A university-based counseling program for perpetrators of family violence in Greece: initial evidence

Abstract Penal mediation is defined in Greek Law 3500/2006 and aims at repairing the harm caused to the victim of family violence and rebuild family relationships. Mediation process starts upon victims’ unreserved consent and perpetrators’ willingness to stop further acts of violence, attend a counseling program and restore any harm/damage caused to the victim. Then the prosecutor ceases the case for 3 years and refers the perpetrator to counseling. If any of the previous conditions are violated during this period the criminal procedure continues at the stage before mediation. A university lab in Crete, Greece (LaHeRS, HMU) offers one of the few in Greece perpetrators’ behavior change programs in collaboration with the Prosecutor’s Office. LaHeRS counseling program consists of a minimum of 24 sessions per offender based on an individual or group approach. Emphasis is placed on perceptions of power and control, anger management, trauma management, emotional expression, and social/communication skills. Each perpetrator is offered 2 sessions (intake/violence documentation and assessment of individual/couples’ needs), 2-3 sessions for psychiatric and risk assessment, 12-15 individual or group counseling sessions (combined with couples’ sessions, as necessary), 2-4 individual social support sessions. Sessions are conducted by trained psychologists and social workers. The current presentation reports on the Intimate partner violence (IPV) cases referred between February 2022 and December 2023. A total of 70 IPV cases attended the program (male n = 65; mean age 43.4; Greek n = 56; urban residence n = 49; children average=1.92). Physical violence was reported in 54 cases and verbal aggression in 43 cases. Four perpetrators had mental health problems and 6 were identified with some form of drug and alcohol misuse. Lack of communication and emotional skills, lack of parent emotional support, gender roles stereotypes and patriarchal attitudes were common among perpetrators. Key messages • It is important for perpetrators’ programs to address the underlying causes of criminal behavior to promote positive changes in perpetrators’ lives. • Effective penal mediation programs require collaboration and partnership between justice agencies, academia and community organizations.