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Title of Systematic Narrative
Review
The Strengths and Limitations of
Domestic Violence Perpetrator
Programmes
Abstract
Context:
Domestic Violence is a subject that has become a focus of Government and
agencies across the world in the last thirty years. Interventions with
perpetrators of domestic abuse have a role in the overall strategic safeguarding
and assessment of risk to families and society as a whole.
This review focussed on an evaluation of the strengths and limitations of
Domestic Violence Programmes for individuals who have committed Domestic
Violence in their intimate relationships. This enabled an analysis of what
literature highlights as the learning themes regarding this form of intervention.
This review considered the main question about why perpetrator programmes
work or do not work in different contexts and what the main issues are in
respect of service improvement.
The objective was to complete a systematic narrative review to provide an
evidence base to enable an appraisal of the key themes from literature. It is
important to understand the process of the delivery of interventions and the
mechanism that leads to them being more or less effective.
This review was undertaken in the context of the current government strategy The
Northern Ireland Stopping Domestic and Sexual Violence and Abuse in NI
Year 6 Action Plan (2021-2022) which maintains a commitment to "continue to
fund and deliver early intervention Domestic Abuse Behavioural Change
Programmes" over the next number of years as a way to continue to address
domestically violent behaviour.
In the commissioning of services, it is essential to have an evidence base to
inform service delivery that enables decision-making about the nature and type
of intervention to be deployed to reduce offending.
This narrative review analysed research evidence and identified the key
themes that affect the strengths and limitations of domestic violence
perpetrator programmes