Fatherhood and Intimate Partner Violence: Bringing the Parenting Role Into Intervention Strategies

A large percentage of men who perpetrate intimate partner violence (IPV) are fathers who continue to live with or have visitation with their children. Yet, providers rarely consider that fathers who perpetrate IPV may benefit from a parent-child focused intervention. Therapeutic work with men who perpetrate IPV, especially with their children, is complex, considering that issues of child safety take precedence. This article is meant to provide (a) a rationale for considering father-child intervention in the context of IPV, (b) specific strategies for assessment, (c) guidelines for determining if a father is appropriate for such intervention, and (d) a review of treatment approaches that have been developed that may assist clinicians in work with this population.