Welcome to my third and final blog post (What are the Differences Between Anger Management Treatment and a Batterers’ Intervention Program?) in a series for Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
The first blog focused on the explaining the difference between domestic violence and domestic abuse. The blog last week discussed on why domestic abuse is not an anger management issue. This blog will focus on the differences in treatment / intervention methods of working with people who have problems with their use of anger and people who are domestically abusive to their intimate partner.
For more than 40 years I was a clinical social worker who worked individually and in group with thousands of people who had problems with their anger. For 23 years I was the director of the Penobscot County Batterers’ Intervention Program (Bangor, Maine) and co-facilitator of more than 2,000 batterers’ intervention program (“BIP”) classes. I understand the difference between anger and domestic abuse.
Please note:
- For the purposes of my work in the field of domestic abuse, I will always use the pronoun “he” or “him” to speak of the batterer, the perpetrator of domestic abuse, and “she” or “her” to refer to the victim of domestic abuse. This is not because women cannot use violence in their intimate relationships, but because the exclusive focus of my work in domestic abuse was male to female abuse. This is what I know. This is my area of expertise.
- The information provided for both anger management programs and batterers’ intervention programs focus on services and programs in Maine. Programming can vary widely from state to state.
Description of Anger Management Therapy
Individuals who become involved with an anger management group are usually people who have “momentary outbursts of anger” with anyone, anywhere, about anything. They have developed and utilize destructive ways of expressing their anger. Their manner of expressing anger can be directed:
• inward (suicidal thoughts or behavior, self-harm and/or isolation)
• outward (“verbal vomiting”, hitting people, destruction of property and/or criminal justice involvement)
Through discussion and handouts, anger management group members are taught:
• coping skills such as “time outs” and “how to fight fair”
• relaxation methods
• specific techniques such as the “cycle of rage” and the “ABCD Method of Conflict Resolution”
The causes of anger management issues are frequently lack of interpersonal skills, minimal social filtering, low stress tolerance, life situations, substance abuse and symptoms of mental health disorders.
The goals of anger management treatment include identifying the reasons behind the behavior and identifying healthier, less destructive ways of expressing their anger.
Description of a Batterers’ Intervention Program (“BIP”)
To understand the focus of a BIP, it is important to understand the definition of domestic abuse. In the Penobscot County Batterers’ Intervention Program (“PCBIP”) the working definition of domestic abuse was:
Domestic abuse is a series of acts that:
- forces the victim to do something she doesn’t want to do
- prevents the victim from doing something she wants to do and/or
- causes the victim to be afraid
The PCBIP was developed as one part of a coordinated community response to domestic abuse in Maine. It was developed in 1995 for adult men who were abusive to their past and/or current female intimate partner.
Examples of program topics in a BIP focus on oppression, power and control, negative self-talk, quick fixes vs. long term solutions, boundaries, male privilege, sex role stereotypes and the effect of domestic abuse on children.
Domestic abuse is a choice, not just someone who has “lost it” and not a mental health disorder. Domestic abuse is a technique utilized to attain and maintain power and control over an intimate partner or a situation involving an intimate partner.
The dual goals of a batterers’ intervention program are: the safety of victims and offering education to the batterer about the effects of domestic abuse, including reinforcing that domestic abuse is never okay in an intimate relationship.
Different Program Structure of Anger Management and BIPs
It is important to understand there are differences in the structure of programs for anger management programs and batterers’ intervention programs. This is especially true for certification, length of program and curriculum.
a. Certification: Anger management does not have any regulations for programming beyond the facilitator must be a licensed social worker (LCSW) or professional counselor (LCPC).
BIPs in Maine were certified through the Department of Corrections and had to meet state standards. The certification process started in October 1995. My BIP was in this first group of programs to be certified in Maine.
b. Setting: Anger management treatment could be conducted individually or in a group setting for an average of 6 to 24 sessions.
BIP should never be conducted on an individual basis. The theory being that education would be best done with men holding other men accountable for their abusive behavior. State standards for a BIP set the program in a classroom setting for 48 weeks.
c. Fees: Because anger management treatment could be involved with substance abuse treatment or mental health treatment, anger management can be billed to insurance.
Based on state standards, BIP was self-pay only as men who were abusive were responsible for their own payments.
d. Curriculum: There are no specific standards for anger management treatment. It could be individualized based on the client and the therapist. The therapist can use any method s/he thinks is the best.
BIP is highly structured and based on national models such as Emerge and the Duluth Model. BIP are evidence programs.
e. Gender Based: In anger management, groups could be made up of both men and women.
BIP classes were never mixed. There were BIP classes exclusively for men or exclusively for women.
Different Collateral Contact for Anger Management and BIPs
Especially important are the differences in how anger management programs and batterers’ intervention programs supervised and monitors and how the programs interact with victims and the community. When there is domestic abuse it is vital the perpetrator of the abuse attend a batterers’ intervention program. After reading the following, I think you will agree!
a. Community Coordination: Due to anger management being considered a treatment program, confidentiality becomes a concern, specifically HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) regulations. Any contact with the community or recipient of someone’s anger would be through a signed release of information.
Per state standards a BIP must have a memorandum of agreement (MOU) with the local project for victims of domestic abuse and the local probation office. Victims are notified of when a man starts and ends the program.
b. Monitoring or Supervision: In anger management the only supervision of programming would be through regular weekly or monthly clinical supervision.
Per state standards BIP classes were monitored at least monthly by the projects for victims of domestic abuse. Monitoring focused on making sure men were being taught how to be accountable for their abuse.
c. Training in Recognizing Domestic Abuse: Though training is increasing and CEUs in domestic abuse are now required for licensing in Maine, professionals who do anger management therapy either individually or in groups do not have extensive training in domestic abuse.
Co-facilitators for BIP frequently are not therapists but people who have specialized training in recognizing domestic abuse.
d. Best Practice: There are no state standards for anger management treatment programs. Nor has there been research to demonstrate if a specific anger management treatment method is more appropriate for people who have problems with the expression of their anger, for example, individual vs. group therapy, gender specific or age specific treatment.
There are state standards for batterers’ intervention programs. CLICK HERE FOR MAINE’S DOC BIP STANDARDS In addition, there has been research to indicate anger management programs are NOT best practice when there has been domestic abuse in the home. The LD 150 report to the Maine State Legislature conducted an exhaustive study and determined BIPs ARE best practice when domestic abuse has been identified. SEE LINK HERE FOR LD 150
Importance of understanding the difference between anger management and BIP
Anger management is the wrong treatment method for men who are abusive. Men who are abusive to their intimate partner would prefer to attend an anger management program vs. a BIP for many reasons:
• Anger management is less expensive than a BIP
• Anger management is shorter in duration
• Attending an anger management program doesn’t hold the same stigma as attending a BIP (i.e. being called a batterer).
Alarmingly, men who are convicted of domestic abusive are mandated to attend an anger management program as part of their sentence. Everyone (the judicial system, the batterer and the victim) all feel good about “doing something”. The only problem is that attending an anger management program will not teach him about power and control and will not teach him that domestic abuse is wrong.
A man who is domestically abusive to his intimate partner needs to be held accountable for his behavior, learn the effect of domestic abuse on his victim and understand there is no excuse for domestic abuse. Attending anger management for a batterer would be like giving crutches to a person having a heart attack:
• It is the wrong intervention
• It will have no effect on the problem
• It gives an illusion he is “doing something”
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, or think you might be, please contact your local program for victims of domestic abuse or contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline @ 1 800-799-7233 or CLICK HERE
Are current life situations causing you stress? Do you need a plan or new ideas on how to decrease your stress and anxiety? My book may help: Crush Your Stress: 302 Coping Skills for Managing Your Stress.
