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Intimate Partner Violence: A Culturally Competent Approach to Clinical Training and Treatment
Intimate Partner Violence: A Culturally Competent Approach to Clinical Training and Treatment
Intimate Partner Violence: A Culturally Competent Approach to Clinical Training and Treatment
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Intimate Partner Violence: A Culturally Competent Approach to Clinical Training and Treatment

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Spousal violence, or domestic violence as it is commonly referred to, is a social problem that occurs among people of all cultures, religious affiliations, sexual orientations and socioeconomic statuses. Although males and females are both reported as the perpetrators of domestic violence, males are most often the identified client in batterer intervention programs. The etiologies and causes of battering are also very different for men and women and thus the treatment approaches have been conceptualized differently according to gender. The treatment of choice for men who abuse their partners is Batterer Intervention Programs (BIPS). These programs are designed for men arrested for domestic violence or for men who would be arrested if their abusive actions were public.

BIPs have been broadly criticized as being less effective for people of color. Two reasons have been posited for the ineffectiveness of traditional batterer’s treatment regarding African American males. The first reason is a lack of cultural competence among practitioners in batterer’s intervention services (Kanuha, 1994; Williams, 1994; Kupenda, 1998; Asbury, 1999). In effect, these practitioners have received little or no cultural-sensitivity training. The second reason is that the current interventions in partner abuse treatment are often defined by theories of domestic violence arising out of a singular point of view in which their training in batterers intervention does not consider race as a crucial variable. For example, in regard to the intersections of race, culture and abuse, Williams (1998) noted that these most approaches ignore these variables as important explanations for violent behavior in African American men. 

The application of the above stated information is directed toward helping practitioners who are working with African American male batterers. The direct goal is that this work helps them to become more culturally competent, which will enhance the utilization of battering services. It is hoped that this information will likely reduce the drop-out rate of African American men in BIP’s. The logic advanced in this investigation is that cultural competence on the part of group workers will increase their capacity to address cultural experiences of African American men who batter. Providing a culturally sensitive intervention is not likely to happen unless clinicians are trained in culturally relevant methods and techniques. The learning environment of trainees is also an important aspect of this issue that will need attention. It is believed that culturally sensitive intervention will influence reflection and change in African American males that reduce abusive behaviors toward women who are most often their victims (Kanuha, 1994; Williams, 1994; Kupenda, 1998; Asbury, 1999). 

LanguageEnglish
Release dateAug 21, 2015
ISBN9781513013619
Intimate Partner Violence: A Culturally Competent Approach to Clinical Training and Treatment
Author

Bill Johnson II

Dr. Bill Johnson (Dr. Bill) is born and raised in the United States in Saint Louis, Missouri. He received his bachelor’s degrees from Central Missouri State University and his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Wright State University in Ohio.  Dr. Bill is a Clinical Psychologist, licensed to practice in the United States and Australia. He has previously published on gender based oppression, racism, reconciling masculinity and mental health. His writing thus provides analysis of the nexus between social justice and psychological counseling. For example, his Doctoral thesis and subsequent scholastic article “Anti-Sexist Black Male Identity” was largely based on his experience providing counseling and therapy to men in an Intimate Partner Violence Intervention program.  His writings challenge traditional western notions of masculinity and examines the way patriarchal socialization negatively impacts the mental health of men and boys. "Dr. Bill" is dedicated to becoming a more compassionate, loving, and forgiving human being. In his spare time he is working on his dance moves! You can follow him on Twitter @drbill2012. 

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    Intimate Partner Violence - Bill Johnson II

    Introduction

    Spousal violence, or domestic violence as it is commonly referred to, is a social problem that occurs among people of all cultures, religious affiliations, sexual orientations and socioeconomic statuses. Although males and females are both reported as the perpetrators of domestic violence, males are most often the identified client in batterer intervention programs.

    The etiologies and causes of battering are also very different for men and women and thus the treatment approaches have been conceptualized differently according to gender. The treatment of choice for men who abuse their partners is Batterer Intervention Programs (BIPS). These programs are designed for men arrested for domestic violence or for men who would be arrested if their abusive actions were public.

    The statistics for battering co-vary with gender as discussed above, but there are other cultural variables, such as race, that influence the etiology of spousal violence. Race is a crucial variable in the etiology of domestic violence, which is receiving more attention due to the reported ineffectiveness of traditional treatment for the African American batterer. Critically, among diverse ethnocultural groups that live in the United States, African Americans are more likely to sustain serious and lethal injuries as a result of domestic violence (Hampton et al., 1998).

    Additionally, in many major urban areas, African Americans compose at least half of the men arrested for domestic violence who are subsequently referred to batterer educational or counseling programs (Gondolf & Williams, 2001). Statistics also indicate that the dropout and re-assault rates of these men tend to be higher than for White men in the same programs. Thus, not only are Black males differentiated in terms of higher prevalence rates across gender and race, but this pattern is persistent such that race and gender interactively predict future battering problems and incidents.

    Based on the BIP statistics from many programs reporting outcomes in the psychological literature, BIPs have been broadly criticized as being less effective for people of color. Two reasons have been posited for the ineffectiveness of traditional batterer’s treatment regarding African American males. The first reason is a lack of cultural competence among practitioners in batterer’s intervention services (Kanuha, 1994; Williams, 1994; Kupenda, 1998; Asbury, 1999). In effect, these practitioners have received little or no cultural-sensitivity training.

    The second reason is that the current interventions in partner abuse treatment are often defined by theories of domestic violence arising out of a singular point of view in which their training in batterers intervention does not consider race as a crucial variable. For example, in regard to the intersections of race, culture and abuse, Williams (1998) noted that these most approaches ignore these variables as important explanations for violent behavior in African American men.

    A growing number of Researchers’ assert that practitioners who incorporate culturally sensitive content and process into treatment acknowledge African American male clients’ experiences as being unique within American society (Williams, 1992; Gondolf & Williams, 2001). These researchers and practitioners offer culturally sensitive support the client and assist client in negotiating their resistance to treatment. They also help clients make the distinction between the oppression they experience in society and the oppression they are responsible for (Williams, 1992; Gondolf & Williams, 2001). 

    The Purpose and Aim of this Investigation

    The application of the above stated information is directed toward helping practitioners who are working with African American male batterers. The direct goal is that this work helps them to become more culturally competent, which will enhance the utilization of battering services. It is hoped that this information will likely reduce the drop-out rate of African American men in BIP’s. The logic advanced in this investigation is that cultural competence on the part of group workers will increase their capacity to address cultural experiences of African American men who batter.

    Providing a culturally sensitive intervention is not likely to happen unless clinicians are trained in culturally relevant methods and techniques. The learning environment of trainees is also an important aspect of this issue that will need attention. It is believed that culturally sensitive intervention will influence reflection and change in African American males that reduce abusive behaviors toward women who are most often their victims (Kanuha, 1994; Williams, 1994; Kupenda, 1998; Asbury, 1999).

    Batterer Intervention Programs (BIPs)

    The treatment of choice for men who physically abuse their partners is a specific type of treatment generically called Batterer Intervention Programs (BIPs). These programs are designed for men and women arrested for domestic violence or who would be arrested if their physical abuse actions were public.

    According to Bennett and Williams (2001) batterer programs primarily use education or treatment groups but may include other intervention elements such as personal counseling or case management. The authors goes on to state that groups are the preferred mode of service delivery for batterer programs because they act to decrease a batterer’s sense of isolation, challenge his belief that he is exceptional, improve his interpersonal skills, offer mutual aid, identify and develop his expertise in critical areas, maximize confrontation of denial and inappropriate behavior, help him develop a norm for personal and social change, and maximize rewards for change (Bennett & Williams, 2001).

    Mankowski, Haaken, & Silvergleid (2002) reported that participants usually come to batterer programs either as a stipulation of probation or parole or as a diversion from prosecution or punishment. The criminal justice and mental health systems

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