Boston Women's Aid

Freedom Programme

Many women who have experienced abuse have little or no understanding of what has happened to them and it simply feels like a painful, confusing mess for which they are partly to blame.

This programme aims to explore the tactics of an abuser. We name him and his tactics giving us, the victims of abuse, greater understanding and knowledge of how they have used these tactics to manipulate and control us. It helps us put all the blame squarely on the shoulders of the perpetrator, where it belongs.

This programme examines the roles played by attitudes and belief on actions and responses of both male perpetrators and women survivors.

It aims to:

• Provide an opportunity for women to develop ways of thinking and behaving and to increase women’s ability to take control of their lives and make positive choices to protect themselves and their children in the future.
• Increase women’s perception of the importance of and ability to engage positively with support services.
• To recognise the beliefs held by abusive men and the impact of their life experience on their own attitudes and beliefs.

The underlying reason for using violence and abuse is the desire to maintain control over their partner. Physical violence may not be used regularly and, in some cases, will not be used at all. However, there is a continuum of other tactics and behaviour which enable abusive partners to take control.

Violence is often used when perpetrators believe the other tactics are failing to work.