1. Work stream II: Perpetrators’ Trial Gene Feder, Helen Cramer, Karen Morgan, Jayne Bailey, Neil Blacklock, Marianne Hester, William Turner & Chris Newman al

2. Questions
Do perpetrator groups (working with male perpetrators) reduce domestic violence & abuse?
And do female ex/partners & the men themselves think perpetrator groups reduce abuse?

3. Background
Need not only to support victim/survivors but also address perpetrators’ behaviour – largely heterosexual men
Best models for addressing perpetration are groups
Group models used widely in UK and elsewhere – but need stronger evidence that groups really work ie a trial
Past research
group trials on mandated populations eg prison populations
measures not adequately capturing change

4. Stages of development
Identifying a ‘best bet’ perpetrator group by looking at the literature and getting opinions from experts
Making decisions on the measurements we can use that will capture meaningful outcomes?
Setting up a small pilot trial (to be run by Splitz Wiltshire) in Bristol / N. Somerset / S.Glos
If the pilot trial works, we will run a full trial in at least two geographical locations

5. Methods addressing research question:
Randomised controlled trial
Treatment - 26 week group programme
Control - usual care
Randomised controlled trial – some men get group intervention, some men get phone call once a month (control)

6. Study inclusion 48 men (24 to intervention and 24 to control arm)
AND as far as possible their women partner/ex partners
12 month follow-up. Data collected at regular intervals throughout trial.
Male heterosexual groups only (opportunities for wider inclusion)
Community-based - recruitment from multiple sources + WS1 advocate.
Partners/ex-partners offered support irrespective of whether male is allocated to intervention or control arm.
Most important outcome: are partners / ex partners of men safer and do they feel safer?

7. (Some) key concerns
Can we get a small pilot trial to run successfully that makes us think a full trial might work?
Can we recruit enough men & retain them?
Can we recruit and retain female ex/partners?
Is our intervention acceptable to all involved?
Are there any safeguarding issues?
If a pilot trial works can we run a full trial to answer our key research question:
Are perpetrator groups effective at reducing domestic violence?

8. Outcomes using to answer question:
Do perpetrator groups reduce domestic violence & abuse?
Relevant outcome measures – currently under consideration
Abuse measures
Mental health measures
Health
Substance abuse
Socio-demographic measures
Cost data
Abuse measures e.g. Composite Abuse Scale, COHSAR scale for men, Child abuse measure + police reports
Mental health measures e.g. CORE-OM, PHQ-9 (depression), GAD-7 (anxiety), Post-Traumatic Stress measure + self report on problems & treatment
Health e.g. Short Form-12 & EQ-5D (general health & quality of life)
Substance abuse e.g. AUDIT (alcohol), DUDIT (drugs)
Socio-demographic measures e.g. age, number of children at home, ethnicity, income, occupation
Cost data

9. Referral routes for male perpetrators
Male advocate from IRIS+ DVA advocacy hub – ie workstream I
Children's services
Social services
Other health practitioners? Health visitors?
Probation & prisons – (men on short term sentences)*
Mental health services
Addiction services
Self referral
Police
*However we do not want to recruit men who have been ordered to attend a DVPP.

10. Other referral routes?
We are looking for all referral pathways in the B/NS/SG area – does anyone come across men concerned about their behaviour in relationships?
Where do you refer them at the moment?
Would your service be a potential referral pathway for reprovide?

11. Contact Karen Morgan Research Fellow, reprovide
Tel: