The Importance of Culturally Specific Classes

A coordinated community response or CCR is a system wide intervention strategy that is being applied throughout the U.S and abroad. The CCR was developed in Duluth, MN by the Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs. It is comprised of agencies communicating together and made up of women’s shelters, batterer intervention programs, the criminal justice system, human service agencies, and most recently, churches. It involves written policies, practices and strategies regarding domestic violence. A CCR uses swift consequences for violations of court orders and failures to comply with program rules. We believe it is critical for a batterer intervention program or class to be part of a CCR, thus Changing Men, Changing Lives does not stand alone in the community. As a part of the CCR we share the primary goal of protecting women from harm, preventing and intervening on abusive behavior and providing opportunities for men to change. For more information regarding CCRs go to: www.theduluthmodel.org.