February 2003
Hitting Home - Colin's story | |
|  | | 57% of victims are involved in more than one incident. The risk is twice as high for women as men |
| | Colin was a wife-beater. Before he got help to control his temper he measured up to all the stereotypes |
| | | "‘I punched her, I’ve had my hands around her throat, pulled her hair, I’ve done despicable things to her that I’m really ashamed of."
 I’ve done despicable things to her that I’m really ashamed of  | | Colin |
He was arrested a couple of times but was always let off with a warning. Although he tried to control his temper, he found it impossible to stay calm under pressure.
He became depressed and asked his local Social Services for help. They put him in touch with a counsellor who gave him one-to-one anger management teaching.
After about nine months of therapy, Colin has learnt to resolve arguments without resorting to violence. It’s meant turning around a lifetime of behaviour. He’s now more confident about himself and people say he’s a changed man.
 | | The BBC will consider effects of violence on everyone |
He’s adopted a ‘no-violence’ policy in the house and is trying to rebuild trust with his family. The long-term effects of the violence still feel very real for his wife and children.
"Every time I try to cuddle my wife when the kids are around they scream ‘No, my mummy!’ as if I’m going to hit her. My son has started to be violent with me," says Colin,"and I tell him it’s naughty, but before he didn’t know it was naughty, he thought it was just part of living life." | | | |
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