The Violence Against Women Act Still Doesn't Address This Dangerous Issue

[H2O Man]

32. I agree.

Now, I've been retired for some time, but I worked with DV (among other things) for decades. I do think that anyone who assaults a family member/ significant other should -- at least -- spend some time locked up. And many should spend a lot of time incarcerated.

For years, I worked primarily with parents who were abusing their children. That, of course, tends to create a vicious cycle. Not always, of course, but often. It is possible, in many cases, to teach young parents the "parenting skills" that their parents lacked. There are interventions that can break the cycle.

Later, when employed at the MHC, I did DV groups at the clinic, and in the county jail. The success rate was, in my opinion, lower than working with young parents. The clinic groups were mixed, with both male and female offenders, and I found that was better than all male of female groups. A few years back, when I was shopping, a former group member approached me to say thank you, the group changed his life, both as a husband and father. But far more were repeat offenders.

While I'm not a fan of our system of incarceration over-all, I do think there is significant benefit in cases of DV.