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This article explores the author's practice observations while working with women who use force (WWUF) in their intimate heterosexual relationships. The VISTA Program's approach to assessment, education and support, and advocacy frames a description of the impact services have had on the lives of WWUF. By contextualizing a woman's experiences, with the aid of the ecological nested model, VISTA staff tailor services to member needs. This article's purpose is to provide an extended view of serving WWUF, one grounded in a 'healing place' approach that builds on traditional survivors support group strengths and is distinctly different from batterers' intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the authors' practice observations of female domestic violence survivors'journey fromfirst agency contact to active participation in a support group process. The authors have witnessed female victims of domestic violence challenging the social isolation imposed by their dominant partners as they search for meaning in their lives. As practitioners, they have observed women building trustful relationships and establishing supportive networks during the group process. In this article, the authors suggest that the support group process facilitates trust and network formation indicative of social capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across rural Bangladesh, non-governmental organizations are offering poor women economic opportunities and access to social development. Findings outlined in this article suggest the social implications of microcredit lending via the Grameen Bank can be as powerful as the economic implications. In a village-level assessment, Grameen Bank members' gradual social capital formation was evidenced in evolving trust and expanded networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This mixed-methods study explores the impact of the Vista curriculum, a trauma-informed antiviolence intervention program for women who have used force in their intimate relationships, delivered by the Department of the Air Force Family Advocacy Program clinicians. Questions sought to understand any changes in personal growth, self-awareness, beliefs, and relationship interaction skills for 62 cisgender women. Findings suggest that women gained personal growth, self-awareness, and increased relationship tools. Women identified the positive impact cofacilitator support and non-judgment had on them and their ability to heal from their experiences and increase their awareness of viable non-forceful alternatives. Policy and practice implications are discussed., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Introduction: This study assesses the feasibility of the Positive Shift (+SHIFT) programme in the context of legal responses and social welfare provision in the state of Victoria, Australia.The +SHIFT programme, adapted from the Vista curriculum, is a group work and case management programme for women who use force. Building on traditional survivor support group strengths, the programme facilitates participants' engagement with viable alternatives to force while promoting healing. The study also aims to increase understanding about the characteristics and needs of women who use force in Australia., Methods and Analysis: This feasibility study will assess the +SHIFT programme's appropriateness in addressing women's use of force in the Victorian context. Process evaluation will be undertaken to identify recruitment, retention, women's participation, barriers to implementation, the appropriateness of proposed outcome measures and other issues. The feasibility of an outcome evaluation which would employ a longitudinal mixed methods design with measures administered at preprogramme, programme completion and 3 months postprogramme time points, along with semistructured interviews with participants, programme staff and referring professionals, will also be assessed., Ethics and Dissemination: Research ethics approval was obtained from the University of Melbourne Human Research Ethics Committee. Results of the study will be communicated to the programme providers as part of the action research process evaluation methodology. On completion, final results will be reported to programme providers and funding bodies, and published in academic journals and presented at national and international conferences., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

This article surveys an evolving understanding of women's use of force in their intimate heterosexual relationships. It explores the common characteristics of women who use force and, using an intersectional lens, considers the experiences of women in marginalized communities. It also examines how the legal response to intimate partner violence has affected this population. In addition, the development of and best practices in community-based gender-responsive programming for women's use of force in their intimate heterosexual relationships are overviewed. In conclusion, this work identifies challenges that still exist in effectively responding to women's use of force.

Although researchers and practitioners have established that men and women use force in their intimate heterosexual relationships for very different reasons, there is a dearth of information regarding the events that surrounds women's arrests and subsequent court orders to anti-violence intervention programming. This information is fundamental to improving Criminal Legal System (CLS) and community-partner understanding of and response to intimate partner violence (IPV). The authors meet this need by analyzing 208 women's descriptions of their arrests and subsequent court order to intervention programs for using force. From these, the authors frame nine categorical descriptions of women's actions. The descriptions and categories highlight areas for CLS and community-partners' growing understanding of this complex issue.

Although batterer intervention programs (BIPs) are often mandated for perpetrators of intimate partner violence, the precursors and mechanisms of change operating within these programs remain unclear. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceptions and experiences of participants in a diverse, group-based male BIP to better understand factors facilitating positive change. Data were gathered through individual interviews with 15 men and were analyzed using grounded theory. Findings suggest that change is taking place through a reciprocal process in which change occurring via the group context facilitates change within participants and vice versa. The specific benefits of the group context and value of group diversity were emphasized. Factors supporting this change process include the role of group facilitators and providing group members with access to ongoing support. These results are useful for informing the continued implementation and adaptation of BIPs with the goal of reducing and ultimately terminating abusive behaviors.

The authors highlight a community's response to women's use of force, detail aspects of intervention strategies, and introduce a conceptual model representing the women's change process. In doing so, they encourage community partnerships, continued intervention innovation, and further research. Their observations suggest an intervention philosophy and approach that women have described as one of personal "renewal." The community's experiences are notable in light of national efforts to effectively meet the needs of female survivors of intimate partner violence who have used force., (© The Author(s) 2015.)