Consultation Centres for Perpetrators of Domestic Violence
Consultations for perpetrators may play an important role in the prevention of domestic violence. The Federal Office for Gender of Equality (FOGE) published a list of these consultation centres throughout the country. The financial future of the indispensable support work is, according to a FOGE study, quite uncertain.
There are actually 25 such consultation centres in Switzerland, which have, in 2006, supported 733 men and 78 women with individual or couple or group consultations, or with learning programs. The FOGE press release of 30 June, 2008 reveals that 30% of the men and 50% of the women consulted on court order. For the other abusers, it was a personal decision - unfortunately most of them not financially supported.
The preventive importance of these centres is recognised by cantons and municipalities. Not all the cantons finance the offer, so that it is very unequal. Best practice was observed in Aargau, Appenzell RH, Basel-Land, Bern, Thurgau, Zurich and Newcastle.
- List of the Consultation Centres by Cantons (pdf, 3p.)
- Violences conjugales : consultations pour les auteur-e-s (in French)
Häusliche Gewalt: Beratung für Täter und Täterinnen (in German)
Press Release by the Federal Office for Gender of Equality (FOGE), 30 June 2008 - Consultation work and programs against the violence for perpetrators of domestic violence
Report and it Summary, June 2008 - in French, German and Italian, available here - The FOGE in brief (and in English)
Update: 21.07.2008
