Domestic Violence Prevention Support Group for Women
Domestic violence (DV), also known as intimate partner violence (IPV), is defined as any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, or threatening behavior, violence, or abuse between intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. The frequency and severity of DV/IPV can vary dramatically. Just one encounter counts as abuse, or it can be an ongoing pattern of behavior. However, the one constant element of domestic abuse is the abuser’s consistent efforts to maintain power and control over their victim. DV/IPV can affect anyone regardless of ethnicity, age, gender, sexuality, or social background. A person experiencing physical, sexual, psychological, or financial abuse or being threatened, intimidated, or stalked by a current or previous partner or close family member is likely a victim of domestic abuse.
DV/IPV is a gendered crime that is a public health challenge, with multiple studies showing that over 90% of victim-survivors are females. A World Health Organization’s (WHO) study involving 24,000 women in 10 countries reported that 13%–61% of women experienced physical violence by a partner, 6%–59% faced sexual violence, and 20%–75% suffered at least one emotionally abusive act from a partner in their lifetime. Behaviors such as slapping, hitting, kicking, and beating; forced sexual intercourse and all other forms of sexual coercion; demeaning, insulting, constant humiliation, intimidation (e.g., destroying things); threats of harm, and threats to take away children are some common forms of emotional abuse reported by women in DV relationships.
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Most Insurances Accepted.
Domestic Violence Support Group Program
This group was created for women because of the serious health consequences involved, i.e., physical and mental injury. Physical consequences include abdominal/thoracic injuries, bruises and welts, chronic pain syndromes, disability, fibromyalgia, fractures, gastrointestinal disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, lacerations and abrasions, and ocular damage. DV/IPV can be fatal for victims and their children without clinical intervention.
Why a Domestic Violence Support Group Program
The New Speak Hope Foundation recognizes that DV is an insidious problem that can take many years to recover, even with clinical intervention fully in place. The New Speak Hope Foundation understands that the most effective way to address this public health crisis is to put in place a program aimed at targeting the victim-survivor’s way of thinking about their position relative to their abuser. This program will explore various factors impacting victim-survivors’ ability to effectively change their life experience in a DV/IPV relationship. This program is created to be facilitated by subject matter experts in the areas of DV, coercive control, and post-separation abuse. This program is designed to be a key resource for complementing and assisting in improving the safety and quality of life for victim-survivors and their families who may be a part of city and state programs targeting victim-survivors of DV/IPV. This program acknowledges a common fear of victim-survivors involved or avoiding involvement in the court system: physical safety and losing custody of their children. These fears often result in protracted court battles, which prevent many victim-survivors from leaving abusive relationships or disclosing the abuse to others. This program recognizes the importance of victim-survivors accessing resources that will help them reclaim agency for their lives, thereby promoting independence by rekindling their self-confidence and self-esteem. The support group proposed here will address various challenges the victim-survivor must confront, short-term or long-term, to promote sustainable growth and success.
Program Goals
The goal of this Domestic Violence Prevention Support Group is to help victims-survivors overcome the various barriers to their safety, autonomy, and mental wellness. The facilitators will educate the members of each cohort about domestic violence and coercive control so they will know how to resist domination safely. Group facilitators will engage participants through role play, open discussion and group interaction. Participants will receive handouts with topics covered in each weekly module.
8 Weeks Domestic Violence Prevention Support Group for Women
Transforming lives through support and understanding.
By the end of the 8-week Domestic Violence Prevention Support Group:
- Participants will demonstrate a 30% increase in useful knowledge about the mechanisms of domestic violence and coercive control.
- All participants will report a 30% reduction in symptoms of trauma-based anxiety and depression.
- 100% of participants will report “Increased” knowledge of available resources and support services for survivors of domestic violence.
- 100% of participants will create personalized safety plans addressing physical, emotional, and financial safety and the elements involved in developing safety plans to independently create new safety plans as necessary.
- At least 90% of participants will identify at least three concrete steps they can take toward building independence and reclaiming their autonomy.
- At least 75% of participants will report “Significantly Reduced” feelings of isolation and loneliness.
- At least 70% of participants will report overall well-being and quality of life improvement, as measured by validated assessment tools administered pre- and post-program.
Objective of Group
This program will use a 10-point Objectives Model with trauma-informed care serving as the framework to implement domestic violence prevention interventions designed to:
- Enhance participants’ understanding of the dynamics of domestic violence and coercive control.
- Provide resources and strategies for safety planning that can be updated or changed as necessary.
- Assist participants in developing effective coping and behavioral skills to manage symptoms of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress.
- Empower participants to establish and maintain boundaries through assertive, verbal, and firm non-verbal communication.
- Support the use of healthy parenting, co-parenting, or parallel parenting skills.
- Reduce feelings of isolation, loneliness, and lack of confidence.
- Create strategies for non-violently addressing gender-based threats to autonomy in BIPOC, religious, or other communities.
- Serve as a liaison for participants to access resources to overcome economic obstacles that impact safety, such as low income, financial abuse, limited job skills, limited education, or need for vocational training.
- Identify the need for alternative interventions, as necessary, such as substance misuse, housing assistance, legal help, sexual assault support services, or safe and affordable childcare.
- Fortify participants to have resilience during short-term and long-term challenges and polyvictimization.
Click here for the full training outline.
Most Insurances Accepted.