Treatment of intimate partner violence in Belgium: profiles of perpetrators participating in an accountability program

• In Event: Programmes and interventions in gender-based violence

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major global issue that presents a significant challenge to public health and clinical practice. A recent European survey on gender-based violence (IWEPS Report, 2021-2022; N= 5494) indicates that 44.5% of women have experienced psychological violence and 14.4% have experienced physical violence in Belgium. In terms of perpetrators, literature reviews highlight a lack of evidence, particularly regarding interventions (Tarzia et al., 2020; Williamson et al., 2015). In Belgium, programs for perpetrators have been developed since the 1990s (Di Piazza et al., 2020). Most of these therapeutic and accountability interventions are court-mandated (Barner & Carney, 2011), unlike in other countries, where perpetrators can be referred both through the court system and by healthcare professionals (Dodier-Lemay et al., 2024). The results of Vanneste's study (2021) show that recidivism rates tend to be higher the more restrictive the judicial response. According to the author, there is no evidence suggesting that a systematic judicial approach would have more favorable effects on recidivism. These findings raise questions about the central role of the criminal justice system (Babcock et al., 2024; Devaney, 2014; Di Piazza et al., 2020) and about the process of treatment adherence (Tarzia et al., 2020). This is especially relevant given that Vanneste (2021) has shown promising results in terms of recidivism with a specific intervention program, the PRAXIS program (accountability groups for perpetrators of violence). The aim of this communication is to present descriptive and thematic analyses of nearly 3,000 files of intimate partner violence perpetrators who underwent formation within the PRAXIS non-profit association between 2020 and 2025. It will address the recognition of the behaviors exhibited by perpetrators upon arrival at the service, the demographic, judicial, and psychosocial profiles of the perpetrators, the sources of referrals, and the factors that either hinder or promote treatment compliance.

Authors

• Amandine Dziewa, Université de Liège (Belgique)

• Audrey Brassard, Sherbrooke University

• Cécile Kowal, Praxis ASBL

• Fabienne Glowacz, University of Liege