2021

Päivinen, Helena; Siltala, Heli; Holma, Juha

This chapter focuses on interventions with fathers who have been violent in the family. The emphasis is on these men’s identity work. First, we review the current literature on critical masculinity studies concerning fatherhood in the context of work with men who have been violent in their close relationships. We then discuss how to work effectively with fathers who have been violent towards their family members. Drawing on data from two research, we demonstrate how fathering that approves of the use of violence can be addressed in treatment conversations for violence and non-violent fathering can be supported. These interventions include a perpetrator program and couple therapy for intimate partner violence. We also show how a specific intervention tool, namely positioning, can be used to assist these fathers in taking responsibility for and changing their violent behaviour. This chapter highlights the viewpoint of children as a key issue in any intervention treating family violence. We argue that working with the men’s identity as a father is a central issue in tackling family violence. Furthermore, we argue that identity work with these fathers needs to extend to other aspects of masculine identity which intersect with their position as parents.