Women’s Safety Service within the Integrated Domestic Abuse Programme: Perceptions of Service Users

This paper draws on the findings of a qualitative evaluation that
examines women’s perceptions of the services provided to them
whilst their abusers attended an Integrated Domestic Violence Programme
(IDAP) in one probation area in the UK. Research focusing on
domestic violence programmes has mostly concentrated on the experiences
of male perpetrators. As a result, less is known about how
women feel about such programmes and the parallel safety services
they are supposed to receive. This research seeks to address that
weakness by exploring the perceptions of 13 women whose abusers
are attending one perpetrator programme. The findings of our study
suggest that women are generally negative about perpetrator programmes
and require more comprehensive and coordinated services
than are routinely made available to them. The paper suggests that
women value and need direct and assertive support as well as safety
services, and this need is especially pronounced in rural contexts
where women can be isolated from mainstream services. The implications
of the research to practice with victims of domestic violence
are discussed to inform further development of IDAP and similar
programmes in the UK and beyond.