SWD Batterer Intervention Programme and SPeaR — Hong Kong's Pilot-Evaluated Counselling Services for Domestic Batterers

Hong Kong's Social Welfare Department (SWD) designed an indigenous 13-session Batterer Intervention Programme (BIP) for men served by its Family and Child Protective Services Units and Probation Offices. A pilot ran in 20 groups from 2006 to 2008 with 171 male batterers (54% non-statutory, 22% bind-over, 24% probation-order cases).
The pilot used a quasi-experimental design with 54 comparison men receiving regular casework only. Of 119 men in Stages 3 and 4, 96 (81%) completed nine or more sessions. Completers showed statistically significant reductions in violence and gains in marital satisfaction, reported by both the men and their partners (80% partner compliance with data collection). However, there was no statistically significant difference between completers and the comparison group in controlling violence; completers gained more in relationship quality. Bind-over and probation cases improved less on violence than voluntary ones, and one group was aborted because of poor attendance.
The BIP continues as a casework service (152 participants over 2016–17 to 2018–19). Since October 2018 SWD subsidises three NGOs to run the Support Programme for Enhancing Peaceable Relationship (SPeaR) across five service clusters, reaching 438 people in its first year, including 151 male and 91 female batterers. A court-mandated Anti-Violence Programme exists under the Domestic and Cohabitation Relationships Violence Ordinance, but courts referred only two men in three years, so the mandatory route is largely unused. Honest reading: a well-evaluated voluntary service with modest demonstrated effect on violence and a weak legal referral pipeline.

Read the full analysis: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201912/11/P2019121100333.htm