Specialized multi-lingual group services are offered in Brockton to adolescents and adult offenders. Groups are self-pay and a sliding fee scale is available. My name is Mark. I was placed on Probation for assaulting my former wife, Suzy. I was given a suspended sentence. One day when I went to drop my children off after visitation at her home, I was arrested again for domestic assault and battery.
She did get a restraining order against me and I was no longer allowed to have any contact with her or the children. When I called to schedule my intake, I was beyond angry. I was even more angry that I had to speak with another woman especially after a woman got me ordered to the program.
I was not nice on the phone and the staff person directed me to her supervisor who, low and behold, was another woman! I was not sitting down with a woman to have her tell me what to do. I scheduled two more appointments and each time I called, I was asked not to use profanities on the phone and that if I was not going to enroll in the program, they suggested I speak with my probation officer. This was over a span of about 4 weeks which also included me not seeing my children.
Long story short, I blew off the program, I was violated by my probation officer and had to serve 18 months at the Plymouth County House of Correction for the previous assault against my wife. I was released after serving 11 months and placed back on probation and referred to the Intimate Partner Abuse Education Program. This time I scheduled my intake appointment and began group. I will say during the first 4 to 6 weeks of the program, I remained angry, but complied with the program rules.
I had two teachers, Sara and Jose. At one point, another group member asked during group why I was so disrespectful to the teachers when they were just doing their job and not the ones who sent me to this program. He said my abusive behaviors got me sent to this program. He also said, what if someone assaulted your daughter?
