Women's perceptions of the effects of a program for women who use violence

Abstract

This article presents the results of participatory action research on the effects of a program developed in Quebec specifically for women who use violence. The program, developed by a team of researchers from women's organizations and universities, has three main themes : 1) violence, 2) gender role socialization, and 3) living conditions. This article, based on interviews conducted with 30 women at the beginning and end of the program, focuses on results related to the violence theme and its specific goals, which were to understand violence, to develop alternatives to violence, and to ensure the safety of women. The program helped most women gain a better understanding of violence and start to adopt other behaviours. The results and some limits are discussed in light of our level of understanding of the effectiveness of programs for women who use violence.