Thoughts From Partner Assault Response (PAR) Program. Ana Lazar, MSW, RSW. PAR Coordinator Family Services of Peel

Transcription

1 Thoughts From Partner Assault Response (PAR) Program Ana Lazar, MSW, RSW. PAR Coordinator Family Services of Peel

2 PAR Program Overview Is an initiative of the Domestic Violence Court that delivers specialized community based group education/counselling program to offenders that have been mandated by the court to attend this program PAR is a court ordered sanction that provides offenders with the opportunity to examine their beliefs and attitudes towards domestic violence, and to learn non-abusive ways of resolving conflict. PAR programs aim to enhance victim safety and to hold offenders accountable for their behaviour (Ministry of Attorney General, 2014)

3 Objectives/ Structure Increased understanding of violence and abuse (types, cycles) Increased knowledge of personal triggers/ warning signs that contribute to violent behaviour Increased knowledge of non-violent strategies to manage conflict Assist partners with safety planning, sharing of resources Open/ closed groups Group size

4 Topics Defining Abuse How Beliefs and Attitudes Affect Behaviour The Effects of Abuse on Children, Partner and Self Understanding Triggers/ Warning Signs The Impact of Substance Abuse Healthy Relationships Respectful Communication Dealing with Conflict Responsibility and Accountability

5 Process of the program Referrals are made by Probation and/or Crown VWAP in Peel, John Howard Society in Toronto No voluntary clients 2 agencies providing PAR program in the region: FSP and CFSPD Client comes in for intake Intake session: 20 min bio data, court documents, victim s name and info, expectations are discussed (attendance, behaviour, fee, consent, agency policies) At the end of the intake session, clients are provided with a date for an assessment If client does not have enough time to complete the program on their probation order, they will not be accepted. Probation is notified. Assessment: 45 min appropriateness for program and group setting ( *willingness); screening for anything that may interfere the process (*stages of change, mental, historical info) shared with group facilitators. Expectations are again discussed. Assessments can be re-scheduled by clients their responsibility to make contact and reschedule. Referral source is notified of missed appointments

6 Process of the program cont d Post assessment: client is not accepted into the program referral source will receive notification re: reason Client is accepted into the program : group or one-on-one ( * exceptions) start date Referral source receives an Activity Report indicating whether client has been accepted into the program and the start date Clients can ask to be given a different day for attending group prior to start date - if life circumstances change Clients sometimes transfer out of the area referral source/ clients inform us close file

7 Group Clients are mandated to attend 12 sessions Ongoing 5 groups for men who have perpetrated violence with their intimate partner (Tues, Wed, Thurs and Sat) One group for women Co-ed facilitators for the groups for men 1 female facilitator for the group for women Clients meet for 2 hours each week They can not attend more than one group Once started into group they will remain with that group (*exceptions)

8 Group cont d If clients do not attend on the initial start date they may contact FSP to be provided with a new start date Referral source will receive notification that client started the group will continue for the 12 weeks Absences: 1 st missed session verbal warning 2 nd missed session written warning (sent to referral source) 3 rd missed session discharge (Discharge Report sent to referral sources, illustrating the reason) Exceptions: incarceration, death in family, hospitalization Discharges: threatening behaviour, attended sessions impaired Completion of program - Evaluation and Completion Report sent to referral sources copy provided to the client

9 Partner contact/ check Direct contact with the partner who was abused and current partner, if different Purpose: to ensure partner s safety through safety planning, sharing community resources, ability to join group support or individual counselling A minimum of 4 contacts by a separate counsellor Victims are informed that their partner started the program first informed when clients miss session Client s confidential information is not shared

10 Duluth model A model that has men thinking about patriarchal and stereotypical attitudes towards women and the behavioural strategies to control women. Power and control behaviours: using coercion and threats, using intimidation, using emotional abuse, using isolation, minimizing, denying and blaming, using children, using male privilege, using economic abuse

11 Our clients taking notice of their stories Many clients indicated that they have diagnoses of depression, anxiety, PTSD, etc. Some disclose that they are survivors of childhood and adolescent sexual abuse Many disclose that they have been victims of childhood physical abuse and come from families where they witnessed domestic violence A substantial number of clients indicate that they self-medicate with alcohol and illegal drugs to numb painful emotions Numerous clients are immigrants Numerous clients are identifying as victims of their partner s violence

12 Then, moving forward We have included in our practice: Discussions around women s violence as violent resistance (Johnson, 2011, Gondolf, 2012) Encouraging our clients to think of the complexity of DV, of their own complexity as human beings (Carbajosa, Boira & Tomas-Aragones, 2013) Acknowledging the effects of their own trauma, not as an excuse, but as something that needs to be healed (Maguire et all.2015) A need to introduce a variety of approaches: narrative, CBT, Motivational Interview, Strength- Based (Carbajosa, Boira & Tomas-Aragones, 2013) While we continued to: Provide clear information on expectations (confidentiality, program conditions ) Maintain support through their change process

13 Self reports from participants- what is working Not feeling alone Therapeutic alliance Group discussions are insightful Non-judgmental environment Role-playing/ practicing different strategies of solving conflicts Getting to see things in a continuum, not having a one-way-view of situations

14 Self reports on program changes More counselling style sessions A follow up program drop in, joining existing groups Partner to attend as well Voluntary admission/ not so strict with attendance Snacks No cost

15 We have noticed it too For some clients this is their first experience when they self-reflect and become curious about their internal processes A need to assess where clients are in the process of change Therapeutic alliance and clients engagement in change (Carajosa, Boja & Tomas- Aragones, 2013, Edin & Nilsson, 2014). The needs of some these clients is beyond the reach of a psychoeducational group. Groups are a micro-cosmos of primary family -neuroscience demonstrates the healing capacity and immense opportunity for change in a group setting (Lohenstein, 2015), Levels of risk: violence is not an isolated event, collaboration between the sectors involved is needed to accurately assess the level of risk (Gondolf, 2012) Skills training for facilitators and other services involved (Stover & Lent, 2014)

16 Collaboration between services in terms of needs women s sector, CAS, judicial. Wrap around services for families that experience violence Staff training formal certifications Additional research on program evaluations (Taylor & Barker, 2013)

17 References Carbajosa, P., Boira, S., & Tomas-Aragones, L. (2013). Difficulties, skills and therapy strategies in interventions with court -ordered batterers in Spain. Aggression and Violent Behaviour. 18; Edin, K. & Nilsson, B. (2014). Men s violence. Women s Studies International Forum. Gondolf, E. W. (2012). The future of batterer programs. Reassessing Evidence-Based Practice. Northeastern University. Boston, Massachusetts. Gondolf, E. W. (2012). Physical tactics of female partners against male batterer program participants. Violence Against Women. 18(9); Johnson, M. P.(2011). Gender and types of intimate partner violence. A response to an anti -feminist literature review. Aggression and Violent Behaviour. 16; Lohenstein, L. M. (2015). Multi-tiered group therapy model to identify and treat the root causes of domestic violence: A proposal integrating current social neuroscience findings. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy. 65(2); Maguire, E., Krill, S., Woodward, H., Macdonald, A., Holowska, D., Marx, B., & Burns, T. (2015). Examining trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in court mandated intimate partner violence perpetrators. Psyhcological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy. 7(5); Ontario Ministry of Attorney General (2014). Partner Assault Response Program Standards. Smith Stover, C. & Lent, K. (2014). Training and certification for domestic violence service providers: The need for a nation al standard curriculum and training approach. Psychol Violence. 4(2); Taylor, A. & Baker, G. (2013). Programs for men who have used violence against women: Recommendations for action and caution. Rio De Janeiro, Brazil: Instituto Promundo & Washington, DC, US; Poromundo-US.