Seminar for and about Victims and Perpetrators of Domestic Violence

Location: Courtyard by Marriott in Tbilisi, Georgia

Participating Countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, and Ukraine

Trainers: Michael Paymar and Rose Thelen from Duluth, Minnesota (USA)

Seminar Objectives

• to give participants an understanding of the Duluth Model coordinated community response to domestic violence, accountability of offender programs, the philosophical framework of the curriculum, and what makes an effective teacher/learner;
• to give participants an understanding of the themes of the curriculum, how the classes are conducted, how the control log is used, and exercises on teaching non-controlling and non-violent behavior;
• to give participants an understanding of the reality of battered women, safety planning, and advocacy; and
• to give participants an understanding of some of the strategies for working with children, education groups for women, and the role of advocacy programs in a coordinated community response.

Seminar Topics

1. The Duluth model, including:

• the role of an offender program in a coordinated community response;
• policies and standardized procedures;
• monitoring and tracking cases; and
• partner contact.

2. Program design, including:

• intake and orientation;
• sentencing recommendations (working with probation officers and the courts);
• re-offense (developing protocols);
• building safety into programs;
• discussing country specifies;
• moving from theory to practice;
• theoretical underpinnings of the curriculum;
• helping offenders understand their pattern and intention of abusive behavior; and
• helping offenders understand how their beliefs are linked to their behavior.

3. The role of the facilitator, including:

• facilitating reflective/critical thinking;
• dialogue;
• maintaining an atmosphere that is challenging, compassionate, but not colluding; and
• posing questions.

4. The curriculum: Creating a Process of Change for Men Who Batter, including:

• the action plan;
• eight themes of the curriculum; and
• defining the elements of equality.

5. From theory to practice, including:

• helping offenders understand how their feelings are linked to their beliefs;
• helping offenders understand the effects of their behavior; and
• challenging minimizing, denying, and blaming.

6. Teaching non-controlling behavior, including:

• role-playing;
• exercises used in week three of a theme; and
• teaching non-controlling and non-abusive behavior.

Creating Options for Battered Women

1. Living with the violence, including:

• historical overview of advocacy programs;
• what traps a battered woman: How community agencies respond; and
• risks for battered women.

2. Providing advocacy and options, including:

• lethality assessment;
• safety planning;
• education and support groups; and
• legal advocacy and shelters.

3. Law enforcement and the courts, including:

• calling the police—risks and benefits—and
• the criminal and civil orders for protection.

4. Strategies for working with children, including:

• the effects of violence on children and
• child safety centers.

5. Advocacy programs in a coordinated community response, including:

• monitoring the system and
• identifying gaps and problem solving.