Voluntary Group Programs For Men Who Use Violence: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global concern requiring diverse intervention strategies.
• Traditional IPV interventions focus on victim support and court-mandated programs for perpetrators.
• There's a growing emphasis on preventative, voluntary programs for men who use violence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current literature on voluntary group programs for men who use violence.
• To identify knowledge gaps and assess the effectiveness of these programs.
• To understand the potential of voluntary programs in reducing IPV.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review of scholarly literature was conducted.
• Included studies published between 2014 and June 2025.
• Focused on voluntary, non-court-mandated interventions for men using violence.

Main Results:

• Significant gaps exist in understanding sustained behavior change in voluntary programs.
• Positive short-term outcomes like increased self-awareness were noted.
• Participant engagement and retention pose challenges to program evaluation.

Conclusions:

• Voluntary programs offer a potential avenue for early intervention in IPV.
• More research is needed to establish long-term effectiveness and address engagement challenges.
• Further investigation is crucial for optimizing these programs to promote healthier behaviors and safer communities.