Violences Conjugales et Politiques Publiques : le Paradigme de la Désistance pour la gestion des Auteurs de Violences entre Partenaires Intimes

Most of the research in the field of domestic violence, in psychology and criminology has focused on dynamics of violence (cycle of violence) ; the impact of violence on victims and recidivism for perpetrators. The attention was put on risk factors increasing the probability of committing domestic violence. Protective factors and the processes of desistance have so far been little studied. The study of the cessation of conjugal violence poses the question, in this particular context, of relation and temporality. While the cyclic nature of intimate partner violence confronts us with an additional difficulty to define desistance, the few studies in this area highlight the importance of considering both partners and their interactions. Experiences within the couple, such as parenting, certain motivations of the relationship, and other factors of change among perpetrators of violence, help to understand the cessation of these violent behaviors. This article aims to discuss the conceptualization of desistance in context of domestic violence.