BATTERER RISK ASSESSMENT: THE MISSING LINK IN BREAKING THE CYCLE OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE

Abstract

Batterers exposed to childhood violence, with a history of violent behaviour, are impulsive, have poor anger management skills, will use intimate violence in their relationships and ignore/violate protection orders. In this study, 53 male and 47 female respondents were selected using purposive sampling. The outcome highlighted the need for treatment providers to assess ‘risk factors’ of batterers prior to any intervention. The results showed that batterers presenting with specific risk factors, posed significant risks to their intimate partners. Risk assessment and risk markers could therefore contribute to highlighting and addressing violent masculinity aspects, responsive to intervention. This approach could protect partners and encourage batterers to take responsibility for changing their abusive responses in intimate relationships. The methodological framework of this research project was informed by the Intervention Research: Design and Development. The author used a Canadian Risk Assessment Tool, the Spousal Assault Risk Assessment guide (SARA), a 20 item data collecting instrument used to ‘assess risk’ and ‘predict dangerousness’ of continued violence in men with a history of domestic/intimate violence.