Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health and criminal justice problem with far-reaching consequences for individuals, families, and communities. In the US, approximately one in three women have experienced physical violence, sexual violence, or stalking at the hands of an intimate partner. Well-evaluated health sector interventions exist for survivors of violence in the US, and many demonstrate positive outcomes, but the evidence about interventions for violence perpetrators is less clear. Court-mandated programs to reduce recidivism—often known as Abuse or Batterer Intervention Programs—have been widely adopted, but the existing research shows little to marginal effectiveness. Furthermore, little evidence exists regarding long-term program impact. Understanding the risk factors for IPV perpetration is crucial for designing appropriate policies and programs to address violence and prevent reoccurrence. This study examines risk factors for violence perpetration through interviews conducted with men in an abuse intervention program (AIP) and relates them to the status quo on rehabilitation policy. Our findings with men in Baltimore (n=19) indicate that risk factors for violence perpetration include child abuse and exposure to family and community violence, as supported in the literature. The policy analysis shows that there is insufficient evidence to support AIPs. The study participants highlighted the importance of primary prevention programs with wrap-around service provision, awareness-raising efforts, and of therapy and mentoring. More research considering risk factors along the life course is necessary and could be combined with the perspectives of men to design and evaluate policies to support behavior change and prevent violence perpetration.