There has been continuous debate about the viability, efficacy and appropriateness of providing services to perpetrators and couples where domestic violence is the presenting problem in therapy. This paper argues that within a comprehensive and integrated model of service provision that encompasses all family members, it can be appropriate and effective to incorporate these service options if screening, monitoring and service models are carefully selected and provided in a context of agency safety and support.

Based on/our years ofextensive work on domestic violence issues with both survivors and perpetrators within their Family Safety Program, the authors argue that Wileman and Wileman's suggestion that women could learn skills to "effect positive change" in their relationships is both inappropriate and potentially dangerous.We further argue that to label such "skills" as "empowering" merely endorses a stance that is "more ofthe same "/01' the woman. That is. the woman may only learn more about taking responsibility/or change. which is a position in which she is already well entrenched, often to her ultimate disadvantage.