(Host) The problem of domestic violence continues to persist across Vermont.
Now, advocates say, a whole new approach is needed in treating men who’ve been violent in the home.
VPR’s Lynne McCrea has more.
(McCrea) Spectrum Youth and Family Services offers a variety of programs for men who’ve been abusive – including men who’ve been ordered by the court to get treatment.
(Barnett) "Many men start our program from the perspective that they’re actually the victim – that if we only understood what she had done to him, then we’d understand why he did what he did…"
(McCrea) Autumn Barnett supervises abuse intervention programs in Chittenden County.
(Thomas) "It takes time – it’s called intensive programming for a reason."
(McCrea) Barnett works with groups like this one – men who’ve completed a program, but who want more help in remaining non-abusive.
(Barnett) "Men who volunteer to be part of this group-the maintenance group-realize that change is an ongoing process and so they recognize that they need ongoing support and reminders to remain non abusive".
(Thomas) "My name’s Thomas. I’m here because I’ve physically attacked 2 women in my life."
(McCrea) One man in the group talks about how challenging it has been to completely change his behavior.
(Thomas) "For me, it was ultimately recognizing that I’m not the victim. See, I never had to look at my victims before and how my behavior hurt them. I was the one that was hurt, I was the one that – "she did this to."
(McCrea) This "maintenance group" is a lot like Alcoholics Anonymous or other 12-step programs. It gives abusers a regular opportunity to talk about their thoughts and behavior. Thomas says the group has helped him change his thinking.
(Thomas) "Have to come in and be accountable for your actions…. And ultimately to recognize that your victims are innocent. That, you know, they’re not responsible for how I feel – I’m responsible for how I feel."
(McCrea) The director of violence intervention programs at Spectrum is Paul Hochanadel. He says the maintenance group is an example of what needs to happen on a much larger scale.
(Hochanadel) "For this type of change to happen, there really does need to be an additional support system out in the community. With people who complete substance abuse programming, they can go to an NA or AA group out in the community, and we really live in a world where there’s not a lot of support sources for men out there who want to really talk about what they need to do to change their behavior, and what it looks like to be safe and respectful towards women."
(McCrea) Hochanadel is also pushing for ALL men to ‘get involved’ and ‘be aware’.
(Hochanadel) "Maybe they have a friend or a brother who’s being abusive, and it takes them standing up and saying that ‘I don’t feel comfortable with the way you’re treating your girlfriend or partner."
(McCrea) Beyond that, Hochanadel says it’s important for men to join women and take a stand publicly on the issue – because it’s a problem with troubling statistics.
For the past 15 years, more than half of all homicides in Vermont were related to domestic violence.
For VPR News, I’m Lynne McCrea