When an Abuser gets a conviction for a crime involving domestic violence in Illinois many Courts order that the Abuser go to a Batterer's Counseling program as part of the sentence. The Illinois Department of Human Services has a list of approved programs. To see the approved list go to the Batterers Intervention Page.

These programs are NOT and should not be Anger Management programs. An Abuser does not have a "problem with anger"; the Abuser has a problem with the use of Power and Control over the Victim. As such, the root problem of the Abuser's use of Power must be challenged in any intervention. It would be inappropriate and dangerous for the Victim for any Batterers Intervention Program to use Couples' Counseling or Mediation as an intervention procedure between the parties.

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