INTIMATE JUSTICE - CONFRONTING ISSUES OF ACCOUNTABILITY, RESPECT, ANDFREEDOM IN TREATMENT FOR ABUSE AND VIOLENCE

Intimate justice theory is a set of nine interrelated concepts that de scribe the ethical dimensions of equality, fairness, and care in ongoi ng partnerships. Understanding ethical dimensions involves examining i nternalized beliefs and behavior in terms of their motivation and impa ct on the partner, particularly as they empower disempower, or abuse p ower The concepts of intimate Justice theory are applied to confront d isempowerment and abuses of power, to challenge internalized beliefs a bout how one should treat one's partner to explore how internalized be liefs were developed through experiences in the family of origin, and to develop an awareness of the linkages between intimate partner abuse and social injustice. This article demonstrates how therapists can ut ilize three of the concepts-accountability, respect, and freedom-to st ructure the opening phase of treatment for abuse and violence. The pri mary focus of the opening phase is on establishing accountability for change in the abusive man and protecting the safety of the injured par tner This involves challenging the abuser's sense of entitlement and w orking to rethink what respect is and restoring freedom to his partner The discussion incorporates the findings of an exploratory, qualitati ve study that investigated the experiences of 30 abusive men and their partners who were clients in a university-based counseling clinic. Th e article elaborates six interventions that can be utilized in clinica l settings to structure treatment with abusive men.