Working towards a perpetrator-focused approach to domestic abuse: visibility and accountability in theory and practice

This thesis examines domestic abuse agency responses amid recent shifts toward perpetrator-focused approaches. It develops the notions of visibility and accountability as key, measurable concepts through which perpetrator responses can be assessed. Visibility refers to how perpetrators are recognised and acknowledged, while accountability encompasses assigning responsibility and targeting interventions around their needs and risks. Grounded in feminist and power-based theories, the thesis emphasises the need to root perpetrator interventions in a deep understanding of gender, power and control. The research stems from a three-year collaborative project with a London local authority, facilitating an in-depth analysis of practice responses. The study employs mixed methods, integrating quantitative and qualitative analysis of multi-agency processes and practitioner interviews, allowing for a comprehensive evaluation of practice. To my knowledge, this is the first study to combine multiple data sources in this manner with a sole focus on perpetrator efforts and outcomes. The study generates new empirical evidence with key implications for theory, policy and practice, underscoring the need to systematically evaluate responses. It reveals persistent challenges that prevent agencies from enhancing perpetrator visibility and accountability. It depicts a practice landscape shaped by systemic and workforce-related challenges, with deficiencies in effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms that perpetuate perpetrator invisibility and undermine accountability efforts. Gender dynamics further compound these issues, with female practitioners facing greater difficulties, male perpetrators more likely to evade systems, and female victims more often blamed. Perpetrators’ use of power and control intensifies challenges through the deployment of tactics aimed at reasserting dominance. Despite growing calls to prioritise perpetrators, substantial obstacles persist. The findings outline pathways for advancing perpetrator-facing interventions, practitioner support, local processes, and national systems and data. Only such a coordinated, multi-faceted approach can result in meaningful changes that address the current fragmented and inconsistent state of perpetrator responses.