1. Dr. Karen O’Brien
Outline
Copyrighted material – not for distribution.

2. OVERVIEW
 Discuss men who batter
 Common misconceptions
 Why men batter and characteristics of an abuser
 Treatment for batterers
 Show film “Tough Guise”
 Discussion of film

3. MEN WHO BATTER
 No single type
 Contradictory results
 Control
 Behavior-based typology (3)
 Low level criminality
 Dysphoric volatile behavior
 Dysphoric general violence

4. COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS
 Drugs and alcohol
 Stress

5. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A MAN?
EXERCISE
Discuss what it means to
be a man in our society.

6. WHAT DOES IT MEAN
TO BE A MAN?
 Aggressive
 Dominant
 Self-confident
 Independent
 Active
 Competitive
 Decisive
 Knowledgeable about the world
 Not easily influenced or excitable in minor crises
 Hides emotions

7. EFFECTS ON MEN
What effect does this have on men?
How do women contribute to this
“problem”?
How do standards for masculinity
differ by race/ethnicity?

8. WHY DO MEN BATTER?
Different levels of analysis
Power and control

9. INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
 Insecure and vulnerable
 Learned
 Inadequate
 Loss of control
 Impending loss
 Biological
 Mental illnesses
 Research needed

10. SOCIETAL LEVEL
 Gender inequality
 Subordination
 Implied permission
 Gender roles
 Power inequalities
 Media

11. CHARACTERISTICS OF BATTERERS
EXERCISE
Describe the characteristics of a
man who batters his partner.

12. CHARACTERISTICS OF BATTERERS
 No single type
 Parental violence
 Child exposure
 Rigid, stereotyped gender roles
 Angry and hostile
 2008-parental rejection

13. CHARACTERISTICS OF BATTERERS CONT’D
 Mutuality and trust
 Affective dysregulation
 Antisocial/narcissistic tendencies
 Antisocial behaviors
 Depressive symptoms

14. TREATMENT
EXERCISE
Develop an intervention
program to stop male battering.

15. DO PROGRAMS FOR BATTERERS WORK?
 Studied success
 Criteria for change
 How to assess change
 End behaviors and threats

16. TYPICAL TREATMENT FORMAT
 5 to 15 men
 Two male leaders
 Structured
 10 to 36
 Focus?
 Treatment of other problems

17. MEN WHO BATTER MUST
 Take responsibility
 Want to change behaviors
 Work hard

18. RESULTS OF THE STUDY
 2/3 of the men who completed were reported to be
physically non-violent at end
 1/3 of the men who contacted the agency and just over
half who enter the program complete
 LOWER rates of success
 over time
 Use victim reports

19. SUGGESTIONS FOR PROGRAMS FOR
BATTERERS
 Coexist
 Safety must be ensured
 Don’t interview
 80% court referred
 Challenge need to control
 Confront underlying
 Couples therapy

20. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TREATMENT
PROGRAMS
 Strengths-based emphasis
 Training and practice
 Shame or defensiveness
 Collaborative working alliance
 Client-directed change process (Murphy &
Eckhardt, 2005)

21. CONCLUSION
 No empirical evidence
 Small but positive effect
 More effective for some
 Ongoing assessment
 Evaluate effectiveness

22. CHALLENGE
Read and discuss article.
Apply reading for today and
material learned in lecture to
thoughtfully reflect on and
critique this article.