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DID YOU COME TO THIS SITE LOOKING FOR HELP WITH THE VIOLENT OR ABUSIVE SITUATION IN YOUR HOME?

Are you being abused?

Look to the left at the list of links and go to the "Links For Victims Page". If that doesn't or won't work for you, go to the "Contact Us" page and call or email, someone will talk to you and point you in the right direction.

Are you the abuser?

You must stop!! No one is to blame for what you are doing! Get help now! Take the quiz on the "Abuser Help-Times and Location" Link. Go to the "Contact Us" link; call or email.

Group Interventions is a social service agency serving domestic violence abusers in Madison ,Bond and St Clair County in Illinois. The area we serve is on the Mississippi River just across from St Louis, Mo.in Southwestern Illinois which is about 280 miles south of Chicago. Illinois has a population of 12,831,970; Cook County(including Chicago) has a population of 5.3 million. In comparison, Madison County has a population of 265,303, Bond County, a population of 18,055 and St Clair County, a population of 270,419.

Contents of This Page

• Our Mission
• The Problem
• How Women Are Affected
• How Children Are affected
• The Problem
• The Problem Summary and Male Socialization
• The Goal

Our Mission

Group Interventions' prime mission is the safety of women and children.

We will:

• Conduct groups for men who are abusive and violent in their relationships.
• Provide the opportunity for abusers to develop skills in order for them to make different choices in their relationships.

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The Problem

Domestic Violence Affects Women

• Nearly one quarter of women in the US, more than 12 million, will be abused by a current or former partner some time during their lives.
• 47% of husbands who beat their wives do so three or so more times a year
• According to FBI statistics, 30% of women who were murdered in 1990 were killed by husbands or boyfriends. It is estimated that 52% of female murder victims were killed by a current or former partner.

Battered women account for

• 22%-35% of women seeking care for any reason in emergency departments
• 23% of pregnant women seeking prenatal care.
• 45% to 59% of mothers of abused children.
• 58% of women over 30 years old who have been raped

All above statistics are from Diagnostic and Treatment Guidelines on Domestic Violence by the American Medical Association, Chicago, Illinois.

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Domestic Violence Affects Children

• 80%-90% of children are aware of the domestic violence in their families.
• Men who batter their wives are likely to assault their children.

Statistics from Hart, Barbara, (2000)Children of Domestic Violence:Risks & Remedies aminicava (Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse Electronic Clearinghouse

• Infants exposed to violence may not develop the attachments to their caretakers, which are critical to their development; in extreme cases they may suffer from failure to thrive.
• Preschool children in violent homes may regress developmentally and suffer sleep disturbances, including nightmares.
• School-age children who witness violence exhibit a range of problem behaviors including depression, anxiety, and violence toward peers.
• Adolescents who have grown up in violent homes are at risk for recreating the abusive relationships they have seen.

Statistics from Carter, Jane & Susan Schecter (1997, November)Child Abuse & Domestic Violence:Creating Community Partnerships for Safe Families, Family Violence Prevention Fund.

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The Problem Summary

Men are, overwhelmingly, the perpetrators of violence in the home. They risk everything to maintain a position of dominance, power, and control. They are putting at risk:

• Their home
• Their freedom
• Their livelihood
• Worst of all, their family

• They must be unemotional
• They must be strong
• They must be independent
• They must be tough
• They must be violent
• And in control

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The Goal

Violence in the home is disproportionately perpetrated by males. Men use the tactics of power and control to dominate their intimate partners and other family members. The goal of any group which abusers attend is that they would learn to respect their intimate partners and nurture a fair, equal and honest relationship.

When a man learns and acquires skills to maintain a nonviolent lifestyle, he is helping society to ensure the safety of women and children. Men learn the skills by attending groups where themes of nonviolence are presented and discussed.

Domestic violence is a social problem; we have all had a hand in promoting a violent culture. The answer is and the goal should be, of course, that there would be no more victims of violence in the home.

The social problem of domestic violence will be reduced, and someday not be in existence at all. We will accomplish this goal by:

1. holding perpetrators accountable by arresting him
2. making sure he attends a group
3. monitoring his progress during his tenure in the group.

We, as individual members of society, must hold ourselves accountable, as well, by:

1. reporting abuse
2. by supporting a legal system that will: (a)arrest the perpetrator and (b) ensure he attends an educational group for the information he needs.

Finally, we must, as individuals who are accountable:

• Get the message to victims that they are not responsible for the actions of the abuser
• Make sure victims have the information that a network of caring people exists who will assist her in changing her life and the lives of her children.

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