor contact element of these programmes, should be considered.
KW - Domestic abuse
KW - Interpersonal trauma
KW - Violence Against Women
KW - violent offenders
KW - survivors
KW - survivors of violence
KW - Advocacy
U2 - 10.1891/0886-6708.VV-D-17-00150
DO - 10.1891/0886-6708.VV-D-17-00150
M3 - Article
C2 - 31836642
SN - 0886-6708
SP - 889
JO - Violence and Victims
JF - Violence and Victims
M1 - 6
ER -