1. Approved by Academic Council 4 March 2009 (AC/34/2009)
ELECTRONIC ASSIGNMENT
COVERSHEET
Student Number 31044193
Surname Moessmer
Given name Lydia
Email lydia.moessmer@gmail.com
Unit Code CSL 581
Unit name Group Counselling
Enrolment mode Internal
Date 2
nd
June 2016
Assignment number 4
Assignment name Group Proposal
Tutor Margaret Sealey
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2. Rationale
Domestic violence (DV) is becoming one of the fastest growing issues in Australia,
according to (HelpGuide, 2015). With countless non-profit organisations, as well as
governmental efforts to tackle this problem, it remains a taboo in society. Most
organisations focus on violence against women and children, leaving men losing out on
the much needed emotional and mental support necessary to overcome the trauma of
being physically assaulted. Men who report violence from their partners are met with
scepticism by the police, are ridiculed in society and feel a deep sense of shame and guilt
at not being able to “handle” the problem on their own (Siek, 2012).
This misconception of men suffering from DV further instils the reluctance to seek
help and support, whether through a counselling service, or from a friend or family
member, to reporting abuse to the police. There is a severe lack in support groups for men
living under these circumstances or recently having ended an abusive relationship, which
is why a group therapy setting for men in Perth, Western Australia is recommended. The
National Violence Against Women survey found that 21.5% of men living with a same-
sex partner experienced physical violence at one point during their relationship (Men’s
Rights, 2012), and estimated that number to be close to double in straight couples with a
male and female partner.
Men are often told that they did something to provoke the perpetrator’s assault, they
feel uncertain about where to seek help and go to, services in general are less likely to ask
whether men are victims of domestic violence and male victims can be falsely arrested
and removed from their homes because of the assumption of gender (Drijber & Reijnders,
2013).

3. Statistically, there is just cause for a male victim support group to be set up, and a dire
need for help, support and counselling services that specialise in female to male abuse.

4. Summary of Expert Consultation
It is very difficult tracking down an expert in this area, as it is largely underdeveloped,
there is a lack of research and perhaps a lack of interest in psychologists, therapists and social
workers to take this on, which could be due to the fact that there is a lack in laws set in place
supporting male victims. I spoke to a volunteer, Lisa, on the phone from the “One in Three”
campaign briefly, and she was able to disclose some of the barriers men face to voicing the
abuse, which are:
- Shame, embarrassment and social stigma for not being able to protect themselves
- Lack of understanding, sympathy and belief from police officers
- Fear for their children’s well-being (partner may abuse them in turn)
There are many more of course, and each reason is unique to the individual. She also
explained to me that the abuse suffered is in fact the same as for female victims, as there is
also physical violence, intimidation, threats, sexual, emotional, psychological, verbal and
financial abuse present. This leads to social isolation and many men experience a multitude
of abuses by their spouses or partners. Finally, she explained to me that the worst abuse men
experience is the legal and administrative abuse that takes place when they do decide to
finally come forward.
To conclude the phone call, I thanked her for the general overview she was able to
provide me and she took the opportunity to stress that abuse of any kind that is witnessed by
children in the family can lead to emotional and mental disturbances in the next generation
too. Therefore making this a generational issue that needs to be stopped and dealt with before
it leaves long-term “emotional” scars on the direct and indirect victims.

5. Goals and Objectives
Long after the abuse has ended the emotional and mental scars remain from the
trauma, and healing those will break the perceived sense of worthlessness that a lot of victims
experience; essentially finally breaking that cycle. Participants may not be in an abusive
relationship at the point of starting therapy, and one of the key purposes is to provide
psychoeducational support to group members, so that they are able to seek out help externally
as well if they feel they require it.
Another goal and objective is to rebuild confidence and self-esteem amongst the
group participants, so that they are able to function healthily and happily and prevent them
from resorting to negative coping mechanisms, such as alcoholism, drug use and other risky
behaviour. This will be relatively short-term therapy, so one of the goals is to keep the group
limited to 15 participants, utilising a minor screening process.
Finally, we will be utilising mindfulness-based cognitive behaviour therapy, as it has
shown to be very effective in the treatment of trauma patients (King et al., 2013), and will be
utilising a male facilitator so that the group members feel, perhaps, more encouraged to share
their personal experiences, thoughts and feelings, as opposed to divulging their inner selves
to a female.
The objectives for this support group are to meet once a week, 1.5 hours per week,
and to carry on with the sessions for 8 weeks. Group members are selected in advance, as the
slots are limited to 15 spots at a time, and there will be a minor screening process that is on a
first-come-first-serve basis for now.

6. Population
Since this group is for male domestic violence victims in Perth, Western Australia,
participants of the group need to be residing in and around the Perth area. All participants are
male, 18 to 55 years old. This group is open to all socio-economic backgrounds, as domestic
violence does not discriminate and is as much present in lower-income households as it is in
middle-income households.
However, this group will be limited to heterosexual males. This is because the LGBT
community faces a whole range of different issues regarding rights, social biases, stigma,
taboos, and so on. Domestic violence is prevalent in their community; however, I feel a
separate group for homosexual male victims would be more appropriate as the perpetrator is a
male, whilst in this group the perpetrator is a woman. That’s one of the focal points.
Finally, the male members have to have been in an abusive relationship with a female
spouse or partner recently, as this group therapy focuses on moving past that trauma.
Allowing group members who are still in an abusive relationships may cause unrest, and
triggers in other group members that would be counter-productive, as we do not know the
extent of the trauma or abuse the victims have suffered and survived.
Screening will be done via an online application that they can access from a domestic
violence website, and we will get in touch with the participants that have met the criteria, and
it mainly functions on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Places are limited to 15 spots, but it is to be expected that this number may decrease to 8 over
time. Sign-ups will happen on a quarterly basis.

7. Group Design – 8 Sessions, 1.5 hours each
Week 1 (Introductory Stage)
Each group member is asked to write a goal on a piece of paper that is collected at the end of
the session. Brief welcome and introduction of facilitator, followed by a brief introduction
from each group member (35 minutes)
Followed by an ice-breaking game called that will encourage some laughs (20 minutes)
Discuss purpose of group, what may happen, fear, ground rules, comfort levels and content of
the group (30 minutes)
Begin to close session with remaining minutes
Week 2 (Transition Stage)
Brief welcome back and check-in on group members thoughts and feelings from previous
week (10 minutes)
Ice-breaking game “name a random, funny, happy experience from the past week” (20
minutes)
Begin to discuss experiences, focusing on purpose of the group, check to see comfort and
trust levels, fears, group members can share personal experiences (45 minutes)
Guided meditation, introduction to mindfulness practices (psychoeducational), begin to close
(remaining minutes)
Week 3 (Working Stage)
Brief welcome back, reading of poem, and check-in on group members thoughts and feelings
from previous week and now (15 minutes)

8. Ask members to share a happy moment or a moment of success from the past week (20
minutes)
Discuss the topic of domestic violence; engage in personal sharing and therapeutic work (45
minutes)
Guided meditation and begin to close (remaining minutes)
Week 4 (Working Stage)
Brief welcome back, reading of a Buddhist mantra, and check-in on group members thoughts
and feelings from previous week and now (15 minutes)
Engage in therapeutic work, introduce further mindfulness practices. Discuss methods of
relaxation when feelings of anxiety or fear happen. Discuss coping mechanisms. Encourage
personal sharing (55 minutes)
Ask group members to start keeping a reflective journal, discuss any questions and
confusions (10 minutes)
Guided meditation and begin to close (remaining minutes)
Week 5 (Working Stage)
Brief welcome back, reading of a poem, and check-in on group members thoughts and
feelings from previous week and now (15 minutes)
Engage in therapeutic work. Discuss reflections anyone would like to share. Encourage
personal sharing of moments, incidents from the past week whether good or bad (45 minutes)
May call for one on one work at this stage with various group members (20 minutes)
Guided meditation and begin to close (remaining minutes)

9. Week 6 (Working Stage)
Brief welcome back, reading of a poem, and check-in on group members thoughts and
feelings from previous week and now (15 minutes)
Engage in therapeutic work. Discuss reflections anyone would like to share. Encourage
personal sharing of moments, incidents from the past week whether good or bad (45 minutes)
May call for one on one work at this stage with various group members (20 minutes)
Guided meditation and begin to close (remaining minutes)
Week 7 (Ending Stage)
Brief welcome back, and check-in on group members thoughts and feelings from previous
week (10 minutes)
Discuss goodbyes and endings, encourage members to share what they have learned, how
they have changed, how they plan to use what they have learned (45 minutes)
May call for one on one work at this stage with various group members (20 minutes)
Guided meditation and begin to close (remaining minutes)
Week 8 (Ending Stage)
Brief welcome back, and check-in on group members thoughts and feelings from previous
week (10 minutes)
Discuss again goodbyes and endings, encourage members to share what they have learned,
how they have changed, how they plan to use what they have learned (60 minutes)
Discuss progress, encouragement, empowerment. Guided meditation and begin to close

10. Appendix A – Room Layout
Group
Group
Group
Group
Group
Group
Group
Group
Group
Group
Group
Group
Group
Group
Facilitator
Door (Entrance/Exit)

11. Appendix B – Online-advertisement on the One In Three campaigns website

12. Appendix C – Feedback form
1. Circle how you are feeling
Angry Bored Calm Tired
Creative Embarrassed Excited Focused
Happy Hungry Lonely Loved
Patient Proud Confused Sad
Scared Surprised Relieved Other:
2. Please Rate the following on how you are feeling about the sessions:
Terrible 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Great
Unhelpful 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Helpful
Progressive 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Stagnant
Any other comments:

13. References
Drijber, B. C., Reijnders, U. J. L., & Ceelen, M. (2013). Male victims of domestic
violence. Journal of Family Violence,28(2), 173-178. doi:10.1007/s10896-012-9482-9
Help for Abused Men (n.d.). Retrieved May 26, 2016
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/abuse/help-for-abused-men.htm
James, K. (1996). Truth or fiction: Men as victims of domestic violence? Australian and New
Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 17(3), 121-125. doi:10.1002/j.1467-
8438.1996.tb01087.x
King, A. P., Erickson, T. M., Giardino, N. D., Favorite, T., Rauch, S. A. M., Robinson, E.. .
Liberzon, I. (2013). a pilot study of group mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy (mbct)
for combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (ptsd). Depression and
Anxiety, 30(7), 638-645. doi:10.1002/da.22104
Siek, A. (2012). Men: The hidden victims of domestic violence. Pandora's Box, (2012), 89-
94.
2 Studies That Prove Domestic Violence is an LGBT issue. (2014). Retrieved May 26, 2016,
http://www.advocate.com/crime/2014/09/04/2-studies-prove-domestic-violence-lgbt-
issue