(Cushing, Okla.) The Payne County Coordinated Community Response Team (CCRT) met Thursday and heard from Joel Wendell, facilitator of the batterers intervention program MENders, about its challenges and rewards.
MENders, a 52 week program through Stillwater Domestic Violence Services (SDVS) in Stillwater, is broken down into three phases –
Phase I: 16 weeks
Orientation
Psycho-educational
Accepting responsibility
Phase II: 18 weeks
Insight
Victim empathy
Cycle of Abuse
Phase III: 18 weeks
Change
Client-centered intervention
Relapse intervention
Wendell said that approximately 80 percent of the men in the program are there because of a court order, 10 to 15 percent come through DHS and only 5 percent come of their own accord.
“The ones who are court ordered never think they should be there,” Wendell said. “Initially they spend a lot of time talking about why they shouldn’t be there.”
The good news is, they eventually come to realize and accept why they are there.
“Over time, we do see a lot of progress,” Wendell said.
He went on to say that a lot of time is spent figuring out the underlying issues. “We hear the guy’s point of view and talk about their interpersonal relationships,” he continued. “They don’t know how to resolve conflict.”
So they turn to violence.
Wendell said in order for the group to meet, there must be at least two in attendance. Currently there are only three in the program. When asked why so few, Wendell explained cost and the lack of dependable transportation can be somewhat prohibitive.
One of the team suggested SDVS look into giving those who go through the program of their own accord be given some sort of discount for “doing the right thing.”
Cushing Police Chief Terry Brannon suggested coming up with some sort of grant – possibly through the Iowa Tribe – to help defray the cost of the program. Payment could be made directly to SDVS.
A win/win for the victim and perpetrator.
The Iowa tribe representative said at this time all funding is earmarked for victims – not perpetrators. Team members acknowledged that although it would be for treatment for the perpetrator, the victim could also reap a benefit – an end to the cycle of violence.
For more information on Stillwater Domestic Violence Servies (Wings of Hope) visit their website: www.sdvs.org.
Wings of Hope will hold a Ribbon Cutting ceremony christening their new facility, located at 3800 N. Washington, Stillwater, Thursday, Dec. 3 at 11:30 a.m.
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