Domestic Violence Program for Individuals Who Abuse

BECAUSE WANTING TO STOP IS NOT ENOUGH

HISTORY
Founded in 1977, Emerge was the first abuser education program in the United States.  Since its creation, Emerge has been a national leader in working to end violence in intimate relationships.  In working towards this goal, Emerge curriculum seeks to educate individual abusers, prevent young people from learning to accept violence in their relationships, improve institutional responses to domestic violence, and increase public awareness about the causes and solutions to partner violence. 

WHY THE EMERGE MODEL?
Emerge is a structured curriculum that teaches that domestic violence is a learned behavior, not a disease or sickness.  Emerge supports grassroots, institutional and cultural efforts to stop partner violence, sexual assault, and child abuse. Emerge recognizes that battering is not merely physical violence but a range of coercive behaviors that often consists of physical, sexual, psychological, verbal, and economic abuse. Emerge believes battering is a purposeful behavior, rather than being impulsive, spontaneous, or irrational; battering is an intentional behavior that serves to gain and maintain control in relationships. Emerge recognizes that other oppressive life circumstances such as racism, poverty, and homophobia creates a climate that contributes to violence.

Emerge believes that individuals who abuse can change, that they have the ability to change, but have to make the choice.

THE EMERGE MODEL
-40-week curriculum
- Group sessions - 2 hours weekly, small groups ranging from 8 to 13 participants
-Groups are co-facilitated by trained professionals
-Introduction stage - 8 weeks, educational group model on domestic violence topics.  Members evaluated for participation and appropriateness for program upon completion of the first 8 weeks. By the end of this stage, group members will identify which ways they have been harmful towards their partners or families.
-Process stage - 32 weeks, interactive groups discussing progress, what’s going on in their relationships, working on relationship history to identify abusive patterns, and creating individual goals.
-Program provides monthly progress reports to referral sources

Acceptable Referral Method: The Court, Probation Officer or Parole Officer, or DSS can telephone our Intake Worker at 962-3148 to request a referral form that can be faxed back to us.
Non-mandated individuals are
also accepted.

Eligibility Criteria: Males and females; age 18 and over

Site Location: Bath, NY


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