“Until We Shift the Responsibility to Where it Needs to be, Survivors’ Trauma Will Never End”: Transdisciplinary Perspectives on Domestic Violence Perpetrator Accountability

Abstract Purpose Research about women’s and children’s healing and recovery from domestic and family violence (DFV) has largely examined how individual characteristics of victims-survivors influence this process. As a result, professional practice often pivots on bolstering their psychological, emotional and behavioral resources. Less emphasis is placed on the potential for perpetrator accountability (PA) practices to influence the healing and recovery process. Methods This paper reports the perspectives of 73 Australian practitioners who participated in qualitative in-depth interviews. Participants worked in statutory child protection, health, law enforcement and corrective services with families who have experienced DFV. Data was coded using principles and practices from thematic analysis. Results Four themes were generated from the qualitative data analysis to theorize how practitioners conceptualize PA and engage (or not) in work with perpetrators including: a gauge of the perpetrator’s actions and beliefs; a critical piece within a holistic coordinated response; a safety design tool; and a compass to guide survivor safety, healing and recovery. We found that many practitioners perceived PA to be ill-defined and underdeveloped. Half of participants indicated that their agencies either had no policies or they were unaware of policies to guide PA practice. Conclusions Participants made policy and practice recommendations and initiated place-based activities to promote PA practices. Designing systems that promote PA was seen as a necessary, but frequently missing aspect of practice, with consequences that impede survivor safety, healing and recovery.