Multiple Perspectives on How Intimate Partner Violence Surrogate Impact Panels Affect Abusive Partners

Restorative justice programs, including surrogate impact panels, are increasingly used to address intimate partner violence (IPV) but research has not assessed adequately how panels may affect participating abusive partners. This article reports the perceived impacts of surrogate impact panels on justice-involved individuals (JIIs) who attended a panel as part of their batterer intervention programs (BIPs) using surveys of JIIs ( N = 289) and focus groups or interviews with panelist speakers, JIIs, and BIP providers. Findings suggest that JIIs can connect with speakers, reach new understandings of IPV, and express emotional impact/intent to change. The findings can inform decisions to use panels as part of IPV interventions.

The Use of Children as a Tactic of Intimate Partner Violence and its Relationship to Survivors’ Mental Health

Although prior research has established that intimate partner violence (IPV) often leads to increased depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), little is known about how often abusive partners and ex-partners use survivors’ children as an abuse tactic, nor whether this form of IPV also is detrimental to survivors’ mental health. The current study interviewed 299 unstably housed survivors of intimate partner violence shortly after they sought services from a domestic violence agency. All participants were parents of minor children. In-person interviews asked about abuse experienced in the prior six months, including the ways children were used as a form of IPV. Participants were also asked about their current depression, anxiety, and symptoms of PTSD. As hypothesized, the majority of parents reported their abusive partners and ex-partners had used their children as a form of IPV to control and hurt them. Further, after controlling for other forms of IPV, use of the children significantly predicted both increased anxiety and greater number of PTSD symptoms. Results show the importance of focusing on the use of children as a common and injurious form of abuse used against survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV).

PRIVATE DEFENCE IN CONTEXT OF THE BATTERED WIFE WHO KILLS HER ABUSIVE HUSBAND/PARTNER Ann Elizabeth Steyn v The State (reported as S v Steyn 2010 1 SACR 411 (SCA))

In South Africa where there is a high incidence of domestic violence, it is not surprising to find our reported criminal case law abound with many examples where battered spouses have killed their abusive partners. It is to be noted that all these accused were charged with, and more often than not, convicted of murder. In all these cases extreme provocation and emotional distress ultimately led to the homicide and caused the accused to invoke either non-pathological automatism (sane automatism) and/or nonpathologicalcriminal incapacity as defences. Consequently, it was argued on behalf of the accused that they either acted involuntarily or withoutcriminal capacity, or at the most with diminished criminal capacity at the time of the homicide due to provocation or emotional distress. In some instances, where a voluntary act and criminal capacity were proved, the provocation/emotional distress even had the effect that the state could not prove intention beyond reasonable doubt for a conviction on murder, but had to concede that only a conviction on culpable homicide was justified, as the accused acted negligently under the circumstances. The notion that a battered (provoked) wife/husband/partner who kills her/his abusive husband/wife/partner may or can invoke private defence (self-defence) has rarely been considered by our courts. Provocation or emotional distress, in principle, influences the voluntary act committed by the accused and/or the criminal capacity of the accused and may affect the element of intention, but seldom has any bearing on the element of unlawfulness. After all, private defence requires an unlawful, immediate or imminent human attack perpetrated upon the accused or another person. Since the disappointing decision in S v Eadie (2002 1 SACR 633 (SCA)), in which the defence of non-pathological criminal incapacity due to provocation was effectively abolished (battered wives now have to rely on sane automatism, which is difficult to prove), battered wives who now kill their abusive husbands/partners are “left in the lurch” as it were, specifically in view of systematic assaults/attacks perpetrated upon them by their abusive partners. From a legal point of view it seems as though a “reconfiguration” of the principles of criminal law in these instances is called for. The “reconfiguration” of the defence essentially relates to the material requirements for the unlawful human attack, as well as the requirements for the lawful fending off the attack, specifically in context of domestic violence. It is for this reason that the judgment under discussion is particularly instructive and to be noted.

The role of relational dependence, forgiveness and hope on the intention to return with an abusive partner

The aim of this study was to examine psychological and relational variables such as dependence, forgiveness (both in their positive and negative dimensions), and hope that may explain why women reconciliate with abusive partners. We administered a questionnaire to women victims of violence. Relational dependence was indirectly associated with greater intentions to return to the violent partner via benevolent forgiveness and hope of a change in the partner. The positive dimension of forgiveness (benevolence) could represent a phase of the cycle of violence, during which the hope for change in the partner can increase the probability of reconciliation.

The Social Network of Victims of Domestic Violence: A Network-Based Intervention Model to Improve Relational Autonomy

This study aims to understand when and how domestic violence victims’ relational autonomy changes and to propose an intervention model stemming from the findings. Using qualitative and social network analysis, we study the actions of network members, as well as changing features of victims’ networks. Results show that victims base their decisions on their expectations toward others, and on a desire to preserve their autonomy. Their relational autonomy tends to increase when they leave abusive partners and stay in shelters, but maintaining relational diversity proves challenging once they exit shelters. A network-based model of intervention that aims to improve the victims’ relational autonomy is proposed.

Unwanted sex with third parties in domestic abuse relationships and its impact on help-seeking and justice

This paper describes the experiences of ten victims-survivors in the United Kingdom whose abusive partners coerced them into unwanted sex with third parties, or attempted to do so. In some cases, this took place in the context of prostitution, in other cases not. This paper discusses these victims’-survivors’ experiences of unwanted sex with third parties as an element of their wider abusive relationships, and how this form of violence/abuse affected their experiences seeking and obtaining help and justice. Unwanted sex with third parties is a potential element of abuse by intimate partners that should be identified and addressed together with other harms experienced by victims-survivors.

Criminological Treatment of Abusing Partners

Criminological rehabilitative treatments of abusive partners have always been considered of key importance from a preventive point of view. Criminological research, and our experience as criminologists, has proved that even the most abusive partners—including uxoricides—after their convictions repeat the same violent relationship pattern. That said, the Chair of Criminology (University of Milan) set up the first action and research program in Italy offering treatment for perpetrators of domestic violence, called S.A.Vi.D. (Stop Alla Violenza Domestica – an Italian acronym meaning: Stopping Domestic Violence) in 2010. Information about all the subjects treated will also be described and discussed: age, legal status motives, offender behavior prior to treatment, whether and how behavior changed after treatment.