Craig Chalquist

Craig Chalquist is a marriage and family therapist who supervises therapy groups for men convicted of battering women in Ventura County, California. In the following viewpoint, Chalquist maintains that group therapy for batterers gives men the opportunity to confront and change their behavior and attitudes. The first step in the process of breaking the cycle of violence against women, Chalquist contends, is to make the batterers understand that they alone are responsible for their behavior. Next, he asserts, the batterers are taught how to control their anger. According to Chalquist, long-time participants in the therapy groups are very effective in helping newer members own up to their responsibility and move beyond violence.

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