A common question I get is: what about resources that are available for abusers?

How can we help offenders who want to change? How can we support those who want to break the cycle of abuse and build a better future for themselves and those they love?

Frankly, there have not been many good options, but we are starting to see traction.

A group of men, all of whom have been abusive to their partner, recently completed the first Pathways to Peace program, a new Sheltering Wings prevention initiative.

Pathways to Peace is an eight-week program designed to help participants learn strategies to build a healthier future for themselves and those they love. Throughout the eight weeks, participants do the hard, introspective work of looking at their past experiences and behaviors. They learn how those experiences affect their responses and actions today, then learn skills and techniques that can help them make different, healthier choices in the future.

Each week begins with a grounding activity, such as a breathing exercise. From there, the group focuses on foundational topics like healthy relationships, nonviolent communication, stress management, accountability, emotional regulation and self-control. Each session ends with a takeaway tool, giving participants something to reflect on or work on before the next group meeting.

We started with a group of men in the Hendricks County Work Release program. Every one of them had been abusive to their partner, and we are so encouraged by the positive response.

Based on pre- and post-test survey results, we saw a 30% increase in participants who felt more confident about controlling their emotions and a 25% increase in those who were likely to choose a peaceful response during conflict.

One man shared that what helped him most was looking at the fact that he was not only hurting himself, but his family as well.

Another participant told us the class gave him tools to use as a stepping stone to build a better version of himself. He now knows how to handle certain triggers in a different way. He sees himself as a better person, and so do his family and friends.

That is incredibly powerful.

Your support makes prevention work like this possible. I know the Lord is working through you and through our team to set these men on a different path.

Right now, we are in the middle of the second session, this time at Putnamville Correctional Facility. We like to keep our sessions small, with no more than 15 participants, and there are more than 100 men on the waiting list hoping to join the next session.

These men are absorbing the information. They come to each session ready for conversation. They are taking accountability for their past actions and learning how they can make different choices.

It is really exciting.

That is how we begin to break the cycle of abuse.

You always step up to support survivors, and we are so grateful. But through prevention programs like Pathways to Peace, you are also offering a lifeline to offenders who want to make a change.

If they are willing to do the hard work, we are willing to help.

Your support is changing their lives. It is also changing the lives of their children and families.

You can learn more about all of our prevention programs and how you can help prevent abuse at shelteringwings.org/preventabuse.