This article has not been written to point the fingers at
women, but rather to highlight the injustices associated with the Duluth Model
and to explain its implications and repercussion's.
The Duluth Model, was developed in the 1980s to address domestic
violence and abuse, and has been critiqued for its one-dimensional view of power and control
dynamics, predominantly portraying men as perpetrators and women as victims.
This approach has led to criticisms regarding its fairness and effectiveness,
as it overlooks the many instances where men are victims and women are perpetrators. By
examining these issues, the article aims to foster a more balanced
understanding of domestic violence and abuse, that acknowledges the complexities of all
parties involved.
The
History of the Duluth Wheel Model, the Controversy, and
Implications
History and
Development
The
Duluth Model was developed in 1981 in Duluth, Minnesota, by a coalition of
women's advocates, law enforcement officials, and community leaders who sought
to create a more effective response to domestic violence. The model is cantered
on the "Power and Control Wheel," which outlines various tactics used
by abusers to exert control over their victims. The model emphasises that
domestic violence is a result of patriarchal ideologies and systemic power
imbalances (Pence & Paymar, 1993).
Controversy
Presumption of Guilt
and Gender Bias
One
of the primary criticisms of the Duluth Model is its inherent gender bias. The
model is often perceived as presuming the guilt of men accused of domestic
violence and inherently favouring women's accusations. Critics argue that the
Duluth Model operates under the assumption that domestic violence is
predominantly male-perpetrated and female-victimised, which can lead to unjust
outcomes. For instance, Dutton and Corvo (2006) assert that the model's
approach can result in situations where men are forced to prove their
innocence, while women's accusations are taken at face value without substantial
evidence.
Dutton
(2006) argues that "the model's gendered perspective can lead to a lack of
due process for accused men, who may be presumed guilty based on the model's
assumptions rather than actual evidence." This perspective can
significantly impact how domestic violence cases are handled, potentially
leading to biased outcomes that do not accurately reflect the complexities of
each, and individual cases.
Impact
on Training and Professional Practice
The
Duluth Model is widely implemented through training programs for law
enforcement Police officers, judicial personnel, and social service
departments, including childrens social services. These programs are designed
to educate professionals on recognising the signs of power and control dynamics
in abusive relationships, prioritising victim safety, and ensuring offender
accountability. Training typically includes workshops, role-playing scenarios,
and case studies, all of which emphasise the model's core principles (Pence
& Shepard, 1999).
Agencies
involved in implementing the Duluth Model include countrywide Police
authorities, domestic violence shelters, and social services including
childrens social services. These agencies work together to provide a
coordinated community response to domestic violence, with the aim of protecting
victims and holding perpetrators accountable. However, the model's gendered
approach can sometimes result in skewed perceptions and responses to domestic
violence incidents, particularly those involving male victims or female
perpetrators (Corvo, Dutton, & Chen, 2008).
Implications
for Family Court Outcomes
Custody
Decisions and Evidentiary Standard
The
Duluth Model's principles can significantly influence family court outcomes,
especially in custody disputes. Judges and child protection workers trained in
the model may be more inclined to believe the mother's claims of abuse,
potentially leading to custody decisions that favor the mother based on
allegations alone. This can and often disadvantage fathers who are accused of
abuse and may not have the opportunity, means and resources to adequately
defend themselves (Corvo et al., 2008).
The
model's emphasis on believing victims often lower the evidentiary standards
required to prove allegations of abuse. In some cases, accusations alone may
suffice to impact court decisions, which can result in unfair treatment of
accused individuals who lack the means to provide a robust defense (Dutton
& Corvo, 2006).
Societal
Implications
Homelessness
and Mental Health
The
societal implications of the Duluth Model extend to issues such as male
homelessness and mental health. Men accused of domestic violence or abuse, who
subsequently lose access to their homes, families, and children may experience
significant psychological and financial stress. This often contributes to
increased rates of homelessness, depression, and suicidal tendencies among
accused men though very rarely if at all, addressed or spoken about in the
public spear (Hines & Douglas, 2010).
Bias
in Addressing Gender-Based Violence
The
Duluth Model's focus on addressing misogyny and protecting female victims has
been criticised for not adequately addressing the issue of misandry. By
predominantly framing domestic violence and domestic abuse as a
male-perpetrated issue, the model may inadvertently marginalises male victims
and obscure the reality of female-perpetrated violence. This can create a
societal bias that fails to recognise and address the full spectrum of domestic
violence and domestic abuse, ultimately hindering the development of more
inclusive and effective intervention strategies (Corvo et al., 2008).
Conclusion
The
Duluth Model has significantly shaped domestic violence intervention strategies
by emphasising the need to protect victims as women and not men, and does not
hold women perpetrators accountable. As a result, its gendered framework and
the presumption of male guilt have sparked significant controversy not just in
theory but in practice. The model's implementation in family courts and its
broader societal implications highlights the need for a more balanced approach,
that acknowledges all forms of domestic violence and domestic abuse, ensuring
fairness for both accused individuals and victims, for both men and
women.
Put simply,
manipulation happens when we focus on the effects, and not to unlock the cause
of the effects. By creating an imbalanced strategical system such as the Duluth
model, and adopting it into a society where the people as a whole who it will
affect in all future judicial outcomes, are unaware of the intricate
principles, is arguably underhanded, and actually undermines the plate for women's
safety of which is a million miles from the the intention of Fatherless
Britain, but to address the issues in order to create a safer society for our
daughters.
The fact
that Norfolk County Council is still using the Duluth wheel
model, all be it their own version, and on the date of writing this article
there is a direct link to the Duluth Model website showing their affiliation to
the Duluth Model. This fact shows the influence the Duluth Wheel Model has had,
and is still has in creating the false narrative of one-way domestic abuse,
with a clear bias against half of the population. That being, your
brother's, your son's, your uncle's, and your father's. Yet next week, we'll
all be hypercritically celebrating what now appears to be a farce of Father's
day.
Norfolk County Council. (n.d.). Power and control wheel. [online] Friday 7th June 2024, Available at: https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/article/43699/Power-and-control-wheel.
.png "The Duluth Model Wheel") |
| The Duluth Model Wheel Information Centre |
Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs (2017). Wheels - Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs. [online] Friday 7th June 2024, Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs. Available at: https://www.theduluthmodel.org/wheels/.
Alienating good innocent men by making them endure the repercussions of the behaviour's and actions of a few bad individuals, is counterproductive and unjust. This approach does not address the true causes or issues related to gender-based violence and inequality. Instead, it fosters division between men and women, and undermines genuine efforts to address and resolve these issues. A more effective strategy would involve focusing on the actual perpetrators of harmful behaviour's, while fostering a collaboration and understanding between genders to create a more equitable society.
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References
Corvo, K., Dutton, D., & Chen, W. (2008). Do Duluth Model interventions with perpetrators of domestic violence violate due process? Journal of Family Violence, 23(5), 385-396.
Dutton, D. G. (2006). Rethinking Domestic Violence. UBC Press.
Dutton, D. G., & Corvo, K. (2006). Transforming a flawed policy: A call to revive psychology and science in domestic violence research and practice. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 11(5), 457-483.
Hines, D. A., & Douglas, E. M. (2010). Intimate Partner Violence Among Men. Springer.
Pence, E., & Paymar, M. (1993). Education Groups for Men Who Batter: The Duluth Model. Springer Publishing Company.
Pence, E., & Shepard, M. (1999). Coordinating Community Responses to Domestic Violence: Lessons from Duluth and Beyond. Sage Publications.
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| Duluth Wheel Model used by local throughout UK and Family Courts |
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| Duluth Wheel Model Explained by Fatherless Britain |
VIOLENCE NW
Coercion & Threats
Making and/or carrying out threats to do something to hurt her, commit suicide, or report her to welfare. Making her drop charges. Making her do illegal things
Rochford Community College New York
https://sunyrockland.edu/
VIOLENCE NE
Intimidation
Making her afraid by using looks, actions and gestures. Smashing things. Destroying her property. Abusing pets. Displaying weapons.
(Link 3rd result in organic Google search results, Norfolk County Council using the original Duluth Model)
https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/
Sexual EN
Emotional Abuse
Putting her down. Making her feel bad about herself. Calling her names. Making her think she's crazy. Playing mind games. Humiliating her. Making her feel guilty.
https://www.fatherly.com/love-
Sexual ES
Isolation
Controlling what she does, who she sees and talks to, what she reads, and where she goes. Limiting her outside involvement. Using jealousy to justify actions.
https://www.
VIOLENCE SE
Minimizing Denying & Blaming
Making light of abuse. Not taking her concerns about it seriously. Saying the abuse didn't happen. Shifting responsibility for abusive behavior. Saying she caused it.
https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/
VIOLENCE SW
Using Children
Making her feel guilty about the children. Using the children to relay messages. Using visitation to harass her. Threatening to take the children away
https://freeva.org.uk/what-
Physical WS
Economic Abuse
Preventing her from getting or keeping a job. Making her ask for money. Giving her an allowance. Taking her money. Not letting her know about or have access to family income.
https://
Physical WN
Male Privilege
Treating her like a servant. Making all the big decisions. Acting like "master of the castle." Being the one to define men's and women's roles.
(Norfolk County Council)
https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/
• Home Office
Statutory guidance
Controlling or coercive behaviour: statutory guidance framework (accessible)
Updated 27 July 2023
https://www.gov.uk/government/
David Lloyd-Hoare
https://www.counsellinghelp.
"The Duluth Model and Knife Crime"
Young man says, "I'm not having children because..."
His not aware his describing some elements of the Duluth Wheel Model!
For a clear example of how the Duluth Wheel Model is being implemented and used to legally abuse men to the detriment of society, view the page, Father's Day 2021
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