What would an alternative response to domestic violence look like to you?
If the goal is to break the cycle and heal our families, abusers should be afforded the opportunity to learn healthy coping strategies by attending peer-led groups and programs detached from court-ordered intervention and the stigmas associated with them. Mental health and substance use resources are necessary not solely for victims of domestic violence, but also for the abuser to explore, heal from, and correct their harmful behaviors.