Published 30th Mar 2023, 11:50 BST

“I feel I’ve changed in the way I think and how I react to conflict,” the anonymised person writes. “I massively value my relationship and their wellbeing and happiness, as well as my own. I no longer hit out physically and I’ve learnt that I am capable of change.”

The charity Foundation, part of the Leeds-based Inspire North group, runs +Choices (Positive Choices), a behavioural change programme for perpetrators of domestic abuse across North Yorkshire.

The programme is delivered as part of a whole system where partners, ex-partners and other family members are also offered access to an integrated support service, with the key focus being to increase their safety and wellbeing.

Positive Choices supports perpetrators of domestic abuse to change their behaviour.

Laura Buchan, service manager at +Choices, explains: “It’s an opportunity for them to be supported to recognise, acknowledge and change their behaviour. What that hopefully leads to is the prevention of that abusive behaviour escalating...increasing the safety of victims and their children.”

Last year, the service, commissioned by the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, worked with over 200 individuals, with the core programme looking at topics including behavioural triggers, ways to manage emotions, sexual respect and emotional intimacy, parenting and trust within relationships.

“We feel that engagement is better because we’re coming from a voluntary perspective with people choosing to access our service,” Laura says. “That we feel makes a difference in terms of longer term change.”

Last month, the Government announced new proposals that it says will see the most dangerous domestic abusers “watched more closely”.

Abusers could be fitted with a tag, prevented from going within a certain distance of a victim’s home, and made to attend a behaviour change programme.

The Government said police and the probation service would also start work immediately to ensure that offenders sentenced to a year or more for controlling and coercive behaviour are recorded on the violent and sex offender register.

Laura says: “It is incredibly positive that further initiatives are being considered to prioritise and highlight the threat of violence against women and girls.

“In addition to the reforms, it is important to consider the resources going into specialised victim services and behaviour change programmes for perpetrators…

"Work with perpetrators to challenge their abusive behaviour is crucial in order to create meaningful change and reduce the risks to those involved in domestic incidents and the opportunity for repeat incidents to occur.”

For more information on +Choices, call 01904 557491, email [email protected].

How Yorkshire scheme is helping perpetrators of domestic abuse to change their behaviour