Domestic Abuse Courses & Programmes
Understanding survivor courses, perpetrator programmes and how they are used by the system.
Domestic abuse “courses” and “programmes” can be powerful tools for safety and recovery — or they can be misused by systems to blame victims and sanitise abusers.
You may be offered or ordered to attend a course by social services, probation, the family court or a domestic abuse service. You may also see the other parent attending a “perpetrator programme” and feel unsure what it really means.
This page explains different types of domestic abuse courses, how they are meant to work, and how to protect yourself and your children when professionals use them as evidence.
Why Domestic Abuse Courses Exist
Domestic abuse courses and programmes are intended to:
- Help survivors understand abuse and its impact
- Support recovery and rebuilding after trauma
- Challenge abusive beliefs and behaviours in perpetrators
- Reduce risk of future harm
- Provide courts and agencies with evidence of engagement and change
In reality, impact varies hugely. Simply attending a course does not prove safety, remorse or genuine change — especially for perpetrators.
Types of Domestic Abuse Courses & Programmes
You may come across:
- Survivor programmes – for victims, often group-based, focusing on understanding abuse, safety planning and building confidence.
- Domestic Abuse Awareness courses – short courses sometimes recommended by social care or court for either or both parents.
- Perpetrator programmes – programmes aimed at those who have used abuse, often linked to probation or specialist providers.
- Parenting after abuse programmes – focusing on parenting in the context of DA and trauma.
- Online or private DA courses – variable quality, sometimes purchased by perpetrators to “show the court they’ve done something”.
Not all programmes are accredited, evidence-based or trauma-informed.
Survivor Courses
Survivor-focused courses and groups can be extremely helpful when they are:
- Run by domestic abuse specialists or charities
- Trauma-informed and survivor-centred
- Clear about confidentiality and safeguarding
- Respectful, validating and non-judgmental
They may help you to:
- Understand coercive control and post-separation abuse
- Recognise minimisation, gaslighting and victim-blaming
- Build a support network with other survivors
- Develop safety strategies for you and your children
1VAA can help you decide whether a survivor course feels safe and appropriate, and how to manage any reporting back to agencies.
Perpetrator Programmes
Perpetrator programmes are aimed at people who have used abuse and are often:
- Linked to probation or criminal sentencing
- Recommended or required by family courts or social services
- Delivered by specialist domestic abuse organisations or generic providers
Important points to understand:
- Attending a programme does not automatically mean the perpetrator is safe.
- Some individuals attend only to “look good” in court, not to change.
- Drop-out, non-compliance or negative feedback from facilitators can be significant risk indicators.
- Even after completion, risk may remain high and must be properly assessed.
If professionals treat programme attendance as “proof” that everything is now safe, this should be challenged with reference to risk, behaviour and evidence.
When You Are Told to Attend a Domestic Abuse Course
Sometimes victims are told to attend a domestic abuse awareness course “to understand their part in the conflict”. This can be inappropriate and victim-blaming if:
- You are the non-abusive, protective parent
- The course treats DA as “mutual conflict”
- Your safety concerns about the perpetrator are sidelined
If you are directed to attend a DA course:
- Ask who is providing it and whether they are domestic abuse specialists
- Ask what the stated purpose is in your case
- Ask how your participation will be reported and to whom
- Keep your own notes about what the course actually covers
1VAA can help you document your engagement while also challenging any misuse of the course in reports or court.
How Courses Are Used in Court and by Agencies
In family and criminal proceedings, professionals may use course attendance to argue that:
- “Risk has reduced because he completed a perpetrator programme.”
- “She has shown insight because she attended a survivor or parenting after abuse course.”
- “They are both to blame, they both had to do a course.”
Key things to remember:
- Completion alone does not = safety.
- Non-completion or expulsion can be a serious red flag.
- Courses should be considered alongside wider evidence and behaviour, not instead of it.
- Any reports from programme facilitators should be read carefully and challenged if inaccurate.
Questions to Ask About Any DA Course or Programme
Whether it is for you or the other parent, you can ask:
- “Is this programme accredited or evidence-based?”
- “Is it designed for survivors or perpetrators?”
- “What is the underlying model of abuse you work with?” (power and control vs “relationship conflict”)
- “What information will be shared with social care, probation or the court?”
- “Will I/my ex receive a certificate, and what does completion actually mean?”
The answers can help you and your legal team interpret how much weight to give the programme in your case.
Red Flags in Domestic Abuse Courses
Red flags include:
- Programmes that treat abuse as mutual “communication problems”
- Facilitators who minimise coercive control, stalking or post-separation abuse
- Pressure on survivors to “take responsibility” for the abuser’s behaviour
- Reports that frame the victim as the main problem for being “angry” or “uncooperative”
- Perpetrators using attendance to claim they are now “fixed” while behaviour remains abusive
If a course is being used against you or to mask ongoing risk, it is important to record this and seek advice.
How 1VAA Helps With Domestic Abuse Courses
As a 1VAA member, we can:
- Help you understand what a specific course or programme actually is
- Support you to decide whether a course is safe and appropriate for you
- Help you prepare if attendance is required by social care or court
- Support you in interpreting perpetrator programme participation or reports
- Assist in drafting responses where courses are misrepresented or misused in assessments
- Link course participation with your wider safeguarding and legal strategy
Our priority is always the safety and wellbeing of you and your children, not ticking boxes for agencies.
If You Need Help Right Now
If you are being pushed into a domestic abuse course, or you are being told that a perpetrator is now “safe” because they attended one, you do not have to accept this at face value.
Register for support or join 1VAA and we will help you understand what these programmes really mean in practice and how to respond safely.