Batterers Intervention Program
Philosophy
Our philosophy is that battering is an instrumental, strategic and purposeful behavior designed to bring about a particular outcome. Traditional therapeutic techniques are not appropriate for those who choose to batter. Battering is primarily a sociocultural issue that is criminal in nature; battering is never justified; battering is not caused by disease, diminished intellect, alcoholism/addiction, intoxication, mental illness or any external person or event; batterers are solely responsible for their actions and must be held accountable for their abusive behavior; the use of violence and coercion is a choice, decision or tactic; no behavior of the victim causes or excuses domestic violence; because batterers choose to use violence, they can also choose to stop violence and eliminate coercive controlling tactics from their intimate relationships; and safety for the victim/ survivors and their dependents is the primary focus of intervention and services.
The Batterers Intervention Program serves to help fulfill the agency’s mission to promote the general welfare of children, youth and families in Grady and Caddo Counties with the aid of an agency that administers social services that are designed to facilitate individual, family, and community growth; to implement programs that prevent juvenile delinquency; and to provide alternatives for the diversion of troubled children from the Juvenile Justice System. The specific mission of our Batterers Intervention Program is to eliminate battering in Grady and Caddo Counties.
Populations Served
This program serves individuals, ages eighteen (18) and up, who are self or court-referred batterers. Referral to domestic violence services is provided for the batterer’s partner or victim, when possible. Services are provided to eligible individuals without regard to race, religion, sex, ethnic origin, age, veteran’s status, degree of disability, handicapping condition, legal status, and/or sexual orientation.