Domestic violence counseling techniques: Indicators of a change in the philosophy of the movement against domestic violence

The movement against domestic violence began as a grassroots effort to eliminate and to prevent the abuse of women. In the beginning, workers in the movement placed great emphasis on societal causes and solutions to the problem and great strides have been taken toward this end. However, over the last twenty years, the movement has placed greater and greater emphasis on individual counseling techniques based on a humanistic approach of individual accountability and responsibility, resulting in the placement of blame for the abuse on the victim; In group counseling sessions there is very little discussion of societal conditions, and no discussion of political alternatives for eliminating the abuse of women. Governmental agencies over the last thirty years that have contributed funding to these agencies, perhaps seeking to undermine societal solutions to the problem. The emphasis on counseling continues, however, even though there is no concrete evidence that it is effective