CHANGE 1993-1994 Annual Report
Introduction
On behalf of the management committee I am pleased to introduce
the fourth Annual Report of the CHANGE Project.
The most welcome development of the last year was undoubtedly
confirmation that our Urban Aid Funding had been extended for
three years to 31 August 1996. This not only ensures that the
direct work of the Project continues but also allows the
Committee to plan for future developments. In recognition that
the Project was four years old, an accounting day was held in
October for an invited audience, an event which is covered in
more detail later in this report.
The direct work with perpetrators of domestic violence in
Central Region continues to be the main priority of the Project.
Recently referrals to the Project have increased and the
Co-ordinators will be running three groups over the summer
period. Over the years the staff have continued to develop their
skills and knowledge in this area of work. It continues to be an
objective of the Project that a manual be produced based on this
experience.
The wider aims of the Project continue to be fulfilled through
the training and consultancy work completed with other agencies
throughout the country. At a time when others are addressing the
issue of men’s violence I believe it is especially important
that the Project continue to provide information and training
about the many complex considerations that need to be taken into
account before this work is embarked on. The Co-ordinators are
eager to stress that in their opinion the planning for this work
must involve those who represent the interests of women.
The Project continues to consolidate its links with other
agencies in Central Region, one outcome of which was the recent
joint publication of an information pack for abused women.
The future for the Project presents a number of exciting and
challenging opportunities. While the management committee
remains committed to maintaining the high standard of direct
work with abusive men, it is also clear that if the Project is
to continue beyond 1996, which we believe it should, we must
give consideration to future developments. As such the committee
has set up a planning group to identify and explore options for
the future. This work is ongoing and vital.
Finally, I would thank the three staff members, Dorothy, David
and Monica, who have contributed greatly to the effective
running of the Project. They have also provided much help to me
in my first year as Convenor.
James McCormick
The CHANGE Project
The CHANGE Project was established in September 1989 following
the committed work of a number of individuals from Women’s Aid
and the legal, academic and social work professions, whose
efforts had been successful in securing Urban Aid Funding
through the sponsorship of Central Regional Council Social Work
Department.
The main aims of the Project are to deliver a criminal justice
based re-education programme for men who have been violent to
their wives or female partners, to encourage collaborative
interagency practice over domestic violence, to offer training
and consultancy to other professionals working in this area and,
through publications, the holding of conferences and
contributions to other conferences, to raise general awareness
of the issue of domestic violence.
Staffing and Management
CHANGE is staffed by two co-ordinators and an administrator.
Staff are responsible to a management committee comprising
representatives of Scottish and local Women's Aid and
individuals who are concerned to achieve the goals of CHANGE. A
Constitution lays down the objectives and functions of the
organisation. Management committee meetings are held on a
six-weekly cycle.
In addition, an Advisory Group comprising representatives of
local statutory and voluntary agencies meets occasionally to
provide advice and information to the management committee. The
present memberships of both these bodies are listed at the back
of this report.
The CHANGE Perspective
CHANGE’s position is that men's violence towards their female
partners stems from a fundamental inequality in the male/female
relationship which is rooted in patriarchy, and engenders men's
need to secure and maintain power and control in relationships.
From this perspective men's abuse of, and violence towards,
women is seen as learned and intentional behaviour rather than
the consequence of individual pathology, stress, alcohol abuse
or the fact that he lives in a 'dysfunctional relationship'.
Traditionally, men have been assumed to have the right to
exercise power and control over women and children, both in
general terms as well as in personal relationships. Ultimately,
the wider responsibility for solving the problems of family
violence relies upon a change in social attitudes and in the way
in which our institutions respond to these manifestations of
male power. Within this context, programmes for men who abuse
women are viewed only as one aspect of a wider responsibility
for society to change.
The Men's Programme
The men's programme continues to be the main focus of the
Project's work with regular referrals coming from the Courts as
well as from Social Workers.
The following section gives an account of the referrals to the
programme and provides an overview of the reasons why CHANGE has
worked with some men and rejected others.
Since CHANGE started working directly with men in March 1990, a
total of 133 men had been referred for assessment by the end of
March 1994. Discounting those cases where staff were unable to
make contact and other cases currently being assessed CHANGE
interviewed and assessed a total of 117 men. Of this number, 69
were considered to be suitable programme candidates. Chart 1
shows the status of all referrals at the end of March 1994.
Chart 1:
In all 48 men, or 36% of the total, were considered unsuitable.
This is a substantial percentage and it is important that CHANGE
is accountable for these non-recommendations. There were a
range of reasons why men were considered unsuitable. In most
cases more than one reason applied to each man.
Denial of responsibility on the man's part together with lack of
motivation to change and presenting the offence as an isolated
incident accounted for over one third of the total reasons for
non-recommendation. Denial or minimisations of personal
responsibility are, not surprisingly, encountered in almost all
assessment interviews. In these particular instances, however,
the level of denial encountered simply proved too intractable to
contest or challenge. Expressing no motivation to change is
usually because the man does not see the violence as his
responsibility. In cases where the offence is presented as an
isolated incident, men usually maintain it is atypical behaviour
and therefore does not require them to change.
The prevalence of personal problems, including alcohol, drug
misuse, and general instability of living circumstances, have
also resulted in non-recommendations. Men have also sometimes
been simply unable to meet the requirements of the programme
because other personal issues, including essential matters such
as accommodation, have assumed priority in their lives. It is
worth noting that alcohol abuse is a reason for
non-recommendation only when it is seen to be
chronic and overriding. A high percentage of men have been
either drunk or under the influence of alcohol when charged, and
while many of them acknowledge having an alcohol problem they
are still able to participate satisfactorily in the programme.
Issues pertaining to the severity or pattern of violence and
concern for women's safety have also been a substantial factor
in rejecting men who have then been dealt with otherwise by the
courts. The issue of victim safety is of paramount importance
when working with perpetrators.
In a small number of instances men were rejected due to their
having a recognised psychiatric problem. In one of these
instances, however, the decision not to provide a service was
reversed when fuller information was later received.
Other circumstances such as employment factors have occasionally
prevented men from being able to attend the programme and have
resulted in non-recommendations, although a greater flexibility
to work with men on competing shift patterns has been a feature
of the programme in the past year.
Finally, in two instances, hostility and an absolute refusal to
accept the demands of the programme resulted in
non-recommendation.
Partner Contact
This year has seen the joint production of an information pack
'Help for Abused Women’. Produced by Central Region, it contains
leaflets from Women's Aid, Social Work and CHANGE for those
women whose partners are being considered for the men's
programme. Its purpose is to inform women about the services
they can go to for help and information while their partner is
on the programme. The text of the CHANGE leaflet from the pack
is reproduced in full on pages 9 - 11.
Feedback from women whose partners had been on the programme in
the past revealed that many would have welcomed more information
about the work being done with men. Therefore, during this year,
CHANGE began to send partners short information sheets which
summarised the work covered on the programme. Taking account of
comments from women and other agencies, these information sheets
have undergone a number of revisions and are currently being
redrafted to make them more user-friendly.
CHANGE Accounting Day
In September 1993, CHANGE entered its second phase of funding
under the Urban Programme which enables the Project to continue
its current work and develop plans for the future. To mark the
end of the initial four year period of funding CHANGE held an
Accounting Day on 8 October 1993 for an invited audience
comprising CHANGE's founders, funders, sponsors and advisers. Dr
Russell Dobash of the University of Wales College of Cardiff
spoke about why programmes for violent men are necessary, and
Margaret Taylor, Scottish Women’s Aid, outlined why Women’s Aid
became involved with the Project.
CHANGE took this opportunity to give an account of its first
four years’ work and achievements and to outline plans for the
future. Kate Cavanagh and Ruth Lewis of the Men’s Programmes
Research Team, which is looking at the effectiveness of working
with men in this way, gave some preliminary impressions
resulting from their work. We look forward to the publication of
the full research findings later this year.
Teaching and Training
During the last year CHANGE has striven to maintain a balance
between the demands of the core work of running the men's
programme and responding to the increasing number of requests
from other agencies for training input. While we have had to
look to the future of the Project and recognise the role that
experience in agency-based training can play, we have
endeavoured to keep such commitments to a minimum.
In June 1993, we ran a half-day workshop entitled ‘Issues when
Working with Domestic Violence Offenders’ for second year social
work students at Dundee's Northern College.
In November 1993 we undertook a half-day seminar on 'Violence in
the Family' for postgraduate psychology students at Stirling
University taking the MSc course in Psychology and Health. This
input is now a regular annual commitment.
In December 1993, we undertook a one-day training for workers on
the Possil Drugs Project in Glasgow. This built on common areas
of practice and skills which drug workers already employ; for
example, holding people accountable for their actions and
examining parallel issues which face partners of drug abusers
and violent men.
In February 1994, we held three, two-day training events for
Fife Region Social Work Department, Merseyside Probation Service
and South Yorkshire Probation Service on the theme
‘Probation-based Work with Domestic Violence Offenders’.
In March 1994, we contributed the final day to a three-day
interagency training conference for Northumbria Probation
Service. Our input was called ‘Domestic Violence: The Reality
and the Response’. The previous two-days had included
contributions from PRO-Act, a drama groupwork organisation, the
Zero Tolerance campaign, criminal justice agencies, and agencies
working with women.
Prison-based Work
CHANGE's policy on prison-based work this year has been to
concentrate on working closely with one institution to develop a
suitable programme. Joint work on a such a programme is now
underway in Glenochil Prison. The focus of this is on
‘Resettlement and Relationships’ and will run initially as a
pilot. Other institutions continue to show interest.
Conference Presentations
The Co-ordinators attended the Second Annual Probation Practice
Conference at Sheffield Hallam University from 7-9 July 1993.
The conference theme was ‘Values, Gender and Offending’. CHANGE
had been invited to present three two-hour workshops on
groupwork with domestic violence offenders from a
probation-based perspective. In all, 42 probation officers,
researchers and academics attended our workshops and feedback
from the conference organisers was very positive. We valued this
opportunity to contribute to what we know is an expanding
interest in probation practice.
On 9 December 1993, CHANGE was invited to speak at a one-day
conference in London organised by Crime Concern entitled
‘Women's Safety - Everybody's Business’. Other speakers were
from Women's Aid Federation, England, the Edinburgh Zero
Tolerance Campaign, Industry, the Media and Academia. CHANGE was
the only organisation working with men to be represented. This
was a high profile conference attended by HRH the Princess
Royal.
The Home Office Criminal Justice Conference which was held in
Northumbria from 15 to 17 March 1994 focussed on the issue of
domestic violence. The conference considered different
approaches to domestic violence in the criminal justice system
and the scope for progress through interagency working.
Participants were invited from the public services, the bench,
the voluntary sector, the legal profession and the academic
sector. CHANGE was invited to contribute to the session on
‘Responding to Offenders’. A report was subsequently published
by the Home Office Special Conferences Unit (Criminal Justice
Conference, 15-17 March 1994, Home Office Special
Conferences Unit, London).
Practitioners' Network
The practitioners' network, which grew out of the CHANGE
Conference of January 1992, continues to meet twice yearly, this
year in London and Bristol. The London meeting on 6 and 7 May,
hosted by the Everyman Centre, was well attended by various
organisations and individuals planning to or already undertaking
work with violent men.
The second meeting, held in Bristol on 21 and 22 October 1993,
was hosted by New Directions. On this occasion various issues to
do with values and ethics were raised and it was decided that
the meeting planned for May 1994 would address the development
of a code of practice.
Media and Publicity
BBC Radio 2 are planning a social action project on domestic
violence in October 1994. In preparation, they invited a range
of organisations and individuals, including CHANGE, to a one-day
seminar on 1 July 1993 at Broadcasting House in London. The BBC
project, will span a five day period and plans to target women
and to provide help and advice for friends and relatives as well
as raise awareness of the issues amongst the general public and
professionals.
In February, CHANGE participated in the BBC Radio Scotland
programme 'Speaking Out'. The programme took the form of a
discussion and brought together a number of men who were working
in various ways on the issues of men's violence, as well as
representatives of Women's Aid.
Visitors
Visitors to the Project this year have included postgraduate
research and social work students from Scotland and south of the
border; a number of practitioners working with violent men both
within the statutory and voluntary sectors as well as two
academics from Australia. Two members of the Parole Board for
Scotland also spent a morning with the co-ordinators while
researching the availability of possible parole programmes in
the Central belt.
Urban Forum
CHANGE continues to be actively represented on the Urban Forum,
the umbrella organisation for all urban funded projects in
Central Region. Together the Forum and the Region have done much
to develop support and training initiatives essential to the
success of many projects and for which CHANGE is most grateful.
Help for Abused Women
The CHANGE Programme
Who is the CHANGE men's programme for?
The CHANGE men's programme is for men who have been charged
and gone before the local Sheriff Court for assaulting a
woman partner, whether it's their wife, ex-wife, girlfriend
or ex-girlfriend. In some cases a man who has been charged
with another offence, but where details of his violent
behaviour have come to light, may be considered for the
programme.
When the man appears in Court the Sheriff may call for a
CHANGE assessment report at the same time as a Social
Enquiry Report (SER) to help the Court decide on the best
course of action. A CHANGE worker will then meet with him to
assess his suitability for the men's programme. At this
stage you will also usually be contacted by someone from
CHANGE so that any questions you have about the programme
can be answered.
Not all men are assessed as being suitable for the
programme. Much depends on whether he accepts he needs to
change his behaviour and is willing to commit himself to the
terms of the men's programme. CHANGE discusses his
suitability with the social worker compiling the SER as men
can only attend the programme if they are placed on a
probation order which will mean working closely with a
social worker.
CHANGE then submits a report to the Court on the man's
suitability at the same time as the social worker submits an
SER. Where a man is considered suitable the Sheriff may then
refer him to the programme as a condition of a Probation
Order.
What will happen if he is referred to the men's programme?
If your partner is accepted onto the programme he will have
to sign a contract called the Agreement to Participate which
spells out the terms he must agree to. These include
agreeing that he is violent to you and that he wants to stop
being violent, and committing himself to attending the
programme sessions and doing the work he is given. You will
be sent a full copy of the Agreement once he has started the
programme.
The programme itself consists of working with other men in a
group for a weekly two hour session over a five to six month
period. The sessions are held in the afternoons or evenings
in either Falkirk or Stirling.
Being on the programme will also involve him in regular
review meetings with CHANGE and his social worker which you
are welcome to attend and give your views.
What does the CHANGE programme do?
The programme will aim to help your partner stop his
violence. It stresses that violence is a criminal offence,
that it is not acceptable to you or to the community and
that he must take responsibility for ending his violence.
The sessions run like a class with work consisting of talks,
discussions and class exercises which look at how he has
learned to use violence and how he can stop it. He will also
be given homework to do each week which he is free to show
you if you wish.
We look at what we mean by violence. Violence is more than
physical abuse: it also includes emotional and sexual abuse.
He will learn that he must work to end all his abusive
behaviour. We look at the kinds of excuses he may have used
to explain his violence, such as anger or jealousy, and try
to help him see how blaming his actions on someone or
something else are just excuses and stand in the way of him
taking responsibility for his actions.
The programme stresses that he has learned to use violence
to try to enforce his authority over you or to get his own
way. But he does that at the expense of your pain and
suffering and the loss of your respect, love and trust. If
he truly wants to change and stop being violent he must
learn to treat you with the love, trust and respect that you
deserve. To help him do this we look at some of the ways he
can learn to treat you better. More detailed information
about the sort of work the programme covers will be sent to
you in stages while he is on the programme.
What do I have to do while he is on the programme?
The violence is his responsibility and it is up to him to do
the work to stop being violent, although your interest is
welcome and you have the right to be kept informed about the
work he is doing. If you want support at this or any other
time Women's Aid can offer that support. More details about
them are contained in the Women's Aid leaflet in this pack.
What happens when he finishes the programme ?
Your partner will be attending the CHANGE programme for the
first five to six months of his probation order. Once he has
completed his requirement with the programme, a review will
be held at which CHANGE and Social Work discuss how your
partner will then continue working on his behaviour on a
one-to-one basis with his social worker. More details about
this are contained in the social work leaflet in this pack.
Will the programme stop him being violent to me?
CHANGE cannot guarantee he will stop being violent; that is
up to him. You are not responsible for the violence nor must
you stay with him just because he is on the programme.
CHANGE respects your right to decide what is best for you;
to stay with him or to end the relationship, and we stress
that you MUST always put your own safety first.
What can I expect from CHANGE while my partner is on the
programme?
- contact from a CHANGE worker to tell you about the
programme
- information about when your partner is starting the
programme, when he is finishing, and if he is suspended
for any reason
- details about the work he has been doing
- a confidential telephone service to answer any questions
you may have
Management Committee
Sally Brown
Shona Campbell
Doris Littlejohn
Sue McLaughlin
Margaret Anderson
Lesley Irving
Betty Kennedy
Jim McCormick
Joan Russell
Val Simpson
Advisory Group
Cllr Moira Fitzpatrick, Central Regional Council
Felicity McClelland, Women’s Officer
Mr Anthony McNulty, Regional Manager, Offender Services
Ms Anne Morrison, Scottish Women’s Aid
Chief Inspector Sam Muir, Central Scotland Police
Sheriff A J Murphy
Sheriff W M Reid
Sheriff Sheehan
Ms Sharon Stirrat, Victim Support Scheme
Ms Senga Turner, Education Department
Mr Keith Valentine, Procurator Fiscal
Cllr Anne Wallace, Central Regional Council
Mrs Muriel Young, Forth Valley Health Board
Sheriff R E G Younger
