One Size Fits All? A Gender-Neutral Approach to a Gender-Specific Problem: Contrasting Batterer Treatment Programs for Male and Female Offenders

Abstract

As an unintended consequence of more strict arrest policies aimed at deterring domestic violence offenders, many battered women have been arrested and court mandated to a treatment program intended for male abusers. This practice raises numerous concerns regarding the impact on specific victims as well as the potential for undermining decades of work aimed at holding offenders accountable. It also offers researchers another lens through which treatment programs can be viewed. This research compares and contrasts two domestic violence intervention programs: one for male offenders and one for female offenders. Specifically, it attempts to answer, What are the challenges in applying a one-size-fits-all and gender-neutral approach to a problem that embodies gender-specific issues and power dynamics? Does treatment designed for battering men need to be altered when applied to women? And how does feminist philosophy as exemplified by the Duluth model translate into groups for men and women?

Keywords

gender batterer treatment

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