Early Domestic Violence Intervention Assessment and Treatment - EDVIAT Proposal taken to NSW Government in 2016
Treating family violence – a new approach
- The Person Centre EDVIAT model focuses on treating the primary form of domestic violence – male to female partner violence.
- We believe that the time to facilitate effective change is when an Apprehended Violence Order is first served – before the behaviour becomes criminalised – and that this could be achieved across any jurisdiction by the implementation of our clear, achievable treatment model – Early Domestic Violence Intervention Assessment and Treatment.
- Our years of work with hundreds of male domestic violence offenders has shown that in the vast majority of cases one particular factor triggers the violence, usually either:
- Relationship or financial problems
- Drugs, alcohol or gambling
- Mental illness
- Abusive attitudes towards female partners
- While we acknowledge that more than one of these factors is often at play, usually one specific factor is the primary trigger leading to an incident of physical domestic violence. The trigger varies from individual to individual and if the trigger is removed or even lessened, the risk of further violence can be significantly reduced.
- One or two assessment sessions with an experienced counsellor or therapist should identify the trigger and determine the treatment plan.
- In a significant number of instances the issues would be resolved after the initial assessment sessions (such as leaving an unsuccessful relationship or returning to Mental Health medication or an abstinence program).
Treatment ModelSTEP 1: Each AVO where there is deemed a risk of physical violence should include a direction to attend an assessment session with an approved counsellor/therapist and to follow the subsequent treatment planSTEP 2: Facilitate the assessment session and develop the treatment planSTEP 3: Provide the appropriate treatment or refer to an approved providerSTEP 4: Monitor participation and outcomesSee Treatment-detail for more information about the treatment model, required resources and legal considerations
BACKGROUND
The current situation - a lost opportunityCurrently, other than conditions aimed at protecting victims, little or no intervention is required of men who receive an AVO until an offender has breached the AVO, often on more than one occasion, been charged with a criminal offence and eventually given a custodial sentence and/or required to comply with supervision orders. Then they might attend a Corrective Services domestic abuse program or other appropriate intervention.
The Person Centre believes that early intervention in the form of advocacy and assistance with completing treatment is far more effective than waiting until an oppositional approach to the justice system has become entrenched.
We also believe that facilitating behaviour change to reduce violence by men toward their female partners will provide the most benefit not only to the offenders and their victims, but to their children, the wider community and ultimately to improve our cultural disposition.
The details below further outline the proposed Early Domestic Violence Intervention Assessment and Treatment process.
The Person Centre believes that early intervention in the form of advocacy and assistance with completing treatment is far more effective than waiting until an oppositional approach to the justice system has become entrenched.
We also believe that facilitating behaviour change to reduce violence by men toward their female partners will provide the most benefit not only to the offenders and their victims, but to their children, the wider community and ultimately to improve our cultural disposition.
The details below further outline the proposed Early Domestic Violence Intervention Assessment and Treatment process.
TREATMENT
STEP 1: AVO CONDITIONSAVO recipients deemed at risk of physical violence receive a direction to attend an assessment session and participate in treatment. An initial assessment appointment should be made and conducted at the earliest opportunity.
STEP 2: INITIAL ASSESSMENT SESSION AND TREATMENT PLANInitial assessment is conducted by an approved, qualified counsellor or other therapist. The treatment plan is then established.
STEP 3: THE FOUR MAIN TREATMENT PLANSTRIGGER ONE: Relationship or financial problemsRefer to existing service provider, such as Relationships Australia for relationship or separation counselling, or to an established financial counselling service.
TRIGGER TWO: Drugs, alcohol or gamblingThe appropriate treatment would be determined in consultation with the therapist depending on the individual's history. An entrenched long term drug or alcohol user may require long term rehabilitation with ongoing support, whereas a binge drinker who is only violent when drunk might require counselling in strategies to maintain moderate alcohol intake. There are a great variety of treatments available for a great variety of addictive behaviours.
TRIGGER THREE: Mental IllnessRefer to existing Community Mental Health services or appropriate medical professionals
TRIGGER FOUR: Abusive attitudes toward female partnersDirect to attend a domestic abuse group program delivered by an approved provider.
NOTE: Participants who are parents will attend an additional Parenting program module.
STEP 4: MONITOR PARTICIPATION AND OUTCOMESDesigned in consultation with governing bodies.
STEP 2: INITIAL ASSESSMENT SESSION AND TREATMENT PLANInitial assessment is conducted by an approved, qualified counsellor or other therapist. The treatment plan is then established.
STEP 3: THE FOUR MAIN TREATMENT PLANSTRIGGER ONE: Relationship or financial problemsRefer to existing service provider, such as Relationships Australia for relationship or separation counselling, or to an established financial counselling service.
TRIGGER TWO: Drugs, alcohol or gamblingThe appropriate treatment would be determined in consultation with the therapist depending on the individual's history. An entrenched long term drug or alcohol user may require long term rehabilitation with ongoing support, whereas a binge drinker who is only violent when drunk might require counselling in strategies to maintain moderate alcohol intake. There are a great variety of treatments available for a great variety of addictive behaviours.
TRIGGER THREE: Mental IllnessRefer to existing Community Mental Health services or appropriate medical professionals
TRIGGER FOUR: Abusive attitudes toward female partnersDirect to attend a domestic abuse group program delivered by an approved provider.
NOTE: Participants who are parents will attend an additional Parenting program module.
STEP 4: MONITOR PARTICIPATION AND OUTCOMESDesigned in consultation with governing bodies.
PARENTINGAs the optimum outcome of implementing the EDVIAT module is cultural change, it is imperative that AVO recipients who are parents of school age or younger children are assisted in developing appropriate parenting skills.
A parenting module could be built into the tailored Domestic Abuse program which will facilitate an understanding of appropriate behaviour modelling and the impact of behaviour modelled by parental figures on children once they become adults. This module will include information relating to the impact of education, adequate sleep, healthy diet, hygiene, physical activity and other parenting essentials.
This will assist in breaking the inter-generational cycle of domestic violence.
A parenting module could be built into the tailored Domestic Abuse program which will facilitate an understanding of appropriate behaviour modelling and the impact of behaviour modelled by parental figures on children once they become adults. This module will include information relating to the impact of education, adequate sleep, healthy diet, hygiene, physical activity and other parenting essentials.
This will assist in breaking the inter-generational cycle of domestic violence.
Facilitating behaviour change to reduce violence by men toward their female partners will provide the most benefit not only to the offenders and their victims, but to their families, the wider community and ultimately our culture. Any resources allocated to preventing more serious crime will eliminate the costs of those crimes to victims, their families, the community, the health system and particularly the justice system – police, legal aid, courts and corrective services.
RESOURCESCertain resources need to be allocated (or redirected) in order to accommodate the EDVIAT model:
RESOURCESCertain resources need to be allocated (or redirected) in order to accommodate the EDVIAT model:
- The addition of assessment and treatment as a condition of AVOs where there is deemed a risk of physical violence.
- "Targeted” (or “conditional”) priority funding to ensure access to existing services such as rehabilitation bed placement, relationship, financial or addictions counselling and mental health treatment.
- Additional funding and/or other arrangements with existing providers to ensure the delivery of assessment, treatment and programs.
- Development of a training package and standardised assessment guidelines to enable existing counsellors, other therapists and service providers to determine each individual's triggers and, where appropriate, to deliver programs. The Person Centre has the capacity to deliver the training package and assessment guidelines in a timely manner
- Adapt existing Addictions and Domestic Abuse programs for AVO recipients using de-criminalised language. The Person Centre has the capacity to create targeted programs in a timely manner
- An entity to oversee the development of resources and implementation of the EDVIAT model. The Person Centre has the capacity to provide training in any jurisdiction implementing EDVIAT in consultation with governing bodies
LEGISLATION
The only legislative consideration is whether any changes to the law would be required before adding assessment and treatment to AVO conditions where there is deemed a risk of physical violence.
It would seem that this model should not be under the jurisdiction of corrective services, as the intention is to address the behaviour before it becomes criminalised.
We believe it could be under banner of preventative justice.
The only legislative consideration is whether any changes to the law would be required before adding assessment and treatment to AVO conditions where there is deemed a risk of physical violence.
It would seem that this model should not be under the jurisdiction of corrective services, as the intention is to address the behaviour before it becomes criminalised.
We believe it could be under banner of preventative justice.
IMPLEMENTATION
Depending on the willingness of governing bodies, EDVIAT could be developed and implemented on any scale if allocated appropriate resources and funding.
The Person Centre is ready to develop a package on a state wide or national scale and to train agencies delivering EDVIAT to AVO recipients deemed at risk of physical violence.
It is envisaged that the EDVIAT model would best be delivered in DV "hotspots" - locations where there is a higher instance of domestic violence - and participants from other areas could be referred to the those locations for assessment and treatment.
Pilot optionIf a pilot were considered an appropriate starting point, The Person Centre can conduct a pilot in a suitable metropolitan area.
Research optionWe are also able to organise for the pilot to be incorporated into research at Western Sydney University.
The Person Centre is ready to develop a package on a state wide or national scale and to train agencies delivering EDVIAT to AVO recipients deemed at risk of physical violence.
It is envisaged that the EDVIAT model would best be delivered in DV "hotspots" - locations where there is a higher instance of domestic violence - and participants from other areas could be referred to the those locations for assessment and treatment.
Pilot optionIf a pilot were considered an appropriate starting point, The Person Centre can conduct a pilot in a suitable metropolitan area.
Research optionWe are also able to organise for the pilot to be incorporated into research at Western Sydney University.
The Person Centre is in the process of collecting current, relevant statistics and will update this page when these become available.
Facts underpinning the EDVIAT model • There is an unacceptable level of violence by men toward female partners • The violence often escalates between the initial AVO and a breach that leads to imprisonment • Domestic Abuse programs provided to parolees in the community have proven to be effective in reducing further violence and recidivism • No such intervention is provided to new AVO recipients • Resources allocated to victim support, education and imprisonment have not had a significant impact on the behaviour of men who are violent to their female partners
Education and punishment have had very little impact on the behaviour of men who have had violence modelled to them by the parents or other adults during childhood, as the behaviour of parental figures has been shown to create core responses that are not changed without intense work to unpack the responses and core beliefs that go with them.
Domestic Abuse programs have been proven to effectively facilitate this change by taking the time in a group setting with peers who have similar behavioural concerns to create a safe environment where the flawed beliefs and violent responses can be successfully challenged. Subsequent behaviour can then be changed.
Facts underpinning the EDVIAT model • There is an unacceptable level of violence by men toward female partners • The violence often escalates between the initial AVO and a breach that leads to imprisonment • Domestic Abuse programs provided to parolees in the community have proven to be effective in reducing further violence and recidivism • No such intervention is provided to new AVO recipients • Resources allocated to victim support, education and imprisonment have not had a significant impact on the behaviour of men who are violent to their female partners
Education and punishment have had very little impact on the behaviour of men who have had violence modelled to them by the parents or other adults during childhood, as the behaviour of parental figures has been shown to create core responses that are not changed without intense work to unpack the responses and core beliefs that go with them.
Domestic Abuse programs have been proven to effectively facilitate this change by taking the time in a group setting with peers who have similar behavioural concerns to create a safe environment where the flawed beliefs and violent responses can be successfully challenged. Subsequent behaviour can then be changed.