"He was truly listening to what I was saying": an in-depth look at domestic violence surrogate dialogues.

Abstract

Domestic violence surrogate dialogues are another valuable piece added to the list of resources that are available for survivors of domestic violence. This qualitative research examines a surrogate dialogue program in Duluth, Minnesota. It reports on offender, survivor, and facilitator perspectives on the experience. The dialogues aid in healing for both the survivor and offender, allow them to experience empathy, feel empowerment, experience healing, and move on with their lives. These dialogues enhance the coordinated community response and assist survivor and offender in writing the final chapter on the violence they have experienced.