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Online domestic abuse “Freedom Programme” goes live

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Thelma Etim
WVoN co-editor

A course aimed at enabling domestic violence victims to reclaim their lives by teaching them to identify the characteristics and patterns of behaviour of their abusers has been made available online.

The Freedom Programme, an 11-12 week course designed by British woman Pat Craven, can now be downloaded from the One Space website – an online community for single parents which offers practical and emotional support.

One Space operates under the auspices of the Single Parent Action Network (SPAN).

The Freedom Programme (FP) draws on the “Duluth Model”, which was born out of a Northern Minnesota community searching for a way to “hold batterers accountable and keep victims safe” in the 1980s.

The model removes the blame from the victim and holds the offender accountable for the abuse.

It also offers rehabilitation whereby the abuser attends educational groups under court order.

The FP’s availability online is significant because it gives any woman or man anywhere in the world the opportunity to privately undertake the course at any time, as long as they have access to a computer.

Domestic violence survivor Maria (not her real name), an online parenting worker for One Space, began her four-year quest to get the programme online after running the course – normally delivered face-to-face – in South Gloucester in England.

“I had delivered the programme to over 100 women and seen the dramatic effect it had had on them,” she explained.

“[Having] raised their self esteem and confidence, the women started to recognise and understand that the abuse they had received was not their fault.

“The most noticeable thing was their physical appearance – they started to take pride in themselves.”

Maria, who began to suffer domestic abuse two years into her seven-year relationship, eventually fled to a refuge.

She added: “His aggression started to show just after we had moved in together eight months into the relationship.

“The violence escalated when I was pregnant and after my baby was born. I didn’t want my child seeing anyone treat me as he had.”

It was in 2005 that Maria came across an article about the FP in a local newspaper.

“I wanted to understand the emotional and mental impact of what I had experienced in my relationship and how to move forward with my life,” she said.

She later contacted founder Pat Craven and undertook the programme herself.

Ms Craven, who has previously worked with offenders, said: “When I worked with the men I soon learned that their attitudes and beliefs are the driving forces behind their behaviour.

“When I left the men’s programme and began to work with women offenders I quickly realised that most of the women I encountered had offended either directly or indirectly as a result of having been subjected to violence and abuse either as an adult or as an adolescent or as a child.”

Her programme works closely with police domestic violence units and many other related organisations and agencies including the Women’s Refuge, Victim Support and social services.

Those who undertake the Department of Education-funded online course will also receive a free copy of Ms Craven’s book “Living with the Dominator”, along with a home study book.

Figures from the White Ribbon Campaign show 45% of women in the UK have experienced some form of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.

Its research also revealed around 21% of girls experience some form of child sexual abuse and at least 80,000 women are raped every year.

Meanwhile, Irishhealth.com has reported that “almost 900 women needed some kind of support from domestic violence services in just one 24-hour period last year” following a census in November carried out by Safe Ireland – the only national organisation representing frontline domestic violence services in Ireland.

Some countries are becoming more aware of the impact abuse has on a nation’s economy.

According to Malta Today “the cost of domestic violence within the 27 EU member countries could be as high as 16 billion Euros per annum, though prevention measures are budgeted at around 1,000 times less than this amount”.

Renee Liaviera, chairperson of the Malta Confederation of Women’s Organisations (MCWO) revealed these statistics at a seminar, “The Impact of Domestic Violence on your Business”, organised by The Commission of Domestic Violence.

Ms Craven, who travels around the country training both men and women, was also quick to dispel stereotypical descriptions of victims.

“I want to burst the myth that the only women who suffer domestic violence are impoverished.

“I have worked with women who are highly qualified and wealthy. Anyone can be exposed to domestic abuse.

  1. thanks for a great article and for flagging up such a useful resource

    WVoN doing great things for women – as always:)

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