Beyond bravado: Rederizption and rehabilitation in the fathering accounts of men who batter

Studies on men who batter their partners seldom consider that many of these men are also fathers or stepfathers of children. This study draws upon several weeks of observations of group sessions with men court-mandated into group counseling due to their violence in relationships with intimate partners. Subsequent intensive interviews were conducted with eight fathers from among the group participants. Our focus was on their experiences with and reflections upon themselves as fathers. We found many of the men used the father role as a source of reentry into moral community. Specifically, the themes of catastrophic moment, remorse, responsibility, reparational scripts, redemption, and reconstruction are discussed in a process of moving beyond bravado. We draw implications for further research with fathers who batter as well as suggestions for human services and criminal justice professionals who may work with men and their families in these situations.