Domestic Abuse Intervention Research & Programmes in the United States

Zuzana Žilková

NINE DTP Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work Collaborative PhD

| Durham University Centre for Research into Violence & Abuse (CRiVA)

Overview

As part of my ESRC-funded PhD studentship, I completed an Overseas Institutional Visit (OIV) in the United States from 8 October 2024 to 15 February 2025 to meet with fellow researchers and community practitioners, and to observe American abusive partner intervention practice.

This opportunity allowed me to connect with and reflect on preliminary PhD research findings, further sensitising my data to the experiences of practitioners and the contexts in which they work.

The tour proceeded from the East Coast, to the upper Midwest, the Rockies, and finally ended in the Northwest (with a speaking opportunity taking me back to the Rockies for a final two-week extension).

Locations of researchers (blue) and services (black) visited during the trip.

Summary

• Visit dates: Oct 2024 - Feb 2025

• Aim: meet with researchers and practitioners in domestic abuse perpetration intervention

• Host: Prof Eric Mankowski, Gender and Violence Intervention Research Team, Portland State University, United States.

  • I hold immense gratitude to Prof Mankowski for his mentorship, guidance, kindness, and care from the very first conversation we had about the visit. His generosity in discussing ideas and connecting me to a broad range of perspectives and researchers in the field has shaped me as a researcher in many ways. His scholarship and his ability to be a safe ground for opposing viewpoints (creating an environment for dialogue that can lead to better outcomes for survivors of domestic abuse) continue to inspire and shape me.

• Very special thanks to David Garvin (National Network of Abuse Intervention Providers chair, Director of Abuse Intervention and Systems Response for the New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence, co-founder and current Chair of the Battering Intervention Services Coalition of Michigan, and host of the ‘Speaking Of’ podcast) for connecting me with services and practitioners across the US. Being able to connect with sector leaders and their programs made the visit a trip of a lifetime that has been imprinted on my thinking, research, and practice.

• Outcomes:

  • Enriched Network: As a result of the visit, I was able to connect with an extensive network of researchers and practitioners across the United States, where domestic abuse perpetration programmes originated.
  • National Conference & State Board Presentation: I was able to present at a national providers conference and speak with two state standards boards to share my research and get feedback from the field on my findings.
  • National Professional Body Membership: As a result of my immersion, I’ve joined the National Network of Abuse Intervention Providers (NNAIP) Research Committee and continue to contribute on a monthly basis.

• Impact:

  • Grounded PhD Findings: Moreover, the conversations and observations expanded my understanding of the history and philosophy of domestic abuse intervention practice, broadening my sense of what practitioners feel is at stake, what they want to focus on, and a variety of viewpoints on the bases of good practice. The visit provided me with the time and space to engage in reflection with research and practice leaders in the field, and the theoretical grounding instrumentally enhanced the findings of my PhD.
  • Consultation Invitation: As a result of my conference presentation, I was invited to consult on an ongoing research project in the US looking at updated outcome measures for abuse intervention programs.
  • Benefits to Collaborative Partner: My collaborative partner, Respect, benefited from the learnings of my trip when I had the opportunity to present to their practice leadership team after returning. The team shared they found it useful to connect with international perspectives on their work.

  Advice to other PhD researchers considering an OIV: Reach out to your host institution early and keep them apprised of your plans, meet with practitioners as well as researchers

Meeting with Researchers