​

A nonviolence Programme for Women

 

Service Specification

 

“Turning Points” is a group programme for Women who have use violent resistance in their intimate relationships. The focus of its organising principle is not on challenging the principle the morality of their use of violence; instead, it is on exploring with them their nature of their intimate relationship and their ability to function within it in ways that are life giving, dignifying, and life sustaining , rather than life draining and diminishing.

 

The programme is designed to draw on their strengths, and helping them to envision a future that is free from of both their violence and that of their abuser.

 

Domestic Violence Turning Points is an educational program that seeks to provide education, support, advocacy and or therapy for women who are using legal and illegal violence in their intimate relationships. While the primary audience is women using violence against their abusers other women using violence in intimate relationships benefit from these groups.

This is a 12 week, 2hr per session group programme for Women who use violent Resistance in their intimate relationship.

The programme takes place within a framework that:

1. Recognises their experiences as abused women

 

2 .Offers coping and survival strategies that do not include Violence

 

3. Recognise the right (and sometimes the need) to defend oneself with force when facing violence.

 

4.  Challenge the notions that violence is the only alternative to a bad situation.

 

The Overarching goals of the programme:

 

 1. To help women understand the violence in their lives

This means understanding the way violence is shaping who they are, what they can and cannot do, and how they relate to others-including mothers, their children and of course, understanding the violence means determine how much violence is actually going on, but more than this, it means, understanding how women are both using and experiencing abuse.

 

2. To help women take concrete steps to end the violence in their lives, both the violence they are experiencing and the violence they are using.

In this goal we turn from analysis to action, participants focus on the changes they can make to achieve the quality of life they seek and deserve.

 Alcoholics anonymous has a saying, “ Nothing changes until something changes” and this goal is to radically transform women’s sense they can’t change what is going on in their life.

 

The women’s safety is paramount.

​

The turning point programme was created by Ellen Pence, PhD, Laura Connelly, BA, and Mellissa Scaia, MPA , from Duluth Minnesota, USA.

The facilitators from Dmat services visited Dulth and met with Laura Connelly and brought their programme to the UK to facilitate with   the support and advice from Laura who maintains contact with the facilitators of Dmat.

 

Dmat also run a male perpetrators programme “The Duluth model” after completing training in Duluth and working closely with the creators of The Duluth Model in Duluth, Minnesota USA.

DVPP works across Liverpool, Sefton, Cheshire, Wirral, Knowsley & Cheshire with adults and children who are affected by domestic violence.

 DMAT services aim to support positive long-term change whilst promoting the construction of healthy relationships, whilst working in partnership with a diverse range of voluntary and statutory agencies.

When to refer:

Referrals for the nonviolence Program for women can be made where cases are being managed under the Public Law Outline (PLO) or already within Care Proceedings where domestic violence is featured. Referrals are for cases where the Local Authority and/or Court wish to gain a greater understanding of the nature and extent of the risks posed to women and their children, contact arrangements and implications for children & the parent’s capacity to sustain separations / positive relationships and/or engage in any other risk management strategies.    

Voluntary community based programme is a 12 week programme where statutory sectors and Children’s Services can make a referral, self-referrals are also accepted. To ensure the programme runs smoothly and safely, a risk assessment and management plan will be undertaken.

Referrals will be accepted from the courts (within private and public proceedings), probation services, and social services for the 12 week programme. Risk assessments can be completed upon request. Facilitators will attend any meetings with agencies to provide an update on the progress of the participant.

 

Once the referral is received, it will be reviewed – the applicant will be invited to attend a 1.5 hour consultation to assess their suitability for the programme

​

​

​