‘Untangling the Messiness’: Understanding how change happens for some men in a domestic violence intervention programme in Chile

Abstract

This thesis investigates the process of change in men attending a Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programme (DVPP) in northern Chile, a topic that remains significantly underexplored in Latin American contexts. Given the persistent prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Chile and beyond, understanding how change occurs in men is crucial for informing the development and improvement of intervention strategies.
Specifically, the study explores: how men understand their use of violence; how change unfolds within the programme setting; and how broader public policy frameworks shape the implementation of DVPPs. Drawing on feminist and masculinity theorists, the research develops a critical understanding of men’s violence and change that puts power dynamics in the centre and explores the links between gender norms for men and the perpetration of violence.
Methodologically, the study employs an ethnographic approach, incorporating fieldwork observations and semi-structured interviews with DVPP practitioners (n = 9), programme participants (n = 7), women’s support services staff (n = 5), and key informants (n = 2).
The findings reveal that change is nonlinear and characterised by resistance (an inherent aspect of the process) and contradictions, factors that pose distinct challenges for practitioners. Group workshops emerge as key spaces for questioning dominant gender norms for men and exploring alternative ways of being a man. However, the structural conditions practitioners face can undermine their efforts, particularly the precarious working environments shaped by outsourcing.
This dissertation contributes to a more nuanced and contextually grounded understanding of men’s use of IPV and change, while offering concrete recommendations for the design, delivery, and policy development of DVPPs in Chile and comparable settings.