Breaking the cycle of abuse: an intervention for domestic violence offenders

In California, men on probation for domestic violence offences are required to complete the 52-week Batterers’ Intervention Program, aimed at teaching them strategies for managing anger and breaking cycles of abuse. The programmes vary widely in quality, and frequently suffer from high dropout rates and other accountability issues. However, two in three of the men who complete a programme do not reoffend. Group offers a bracing glimpse inside one such programme led by a skilled therapist named Dave, whose dedication to his job resonates throughout his compassionate yet firm interactions with the men in his class. The film offers cause for both frustration and hope, as Dave’s challenges to deeply entrenched attitudes towards masculinity and violence are met with a combination of resistance, recognition and understanding.