Rapid Evidence Assessment: what works with domestic abuse perpetrators?

Main findings

• The Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) outlines research on what works with domestic abuse perpetrators in order to prevent such offending or reduce the risk of re-offending. 
• The REA provides an up-to-date synthesis of the latest national and international evidence for the efficacy of domestic abuse perpetrator services.
• It highlights research limitations, including researcher bias, methodological issues and the challenges of effectively evaluating domestic abuse perpetrator services. 
• The REA does not provide clear support for the efficacy of any one approach to domestic abuse perpetrator services over others.
• It identifies those interventions which are more promising, including those with a motivational element and programmes that take a family-focused approach. 
• The importance of including substance misuse treatment (where relevant) is identified.
• The REA highlights the value of taking a ‘whole systems approach’ to tackling domestic abuse. 
• The REA considers the implications of the findings for commissioners, academics, practitioners and policy-makers involved in domestic abuse perpetrator services. 
• It emphasises the importance of robust and independent evaluation of perpetrator services
• The REA identifies the need for testing more innovative approaches to working with domestic abuse perpetrators.
• Opportunities for developing services across the ‘offender journey’, with an emphasis on prevention and early intervention are discussed.